Poverty
Argh... back to school. That sucks. Its kinda scary now... I'm actually leaving school THIS YEAR. Going to uni or whatever. Flip. Got an exam next week that I should be revising for now, but clearly, I'm procrastinating.
We got talking in economics class today about Christmas and presents and stuff, heres an , hmm whats the right verb?... interesting, no... worrying... statistic.
In the UK the average amount spent on Christmas presents per person is £250.
Thats roughly $500.
There are more than 2 BILLION people who live on less than $1 a day (i.e. $365 a year).
Do you get that? There are more than 2 billion people (roughly 2000 times the population of Northern Ireland) who have less money to live on in a year, than is spent on us in one Christmas. That really shocked me. How can I live like that? How can I not make sacrifices in the face of such overwhelming poverty? I think I can maybe do without that new camera, or that new phone, or that new computer screen i wanted...
2 billion people... $1 a day
posted by emmsy at 5:27 pm
3 Comments:
Emma, that is shocking. . I feel very strange when i read those stats. . we've been living 'off the bone' for a week and a half now, until tomorrow - payday! (Christmas really depletes the bank account!) and as little as we have in the bank and in the cupboards. . we still have so much more than the ppl counted in those stats. I said to Rob last night, as we fixed supper from the few things we had in the freezer and fridge. . "We don't have much right now, but look. . we put together a delicious dinner with meat and 2 vegetables and even a chocolatey pudding cake from things in the pantry! This is a situation ppl in parts of the world would LOVE to be in! Our 'poverty' is their plenty. ." To which he shamefully agreed. I'm thinking about that every day.
5:55 pm
our poverty is their plenty... i really like that phrase, thanks.
yea i guess i've been thinking about it lately as well, like my bank account has about 5 pounds in it at the minute, and yet i still have everything i need, and so much more besides.
God really taught me a lot about generosity this summer especially, and about giving generously even when i dont always have a lot. Im learning that God always always always provides what i need.
7:29 pm
you're so right, hon. . God always provides what we need. . whether its 'things' or 'non things'. . He's so generous. . I want to be more like him.
1:50 am
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