People with the same character always have similar fate.
I was visiting a pig village in Honduras, which was developed with the help of international organizations. I met Melissa, an unmarried woman with six children.
I spent those days by the pig pen of the farmer. Most of the men here live by doing odd jobs. In the past, most of the women lived by growing crops or raising chickens. They could not earn much money. Once the crops were damaged by insects or natural disasters, or their husbands lost their jobs – the price of coffee fell in recent years, causing many Honduran men who grow coffee to lose their jobs – they often had no choice but to ask the sky. In order to help the women here, international organizations teach them to raise the best breed of pigs, and provide them with interest free loans. In cooperation with the production and marketing system, everyone can get a stable income without spending too much time. When I went to interview, every local woman talked with confidence, except Melissa.
Melissa didn’t open her mouth and asked her questions. She was so anxious that she seemed to cry. Her neighbor was a warm-hearted wife, so she had to answer her questions. This lady told me quietly that Melissa doesn’t like to talk and doesn’t like to socialize with people, because she has six children and a man, but she’s not married. She doesn’t like to talk about the situation at home.
The neighbor’s wife told me privately that Melissa had followed the man since she was very young. In addition to her, the man also formed a family with other women. Of course, it is impossible to raise Melissa’s children. Melissa believed in Catholicism and could not use contraception or abortion, so she gave birth until she gave birth to her sixth child. She is a hardworking woman who works every day. She would rather be hungry than feed and drink her children.
It’s very difficult for a woman to make a living in the countryside. Fortunately, she has a pig raising plan. Now Melissa’s life is much better and she has some savings. Every time the man came, he would ask her for money. Otherwise, he would beat her. After saving the money in the bank, he would never leave.
The fate of the silent Melissa is similar to that of many traditional Taiwanese women. She quietly and firmly endured what fate had given her, always giving, but never receiving love. It can be seen that Melissa should have been a beauty when she was young, but now, at the age of 40, she has been tortured by poverty.
However, she can’t live without that bad man. Maybe she will live like this all her life. It has gradually become a habit to endure fate or an unsuitable lover. After having children, her burden became heavier and heavier, and her habit of patience became deeper and deeper.
Not everyone knows how to cherish the people around him who sacrificed and contributed to him. As a woman, I have never been loved. I can only love someone who doesn’t love me all my life. What a pity.
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