I was driving today and I was talking to myself (that doesn't really surprise anyone does it?) I was looking around thinking do I see it the same? I began to pray that God would always give me eyes that could see the reality of what was around me.
This morning Mark and I went in two different directions, not at all out of the ordinary. I spend M-F at the center, working on a variety of things as our programs runs and grows. Mark is usually out and about in communities, making contacts, going to new places scouting for groups, finding the most vulnerable who need help. This morning I headed to the center. I had a pretty full morning and Mark headed out with his Land Cruiser loaded with Bologna sandwiches. Today he was passing out sandwiches, on the streets and in some communities.
About 2 o'clock Mark and I met up, went to Mololoa (together!) I have been so busy lately at the center that it had been a while since I had been there, driving up into the community. We had a couple of things to accomplish, we needed to make a delivery to Dylcia and we had more sandwiches so we wanted to distribute them.
We were driving up the mountain, a road I have driven, countless times..really i couldn't tell you how much time mark and I have spent in this place with these people. It was clear the rain and water was having an effect of the community as it always, a lot of erosion. Houses in jeopardy, the road un-passable in places. As we were driving I was looking around and I could see it, it looked different to me. I said to Mark "it looks poorer" In such a short time, I could see a visible shift in the well-being in the community. I don't know if I can even explain it, what it is I saw but it was there.
We parked I walked through the gate to dylcia's house and the back side of the house and beyond was covered with a tarp, the mountain is washing in..so they are trying to keep the water out. Dylcia wasn't home, talked to her mom and heard the children, her two youngest had been sick. Dylcia was out working.
Up by the truck we passed out sandwiches, and it never takes long for the news to get around. Kids came from around every corner. Little dirty faces, no shoes, diaper-less but smiling hungry children. They sat down right by the truck and ate, running sandwiches back to their families and telling their neighbors. Everyone is hungry. For mother's like Dylcia a choice of food or medicine is a reality, what a choice to have to make?
"With the world economy in a downturn, we can not forget the people who are dealing with the crisis who started in a crisis: the poor of the developing world. A sixth of the world’s population is facing devastating hunger. The slow progress against hunger in the past is now starting to decline.
Reported in a recent article in Market Watch, the World Bank acknowledges that, “For those already struggling to meet their daily food and nutrient needs, the double shock of food and fuel prices rises represents a threat to basic survival. The poorest households are reducing the quantity and/or quality of the food, schooling, and basic services they consume, leading to irreparable damage to the health and education of millions of children.” (taken from the bread blog)
People are really starving. Children go to bed hungry, food cost more, they have the same amount of money so they simply do not eat. Think of how the economy has effected you? Now think of those who started out living in extreme poverty.
In times like this, we CAN NOT forget these people, these souls. We need to, even more now, look out for them, to throw a life line, in the midst of our own struggle. We can not be tempted during these hard time to hold on to what we have , we need to keep "spending ourselves" It has been quotes; “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Poverty is Evil and we are stand against evil, NO?
My day today made me think of this story;
The Widow's Offering
Luke 21
1 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.[a] 3"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
I was thankful for answered prayer today.
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