A lot of Zimbabweans in the diaspora are counting on the self help support groups when they fall into hard times. It is no secret that life away from home can be very hard and stressful at times. The very fact that one is away from home is like a vacuum that can never be filled. The vast varying social and cultural settings and norms can be overwhelming to say the least. Give that situation a lot of people who leave their countries to settle else where are bound to encounter that problem.
Most people coming from poor African countries where communities are still close together find themselves hit hard by these dynamics. We find ourselves lost in huge jungle, yet we are among millions of fellow human beings. Life in the western world is about me, myself and I. Or better off just me and my family! The developed world has no human touch. Only electronic gadgets. You think they call it the industrialized world for nothing! One can manage to live by themselves without the interference from the next person. This happens even in churches, most people can hardly greet the person sitting on the next phew. There is no community obligation of any kind. Neither is there an emphasis on the extended family or even neighbors. To many of us, these are priceless values that were instilled in us at a young age.
Most people here do not even know their neighbor from the left or the right hand sides. I told my face book friends recently, how I nearly harmed my neighbor two doors away. This poor guy was walking around our yard in the evening looking for his dog. Me and my family where we were very much alarmed because we heard knock at the front the door and did not recognize the face. It was Sunday evening around and we were not expecting anybody in that hour. The story is long but we as we looked out side we could see shadows of a man walking around the house. I have never been that armed in my whole life! I mean I was armed to teeth. ( By the way I do not have a gun just to make that clear) It was in the fear of the moment that gripped us. I decided to call the police just before I before doing something that might regret. While I was still on the phone with the operator trying to describe the man's physical features, I saw the blue and red lights flushing all over. The prompt local Police department was patrolling the area.
I should have mentioned that we live in very quiet neighborhood. Thank God! The Police came and told me that, the person in question was my neighbor a couple of doors away who was sincerely looking for his lost dog! Now you can see how this story could have ended differently had I not decided to pause and call the police. Its all because I did not know my neighbor.
This is example of how life is in this side of the civilized world. Some things are good but some are bad. Growing up in the townships and villages as children, neighbor parents we equally obligated to correct and discipline us in case they found us straying. We even have a saying that says it takes a village to raise a child. Well sorry, not so over here!
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