Here's the link again anyway:
Miniature Earth
I guess I will discuss some parts that shocked me
It starts with a continental breakdown
61 Asians, 12 European, 8 north American, 5 south American, 13 African and 1 Oceanian
Wow what a perspective, never thought 61% of the world was Asian :s
But if we make some rash generalisations that North America, Europe and Oceania are rich. And Africa, South America and Asia are poor.
Then we have 78 poor people, never thought there was actually that many in Asia though. A lot of Oceania is poor, southern Europe aren't too well off and Central America of which some is North America are impoverished. Although some of Asia is getting much better also.
9 are disabled. Wow never thought about something like that either, I guess this is just sad. The fact that 9% are unable to have a fully working body.
43 live without basic sanitation. Health is so vital, but we are talking just basic health here.
18 live without an improved water source. I find this statistic to be quite good actually from what I expected. But then improved from my perspective is quite a lot compared to an improved water source in Africa.
6 people own 59% of the communities wealth. Wow there's a big one. 6 own over half, that's quite a large wealth inequality.
But there's more to come on this...
13 are hungry, something we totally take for granted. We are almost never hungry, especially not to the extent that others are.
14 can't read, another thing I totally take for granted.
7 are educated at a secondary level, there we are in that top 7.
Only 12 have a computer, there we are again. But only 3 have a net connection, there's us
The community spends $1,200 billion US on military but only $100 billion US on development aid. I converted them to billions for comparison. This one really eats at me we are more keen to fight then to help :(
Here in New Zealand using Government budget info I worked out we spend $450 per person on military but $107 per person on foreign aid. That is just the government however, which should be pointed out.
If you have a cupboard to keep your clothes in, a refrigerator for your food, a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head then you are 1 of 25.
Wow crazy again we take that totally for granted :s
18 live on less than $1 US per day but that's not what hits me.
53 struggle to live on less than $2 US per day
Now that is one of my favourite as well as most hated statistics. I like it because it puts are better perspective on poverty, but I hate it too, things should not be this way :( Over half the world lives on less than $2 US per day!
So yeah this really hits me. I don't want to guilt trip or anything here. I just want to put things in perspective and in the near future I will post some things that we can do to help. It's all about discussing and helping to improve the situation. Just discussing it doesn't help many...
7 comments:
all good stuff to consider - I think though although we should also be called to rethink our thinking, challenged, rebuked and call to repentance I would hate for this blog to be just a guilt trip mechanism but a encouragment and a call to generousity from the much that God has blessed us and called us to be stewards of, therefore an encouragement to do the right thing not hopelessness that we do not.
I assured that you being smart will be able to do this
yah well setting the situation I guess was my idea for the start
That ended up being quite a large post tho :P
Hmm... I think that we have to sit down sometimes, look at the world and say "it's a sinful one".
Because it is- your statistics prove it.
IMHO I think it won't change until Christ comes back, sadly.
BUT I think we still need to TRY and make a difference. In fact, Christ still calls us to be that difference. Why? Because when you clothe a random person, you are clothing jesus etc. When you help others and make a change in their lives, you are really showing God's love to others.
Confusing?:P
Christ does not need to come back my friend
I don't think we will see it in our life
But the reason I object to your comment and should object to the one i just made
Anything is possible with God! Totally agree with the rest :)
Yeah but God has given us free choice and we have chosen to sin.
So therefore- unless WE change, then poverty will remain.
there is a balance - there is a building of God's kingdom in the world from a pebble to a mightly mountain. this is the stage we are in. With God's kingdom comes people DEVELOPING the christ like love for people.
We live in the now and not yet phase and if you look at passages in the bible christ is in the process of putting all powers under his feet(even though God is fully in control.
any way even though I don't understand all the theology there is a sense that we are called to the poor as jesus says what ever you do for the lest of these you do for me. The Holy spirit helps to give us the power to do all that. but the bible is also very clear that perfection will not come untill chirst comes and all of the kingdoms blessings are present.
Totally agree Astrid- well put.
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