Torn

Last night Sello was explaining to me that Khutso had been crying in the afternoon because he wanted French Paloney (cheap sandwich meat). My host mom told him that he needed to tell his mom to buy it for him.

Background on Khutso’s mom: I’m going to put it nicely and simply state that I don’t like the woman. She’s a drunk who is always in and out of jail for something or another. Yesterday was the first time Khutso had seen her since mid-December. She apparently receives some sort of child grant for him that he never sees any of the money from.

I constantly feel torn over the treatment of Khutso. There are extra beds in the house yet he sleeps on a blanket on the floor. As far as I can tell dinner is the only time he receives any type of protein and vegetables in his diet, and he always gets the smallest portions of these. For breakfast and lunch he eats bread. I never see anyone hug him or ask his about his schoolwork (he’s only seven). It kills me to see this but I feel helpless to do anything about it. I try to give him treats as often as possible, but I honestly feel he’s simply neglected. I want to complain to my family about it, but they are already doing him a favor by giving him a place to live, which is more than his mother provides.

I could buy Khutso French Paloney…it’s not expensive and would set me back less than two dollars. Yet, I don’t want his mom to think I’m going to give him a free ride, and I don’t want to cause any type of negative feelings in my family “Why are you buying things for Khutso?” My “mom” did convince his mom to give her money to buy the meat but it cost a long battle that Khutso was there for and know can’t have felt positive to a child who receives so little love and attention already.

I don’t know what to do…