brown coin nestled inside."Mum，can I have this？Can I play with this in my cash register？" he asked.I took one look and was immediately transported to another time."You can play with all your coins，but not this one，" I said slowly."This one's special.I will never again see the woman who gave this to me." I fingered the coin gently."This coin is worth much more than its monetary(货币的) value."

　　My son looked at me strangely and I explained.In 1991，I had spent five months in an African country，Niger，damaged badly by sandstorms and blistering heat.There were many things I found difficult about this place-the climate and beggars were my biggest and most constant complaints.Homeless street children would continually thrust their hands into your face，shouting "Cadeau！Cadeau！(gift)" in French，the former colonial tongue.

　　After I'd finished my nursing stint there，a friend and I headed for a neighbouring country，Burkina Faso，to work in a health clinic.

　　"It's much greener in Burkina.Even the Coke tastes better，" the locals assured us.

　　Arriving by taxi at our destination in Burkina，we began to unload.I had a large backpack and a smaller daypack.With my daypack wedged between my legs，I reached for my larger piece of luggage.Out of the darkness，a motorbike with two men approached slowly.Without warning，one of the men grabbed my daypack as the motorbike swept close by.Within seconds，the two were out of sight，swallowed up by the night.

　　The bag had my passport，money，traveller's cheques，camera，an airline ticket and other things precious to me.I was in deep trouble.And the nearest Australian consulate(领事馆) was in Ethiopia.

　　In the weeks that followed，I guarded the rest of my valuables and regarded all locals with suspicion(怀疑).I put up with questions by the authorities with great frustration.All I wanted was to leave this hellhole.

　　Then，walking through Burkina's streets one day，I was accosted(搭讪) by an old woman who thrust her hand in my face."Cadeau！Cadeau！" she cried.

　　I'd had enough.I was sick and tired of the country：its poverty and corruption，its thieves，its inefficiency，the heat，the dust and its time­wasting officials.I told her firmly in French，"I have no 'cadeau'.I have no money.A thief stole all my money two weeks ago and now I can't get out of your country.I cannot give you anything."

　　The beggar woman listened attentively and thought carefully about my words.Then her face crumpled into a toothless smile as she reached into the folds of her dress.

"Then I will give you a cadeau，" she announced.Kindly，she placed an old，dark brown coin in my palm.I looked at it in shock.It was an extremely small amount of money-but for this woman，the coin represented a meal.In that moment，I felt the shame of affluence(富裕) and the