The End of Poverty

I recently read a book called "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Time" by Jeffrey Sachs.

I was disappointed.

Even though it's not an exciting read for the non-economist I did enjoy his economic history lessons. But it left me disappointed in that his main focus was attacking poverty from a macro-economic angle. Not that this is wrong. But we have been at this top-down, macro, big money scale for a long time and it hasn't seemed to make much of a difference. Does it ever really trickle down to the poorest of the poor? Here are a couple of points that did resonate with me:

• "The problems in urban areas revolve around empowerment and finance."
• From 9/11/01 through 2005 ( a little over 4 years ) the United States has spent $450 billion on the military and $15 billion on the plight of the world's poor.
• "The key to ending poverty is to create a global network of connections that reach from impoverished communities to the very centers of world power and wealth and back again.

And here's an interesting statement from Colin Powell noted in the book: "The war on terror is wrapped up in the war on poverty."

I'm not saying that big aid from big NGO's (non-governmental organizations) and rich countries should be abandoned. Maybe it's time for that aid to come from the bottom-up. In the form of micro-loans: small loans to poor entrepreneurs.

What if we empower single mothers to earn money from a micro-enterprise and help them lift themselves out of extreme poverty. Can you imagine the pride and self-worth that comes from that? And guess who gets released from poverty with them? The kids. So one micro-loan to one woman ends up impacting an entire family. Maybe that's something of what Jesus had in mind when he announced he had come to give good news to the poor, release prisoners and set captives free. Free from the lie of poverty.

time fly's when..........

Remember back in grade school when summer was sweetly long and seemed to last forever?

Remeber back in high school when summer seemed to end right after it started?

It seems like yesterday that my kids were in dance lessons and playing little league baseball and crying from a cut knee and fishing in the creek and practicing for the school play.

Today my youngest goes off to college. It seems like the curtain just went up on this raising kids life and today the play is ending. Not really. But it feels like it. They will always be my kids. Not really. They're God's. I am/was just his partner is raising and releasing them to be who he created them to be.

"A Prisoner Of Birth"

I just finished a novel titled "A Prisoner Of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer. It was a great read and well worth the time.

But the title got me thinking: Is this how the poor see themselves? Trapped by their birthplace and the circumstances they find themselves in?

Maybe that's why Jesus, when announcing his mission on earth, quoted Isaiah 61: 1,2:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (NIV).

.........to proclaim freedom for the prisoners..........

I have spent time with the poor. I have met my compassion children from Ecuador. I've stood in a shack of a home of thin plywood walls with tape at the ceiling, nothing but plastic tarping for a roof.............and therein seen deep joy and contentment.

So maybe these poor with hope aren't the prisoners of birth needing freedom.

Maybe I'm the one held captive..........

• by chasing the "American Dream"
• by my debt
• by my lifestyle
• by the lie of always needing to improve my lot/climb the corporate ladder
• by my apathy and selfishness

Maybe I'm the one Jesus was thinking about.

Locked Up Abroad

No..........not me. It's this cool show I stumbled across on NatGeo (National Geographic Channel). Ever seen it?

I don't watch much TV but this is definitely my new favorite show. And I'm not sure why.

I guess it appeals to my sense of adventure. And it seems that at least half of the episodes I've seen so far are missionaries that get kidnapped. Now I'm not saying I want this to happen to me nor am I minimizing the personal challenges and tragedies that have befallen some of these people. But I do get jacked up on adventure (and Mountain Dew) and going to other countries........especially those of the third world.

Maybe, deep down, I wonder if I've got what it takes to survive something like this. Physically AND spiritually. I think at my very core I wonder if I have the faith to endure. I want to be challenged, but not in a Colombian or Bengali jail. Last year I flew from Ecuador to Peru via Bogota, Columbia.........alone............on an airline I'd never heard of. But I guess I'd prefer to see if I've got what it takes right here in the safety of my own little village thank you very much.

So if you get a chance check it out. New episodes are Mondays at 9:00pm.