Sarah Palin And The Buddhist Busboy

I work three days a week for a charity which creates long-term development projects in third world countries by having children sponsored. It is hugely rewarding on so many levels. Seeing whole communities transformed through the provision of clean water, sanitation, schoolhouses, education in animal husbandry and crop optimization is a delight. Seeing the very real pleasure that sponsors get by communicating with their sponsored child and seeing the growth in opportunities for that child whilst the sponsors children have a pen pal to grow up with whilst learning valuable life lessons is an honor really.


I was a guest of some quite wealthy community leaders at a dinner function in a top quality Thai restaurant recently. Of course the conversation came round to my work and I advised of the various opportunities for support of our projects- they were receptive nothing came of these discussions.


A few days later I received an email from a young man who described himself as a Buddhist and a Thai immigrant who although poor wanted to do something for charity and world peace as part of his spiritual path. He thought our charity, which is well known for total honesty and the fact that 100% of dispersed aid money goes only to projects and is third party audited, would be the best for him to work with.


I suggested he come in so we could discuss what role he might play-possibly as a volunteer. He turned out to be a poor, slightly shy but earnest young man who is genuinely committed to charity amongst those overseas worse off than he is. He advised that he talked to the organizers of the forthcoming Thai National Day celebrations, which thousands will attend, and they agreed he could set up a fundraising stall so he is underway.


It turns out that this young man is a kitchen hand in the same Thai restaurant I dined in with the leading lights just a few days before and, whilst he has nothing and they everything, he will be the one to change lives amongst the poor.


I reflected how much this is like the current political scene is, where the established elites mock and ridicule Sarah Palin and the millions of ordinary folks who support her. It is these people, categorized as trailer park trash, hicks, ignoramuses, who are the heart and soul of America. Their generosity, no matter their personal circumstances is boundless. The American spirit in the maligned, by the east and west coast elite, “fly over country” is one of love of family, country and God.


These elites had their day in November 2008 and it has been downhill all the way ever since. The generous spirited poor, like the kitchen hand, have had enough (as the Tea party shows) and the anger-from Virginia to New Jersey to Massachusetts and in this November across the country will be the next step in taking America back. The final step will be the swearing in of an (extraordinary ordinary !) Christian patriot in 2012.