It’s an interesting time to be in the United States

I have spent some time thinking of the complexities of poverty today. The poor everywhere suffer. We have people who live in poverty here in the States; however, we obviously do not have extreme poverty like that which exists in countries such as India, Honduras, and Zambia.

Poverty is relative and can encompass many things. The non-profit organization I was initially matched with in PNG considered spiritual poverty an area of targeted disadvantage. The definition of poverty varies across the globe. Yes, many people in America live at or below the poverty level; however, families in Zambia live on less than a dollar a day. The lack of clean or running water, exposure to illnesses and HIV/AIDS, poor sanitation, infant mortality, poor education, and lack of jobs make life difficult in developing countries.

I can’t help but note the current situation in the US. The American people are clearly dissatisfied with the country’s direction, with 81% believing that things have gotten off the right track. Bush’s approval ratings are at an all time low of 31%. The economy is struggling with the steepest job loss in 5 years. 80,000 people lost their jobs last month. We are in the middle of a loan crisis with declining real estate prices and mounting home foreclosures. US education continues to fall in rank compared to other countries. TN loses 51% of its teachers within their first 5 years of teaching. The prices for food and fuel are soaring. And who suffers the most? As usual it’s the poor and middle class peoples. That, plus the presidential race and the serious questions of race and sex it elicits, makes it a fascinating time to be here.

So where do we need to help? How do we make change? We need people who can work and make change overseas and we need people who can work and make change here in the States.

Across the world, we need to help the poor as well as change how we view the poor. "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi