| A friend was saying how upsetting it was to see | | | | have ever known real hunger or deprivation. We have |
| pictures of starving children in charity appeals. "I just | | | | our own sorrows and difficulties, but, thank God, we |
| can't bear to look," she said. "What can any of us do, | | | | (and our children) more often than not have food, clean |
| anyway?" So whenever images of malnourished | | | | water, shelter and medicine. |
| children appeared on television or newspapers or in | | | | We know an important part of Christian faith is to care |
| the mail, she flicked channels, turned the page, or threw | | | | for the needy. As it says in the New Testament: "If |
| the mail in the trash. "It breaks my heart," she said. "But | | | | anyone has material possessions and sees his brother |
| I can't take the whole world on my shoulders." | | | | in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of |
| So, best to do nothing then? "Sure," she said. "We can't | | | | God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with |
| change a thing so why try?" | | | | words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (John |
| The problems of the developing world can seem | | | | 3:17-18, NIV). |
| overwhelming at times. Drought, famine, wars and | | | | Also, in this "global village" of ours, don't we have a |
| disease come in unrelenting waves. Just when one set | | | | collective responsibility to support those most in need? |
| of problems seems to be easing - slam - another | | | | At the first Human Solidarity Day in December 2006, |
| humanitarian crisis erupts. An earthquake. A harvest | | | | U.N. officials pointed out that not only should everyone |
| failure. A war. The focus changes but not the victims. | | | | be joining together to help the poorest people but we |
| These are so often the most vulnerable children. They | | | | should also find ways to break the poverty cycle. |
| are sick, starving, without shelter, clean water or hope. | | | | Crucially, every little bit helps. Every cent adds up. |
| It is easy to turn away and say, "How terrible. But it's | | | | Every action spreads a little ripple. Every prayer is |
| not my problem." | | | | heard. We can each act as advocates for those little |
| If we have any claim to humanity, however, it is our | | | | ones without a voice. We can demand more effective |
| problem. It is everyone's responsibility - you can save | | | | political action. We can learn more about the causes of |
| children and change the world. | | | | world poverty and how it is best addressed. We can |
| According to UNICEF, at least 80 percent of the | | | | donate, raise funds, and support both our church |
| world's population lives on less than $10 a day. In parts | | | | groups and international support groups. We can make |
| of Africa, that figure drops to just $1 a day. Nearly half | | | | a very real difference to an individual child through child |
| the world's 2.2 billion children live in poverty. Of those, | | | | sponsorship. A child can be fed, made well and |
| 24,000 die each day because of sickness or | | | | educated through our personal efforts. |
| starvation. In some of the poorest countries, one in five | | | | And we can tell others within our sphere of influence |
| children dies before age 5. | | | | that child poverty isn't someone else's problem. It's ours, |
| We in the West are much more fortunate. Few of us | | | | too. And we can make a difference. |