Its amazing to me, the situation that we, as Americans, have found ourselves in. Do you realize and understand how simply being born in a place can set a course for ones life. Some quick stats...when compared to the whole earth, all the people on the planet, from Brazil, to China, to Tokyo, to Russia, Europe, Africa, so on and so forth, the poorest amongst us, those who the government considers below the poverty line, those who make less than $22k a year, still live better than 90% of the world! RIDICULOUS! Basically 84% of us in this country live better than 90% of the rest of the planet! WOW! As if that was not enough, if you make the average in this country, which last year was $48k, you would have made more money, or been able to live better than 99% of the planet. This is absurd. HELLO! WAKE UP! What am I doing...are we wasting this incredible opportunity to help others?
About 50% of us in this country have it better than 99% of the planet...that's pretty much everyone else....anywhere. Why then are we the most depressed, sad, empty, confused and discontent people group in the world. What are we missing? Why do I see people who have a one room house, no shoes and a pair of pants, who don't know where tonight's dinner is coming from, who seem more complete and fulfilled than the majority of the folks I pass on my way to the office every morning? What is up with that?
Quickly...maybe we should take a step back. Maybe all it takes is a change of perspective...and a small one at that. Consider these facts...$32/month will pay for education, health care and resources for a child in Africa through C.I. $25/month will pay for uniforms, shoes, books, and supplies for a child to attend school in Mexico. $75 will provide a goat for a family in Malawi which would provide them with milk, cheese, and yogurt, for years. $5400 can provide a new well in Africa which can produce 600 gallons of clean, safe, disease free water a day for over 150 people.
The point here is not dollars, good feelings, or a clean conscience. The point is this...what if you could change your perspective, to see beyond your own front door, beyond your own schedule, your own career, even your own family? What if everyone just gave a little...could we feed the world? Could we clean up the water? Could we treat disease? I believe we could, and we can, and we should.
Life is so much bigger than our own personal worlds. Even if gas is $5 a gallon, would you rather suffer through a month or two without your DVR, or wake up and not know if you'll have the food or water to make it through to the next meal.
Seriously though....and I love Starbucks....but might it be worth foregoing 1 Latte a week, to impact the life of someone else in a way they could never ever imagine or achieve on their own.
Peace
2 comments:
what org does the wells?
my thoughts exactly - what would happen if everyone who bought tickets to Batman (in THREE days alone) matched their ticket price with a donation to a worthy cause - that would be over $158 million dollars going to help those in need...imagine what that could be used for - mind blowing
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