*Not doing advertisement, just a self experience story to share in my blog*
Just so you know, The Big Issue is a magazine sold by vendors who are homeless on the street of Australia from morning until evening. It's a magazine for $6 where $3 is for the vendor.
1. Why people don't buy the big issue?
One of the reason was, it was came over from a conversation with my classmates.
They were locals, girls, around my age. They said they felt uncomfortable buying from someone sitting on the street looking messy and unspiritual. By honest means,
people feel disgusted buying from someone who is homeless and unhygienic.
They also discussed, if they want to sell the big issue, they should have a proper person to sell OR
the homeless should do something else not like sitting on the corner selling it.
Also, in peer pressure means, no one is buying it so people doesn't dare to approach to buy it.
2. So why did I plan to buy this Big Issue today?
So I finished work and heading home passing by the usual street.
When I reached the traffic light junction of Topshop,
I saw this boy desperately approaching people holding his big issue holding up showing in front of people. And he approached me too but I kindly rejected as always. I walked pass him and crossed the road and popped into my mind, I have this assignment to do with this big issue therefore I turn my way back and want to purchase from him and my instinct told me that I have to go back and buy this.
As per our conversation, he said in mumbling way that his English pronunciation was not clear saying " I was hopeless when you just walk away but now you turned back to buy from me" Something like that because he was speaking unclearly.
I said, yeah, I have an assignment to do on this topic so why not buying one to know more about it and I took out a $20 note and asked whether he ha a change. He shook his head and said he doesn't have change. Then I was looking around and asking myself what can I do. Then he said there's a grocery store maybe I can make a change there and asked whether he want to come along. I said it's okay, I will come back.
So I went to the shop and the uncle said he can't make changes for $1 so I changed for $10 and went to the next bubble tea shop and made a change for $5 and $1 change.
I was thinking, I can get away with this by walking to the other street. But then,
I will feel guilty if I did that. So I went back and he looked disappointed that he thought he lose a customer. I described it this way as it was so obvious on his face. It would be a hope crushing for him that he will lose humanity in his life if I didn't come back.
I've been there and I don't want to do that to people.
So I came back with the money and he hand me the book.
He said thank you very much for buying and that was the second book he sold
when he stand there from 5am till now around 4pm.
He also told me that there is a new issue tomorrow and this is the old version,
he said I can return this to him and get my money back
and he will pass to me the new version tomorrow.
I said it's okay, I can buy another time.
He told me I can buy from him the next time where he is working at the train station.
I nodded and thank him saying have a nice day and he told me the same too.
As I head back to the road on green light, I put my magazine immediately
into my grocery shopping bag.
I somehow don't want people to know I purchased the magazine.
So as I walked thru the road where there is not a crowd,
I read on the cover page and saw $3 to the homeless vendor that can help their life.
I quickly folded the cover page to the next page as people passing by.
I read the title pages to see what content they have and the editors behind this magazine.
It was realised it was a non-profit organisation helping disadvantage and homeless people.
Vendors are homeless but to help themselves and their family, they take the move to sell to earn some money for their living.
As I read on the first few pages, I read this article of this vendor in Adelaide who chose to sell this magazine and make a small amount of money and help herself from not being moneyless.
Also another page how vendors turned out to be and
how they have been thru by selling the Big Issue.
While I was reading thru the content, I felt, why do I need to feel ashamed to buy this magazine.
It's not like I did something bad or it's something not good.
I helped someone and judge me if you want to.
So I unfolded the magazine and not to be ashamed that
I bought this magazine while walking my way back home.
And when I thought back, if it wasn't for the motivation of my assignment,
I wouldn't purchase this magazine.
I thought back of how desperately this boy was trying to sell this magazine.
That desperate of approach you would do when you really need someone's help.
I remembered when I was at the Turkey airport I missed the flight and I desperately needed help. Yes, I was alone, desperate and panicked at somewhere I am not familiar with,
in the midnight with my missing luggage and no wifi and phone line to contact anyone.
I have no idea what to do, hoping someone can help me.
Yes, I had that desperation and it's another story to tell.
I was desperately begging people to help me.
I met different kind of people and I am truly truly thankful that they helped me.
And I helped people who needed help too.
It gave me hope to humanity.
B I hope that I gave that boy some small help at least, rather than giving someone who sits there and doing nothing than to help someone who is helping themselves.
Buying the Big issue was one of a different kind of experience everyone should have.
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