Beggars are a part of everyday life here. There's a struggle to remain compassionate and not let your heart harden while not getting abused. If you give to one beggar then you end up causing a scene and can be mobbed. It can be a bit scary when you're alone. There are also people running scams. You really have to get to know the beggars in your area and discern who to give to and how to give to them. The hardest part is you're dealing with children most of the time.
I had an experience the other day that was different from past beggar encounters. I was with two other expats in an auto rickshaw. Being an expat you become a magnet for beggars because you're rich. We were sitting at the red light and about four young boy touts came to sell us books and other things. One woman tried to sell us incense but quickly left. The boys quickly understood that we were not interested in buying books. They were enjoying the conversation and it wasn't bothering us.
Then this young girl came up signing for food. I said no. Once you've acknowledged a beggar you are in for it. They have great persistence after being acknowledged. The girl began to rub my upper thigh with her left hand (which is considered unclean). This is completely inappropriate even for her culture. I pushed her hand away and said no and go away. That's when she dug her nails into my arm and started pinching me. If I wouldn't have been wearing a long sleeve shirt she would have drawn blood and she definitely left marks. I swatted at her hand and she ran away.
I immediately started rationalizing my right to swat at her hand. It just put me in a conundrum for the rest of the day. Was my response appropriate? I had to let her know that she shouldn't do that.
I'm struggling with how to interact with beggars. They are people and need to be treated with respect. I can't give to everyone. Even to acknowledge them sometimes puts me in danger. I just have to be sensitive to the situation. Be as gentle as a dove and wise as a serpent. What does that look like? I just think the most important thing is my heart. My hope is that living here doesn't harden my heart.
