Poverty

Today was a different day. We slept in a little. We were able to sleep until 7 am instead of 5:30. We did not build homes but instead we handed out food in the village of San Antonio. San Antonio is a village where families who were displaced after the civil war and the earthquakes of 2000 and 2001 have settled. They are having to live beside abandoned railroad tracks. They are living in extreme poverty. Their houses consist of sticks and plastic. It is sometimes very hard to see and emotionally take it all in. As I walked in the village I question why we in Canada continue to live in such luxury and work so hard to continue buying and accumulating "things". Then we work just as hard to pay off and insure all the things we bought. If we listen to financial advisers we should have 6 months to a year saved in case of an emergency. We are taught that if we are wise we could and should have a couple of million in RRSP to be able to retire comfortably. I seen men, women and children living in shacks without proper food or provision. Isn't that an emergency? These people will never have emergency funds or RRSP or even three meals a day. Most do not have one meal a day. Our North American lifestyle that we have bought into isn't what Jesus taught. It is not the message he gave us. He commanded us to look after the poor and suffering in this world. To look after the widows and orphans. He called us to live like him. May we listen to His command and live differently in Canada to have more resources to help the poor living in extreme poverty.