McDonald's bringing Perspective

Today, we saw some beautiful sights in the Presidential Palace of Guatemala City.  There were magnifient paintings, a two and a half ton chandelier, fingerprints of the first president in every door knob, and gorgeous wood floors.  Even though I thoroughly enjoyed these sights, my favorite part of the day was speaking with the driver  from Dorie's Promise, Abel.  He was a source of infinite wisdom about the buildings around the city and the culture of Guatemala. 

As we walked and talked about his life here and while he lived in Los Angeles, we passed a McDonalds.  Abel asked how much a Big Mac meal cost in America.  I stated around $5 and he said it was about 35 quetzales in Guatemala ($5 US dollars).  I was a bit amazed that the prices were similiar.  Then, Abel asked me how long it takes for me to make $5 in the US.  I answered around 10 minutes.  He then stated that he works half a day for 35 quetzales.  I stood there absolutely silent.  Imagine working half a day for my McDonald's combo. Would I be so apt to buy it then?  Then, I begin to think about how much I take for granted.  What good could I do in Guatemala with my $5 instead of buying a combo meal?

Becky