We live in a world where:
15 million children each year die of hunger
1 in 12 people world wide is malnourished
Every 3.6 seconds someone dies from hunger
1 billion people do not have access to clean water
1 billion people live on less than one American dollar a day
2.5 billion people live on less than two American dollars a day
40% of people in the world lack basic sanitation
1.6 billion people do not have electricity
1 billion people are illiterate
100 million children are denied an education
Most people in the world do not own a car
158 million children worldwide must go to work everyday in order to survive
The average American uses 400-600ltrs. of water a day
Americans throw out 14% of the food we purchase
The average American teenager spends $150 a week
1/3 of American families own 3 cars
4 out of 5 American adults are high school graduates
If arguing about who is right about the origin of mankind is more important to you than the shocking number of people who are living in poverty then you can stop reading. If you like me are angered by the above numbers keep reading.
There is obviously something wrong with our world. We all know it. We can feel it deep down in our bones, but too often we pretend that it isn't there. We create perfect societies in which; no one talks about the drug problem a few short blocks away, no one talks about the starving children in our own back yards let alone the starving children in the developing world, no talks about the obvious flaws in healthcare (we are too busy arguing about reproductive rights) than the fact that thousands of people cannot afford medication and health care, no one talks about the sex trade in our own back yards let alone the thousands of young women who are sold everyday in the developing world.
Maybe if everyone stopped arguing about religious beliefs and science and focused the real issues in our society we wouldn't live in a world where if we were a village of 100 people (If the World Were a Village):
47 people would not have food security
38 would not have adequate sanitation
13 do not have access to safe water
30 breathe polluted air
30 of the 36 school aged children attend school
1 teacher for all 30 students
10 people have 85% of the wealth
10 people live on less than $2/day
24 people do not have electricity
6 people contract malaria a year
As a Christian I believe that God calls me to change the world in a positive way. I believe that calls me to bring Heaven to Earth. I believe that God calls me to speak our for the oppressed and the marginalized. I believe that God calls me to fight to end world hunger. I believe that God calls me to speak out for social and economic justice. Most importantly I believe that anyone can do the work of God without knowing that they are doing the work of God.
"Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see" (Brandon Heath-Give Me Your Eyes)
go in PEACE. live PEACE. be PEACE
