How to get out of the poverty trap

by Barbi Trejo

This is the story of my life and how I got out of poverty, how I succeeded where most don't and how I live with pride now. To understand how not to be poor, you must of been poor. You must know the extreme humiliation and you must know hunger. You must know being in the rain and you must know being close to death. How does one get out of being poor, only by the grace of God.

My story starts back many years ago when my husband died. In fact it will be 8 years on January 24th. Long 7 years of struggling and a long 7 years of shame. I could not hold my head up and I could not belong. I was an outcast everywhere I went. I did not want handouts, but then again I did. Every time I visited someone they assumed I was there for money, so I had no real friends, just people who gave me charity.

Some treated me very bad and some even worst. I had to bow down to their desires and I had to forget who I was. I had to be friends with people who gave me charity where in normal situations I would not and I had to be afraid. I was afraid of existing or saying the wrong thing, I was afraid of dying like others on the street. Then one day, I saw this TV show on depending on God for money and everything. So I made a challenge on my blog to everyone for one week to not complain about anything and to depend on God for help. Funny in two days, someone sent me money.

I went back on my blog and told everyone I was successful. Then something bad happened, I was so broke one week that I did not have any money or food. I was destitute and I was alone. It was an awful feeling being so broke and I was hungry. I went to visit people just to eat and I went everyday for even a piece of chocolate and I would cry at night. Tell me about how to get out of debt, tell me you have walked in my shoes and then I will tell you what happened next.

I was so desperate for food that I wrote to a newspaper and asked for a job. I had several forums and blogs that I was doing for free. I am a naturalist and I worked to help others be well again. So Natural News accepted my application to be a citizen journalist. Wow, I thought, I am a writer. Yikes, I know little about writing professionally. I did okay, but not real good. I wrote to the editor and explained to her how I was a widow trying to get off of welfare and Melissa helped me. She would tell me exactly what I did wrong and everyday she would give me a grammar lesson or two.

Then I worked other places like Helium and Suite101 too. Eventually, I got to be a better writer and eventually the money poured in. I just received my largest check ever and I went shopping. I have new carpets, brand new custom curtains, new beds and new pillows. I bought a brand new cabinet for my television and new cushions for my couch. Today I got a brand new water cooler, so I can have cold water.

Lessons That I Learned:

1. Never give up and have faith.

2. Even in the worst situation, you can survive.

3. Hang on to your ethics and never resort to anything bad.

4. Depend on God for all things.

5. Thank God always you have a computer.

It is amazing how quickly God answers prayers, if we will just ask. I know I have bad days coming because things have been going so well, but I now have enough savings to survive most crisis. I learned from being poor that I must remember the poor. I give tons of charity now and I remember those who were kind to me. I thank God for this time I was poor as I was rich before in America. I owned my own Brokerage there.

God made me poor, but only after I was rich first. He gave me patience and he gave me the ability to survive. Many are not as lucky as I was, but I feel I am here at Helium for a purpose. Maybe to help one other person realize that they can survive and maybe it is just to make lots and lots of money.

Humbleness is a trait of the poor and one needed by the rich:

I feel ashamed when I look at my house so beautiful and I feel ashamed, as I don't deserve so much, but yes I am out of poverty and yes I did survive. It all started with faith in God, my creator and it happened very quickly. As I look around my surrounds I must remember my husband and hope that he can look down from heaven and smile. He would be so happy. His last words to me before he died was, "I didn't leave you anything." Yes you did Mo, you left me love.