Doris Duntley’s story represents many who are trying to pull out of poverty

The words that describe my life these days are not good ones. Frustrated. Tired. Sad. 

I’m only 34 but I feel so much older. I depended so much on my husband but since he left I’ve been so overwhelmed taking care of the kids, paying the bills and simply surviving. He left us with $10 and not much else. I’ve pawned the TV and the stereo and applied for help. But things still aren’t looking too good for us.

I don’t know how to get through to my son, Dan. He’s 17 and thinks he knows everything. He’s about to become a father but he still hangs out with those friends of his from school. They’re always up to no good and I worry every time I see the police that they’re coming to get him. 

Diana is my baby girl. She’s 14 and growing up fast too. She doesn’t like school much but I want her to finish high school, not drop out like I did. She told me that a man near her bus stop has been talking to her a lot lately. Yesterday he told her he knew a way she could make some money fast. I don’t like the sound of that and I told her so, but she knows we’re getting desperate.

There’s not much food in the pantry right now. I applied for food stamps when my husband left and got my SNAP card today. But when I got to the grocery store, my card didn’t work. I had to go back to the social services office to get a new card — my third trip to that office. I know I wasn’t very nice to the man at the desk, but I was hungry — and irritated. I kept thinking that the bus fare would buy a hamburger. Anything sounds good right now. 

Fortunately Diana gets to eat at school. Who knows where Dan is eating but he doesn’t ask for anything. I know he went down to the employment office today. If he could get a job, then we might be able to pay the gas bill and keep the heat on. I heard his girlfriend’s family was evicted from their apartment but he hasn’t mentioned them either. I wonder what his plan is. If he even has one.

Next month might be better. The lady at social services said we might qualify for some help next month. If that comes through, then at least I can pay the rent. And our SNAP card should work now so I can get some groceries. If I could just get a job, even something for just a few hours a week, then we might break even. At least we wouldn’t be so far behind.

Poverty Simulation

Doris Duntley is a fictional character in the Community Action Poverty Simulation, an educational outreach program of Alabama Possible. During the poverty simulation, participants role-play the lives of families living at or below the poverty level. Upon arrival participants are assigned identities, families and life situations.

During four 15-minute sessions, they must navigate typical challenges faced by individuals living in poverty, including acquiring or maintaining employment, caring for children or elderly family members, applying for public assistance and dealing with transportation issues. They interact with social service agencies, grocers, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, job interviewers, police officers, ministry leaders and others who might help them.

The simulation aims to increase participants’ understanding of the hardships and emotional toll experienced by the poor. The Alabama Baptist correspondent Carrie Brown McWhorter participated in the poverty simulation at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham, in February. The simulation at the church was the first of a three-part study series on ministering to the poor and was part of the church’s Major Missions Projects community ministries focus.

(TAB)

For more information on the Community Action Poverty Simulation, go to www.alabamapossible.org.

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Helpful Resources

1. M-POWER Ministries: www.mpowerministries.org
2. “Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help and How to Reverse It” by Robert D. Lupton (HarperOne, 2012)
3. “When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor … and Yourself” by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett (Moody, 2014)
4. “Plunge 2 Poverty:  An Intensive Poverty Simulation Experience” by Jimmy and Janet Dorrell (New Hope, 2006)
5. “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” by Ruby K. Payne (aha! Process Inc., 2005)
6. “Counter Culture:  A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography” by David Platt (Tyndale, 2015)
7. “What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty” by Bill Ehlig and Ruby K. Payne (aha! Process, Inc., 1999)