My+First+Santa

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 * It was Christmas. Santa was coming to the Northland Shopping Center. My children had to see Santa. But my children did not want to see Santa. **


 * “Mom, it is just a man all dressed up. We are Muslims. We are black. You cover your head. They will say why have you come here. We don’t want to go. We will not go!” **


 * I pushed and pulled, I begged and pleaded and we were finally in Northland to see Santa. My children felt very embarrassed and were angry with me. Come to think of it, I am not very sure about my true intentions of going there. Did I want my children to witness this cultural experience? Or did I want to satisfy some hidden childish desire of mine? I was very happy, smiling from ear to ear. The staff was distributing free chocolate muffins, in pretty baskets, decorated in the Christmas colors to everyone. You could have as many as you wanted. People were eating them, throwing them… All of a sudden, my mood changed. I was sad, very sad. A train of thoughts raced passed my mind. **


 * Oh! My god! They are throwing away free cakes. Do they even know that the children in the world are dying because of hunger? Do these people realize how lucky they are to be born Australians? How can the children in my country ever equal them? Is it their fault that they are born in Pakistan? **


 * I have seen children eat out of trash, children begging and children very hungry. All children are the same, they are beautiful flowers. All children deserve the best things in life. They deserve to play, study and not be hungry. I left Northland with a very heavy heart, silently calculating the number of poor families an Australian muffin throw in the bin could feed. **

**@http://www.penniesfromheavenus.com/**
 * "Here is what pennies can buy--bananas for 56 poor orphans in Africa!" **
 * Click on the link to read the article 'Pennies from Heaven' **

__** Moral of the story **__
 * Please don't throw away food. People are dying. **


 * I am going back home…to feed the hungry. **