The origins of the phrase “going to hell in a handcart” are quite difficult to pin down, and online sources suggest all sorts. But there is definitely a pervasive feeling that - all around the world - that people are going through a difficult phase. Of course there is an almighty difference between feeling the pinch because of inflation and the cost of living crisis, and living in a war zone. But to the individual all such matters are relative.
The outside world (not in our Cyprus bubble) tends to relate the highs and lows of western society, the UK, Europe and the USA. As far as the rest of the world, we are aware of what is going on but that is through the western media. “Fake News” they cry, and I must admit it is difficult to see the wood for the trees these days. The war in the Ukraine is a classic case in point. Russian atrocities and war crimes are highlighted, with every Ukrainian success lauded and every Russian defeat cheered to the rafters. But does anyone really know what is going on. Millions of people have become refugees, and they all tell the same story. But nowhere is the other side of the conflict reported. Propaganda has had a place in warfare for many years but nobody can get near the truth.
Ann and I were discussing this yesterday and the conversation expanded to refugees, asylum seekers, food banks, Britain planning to relocate “illegal immigrants” to Rwanda - whether legally or not. We have supported charitable endeavours, both animal and human, since we have lived in Cyprus. The moment actual cash is exchanged, the capacity for fraud and dishonesty rears its head. An appeal for help from the local dog pound a couple of years ago (and this is where we rescued Daisy nearly five years ago) prompted us to contribute money and when we enquired whether the money had been received, it turned out that the person to whom we had given the money had not handed it over but had used it to offset her expenses from the previous year. What a thieving s**t she is.
We provided regular contributions of food to two local charities, who were appealing for urgent help. And then, in horror, we discovered all the food had gone to one family and none to the others. We contributed a substantial number of duvets and blankets last winter - again after an urgent call for help. We bought these items at considerable cost to us from the hospice charity shop and left them there to be picked up. Days and days later we received a call from the shop to tell us that they still had the items in the shop. Upon telephoning the woman who had made the urgent appeal, she told us she had been too busy to collect them and so the needy families were freezing through the night.
I suspect most of these problems were caused by well-meaning amateurs, but it soon puts you off “charities” like that. And no, before you ask, we do not want to organise a properly run charity. We set up something called Argaka Aid and raised hundreds of euros for needy families locally. Could we give the money away? Not a chance. We exchanged them for vouchers from the local supermarket and still people were too proud to accept help. I created a website for the local pub (where we raised the money through weekly quiz and bingo evenings), and we were interrogated by British expats as to where the money was going. Ann was totally scrupulous in keeping accounts, and I suggested to the owner of the pub that I published and updated the spreadsheets weekly so that people could satisfy themselves where the money was going. “No, No, No” he said.
And that takes us to where we are now. And how many people like us (comfortably off and generous) find themselves in a similar situation. What price salvation now?
