Welcome back to 31 Days of Love in Red Letters!
Today is World Poverty Day, and I want to encourage you to join the fight–and move forward with hope.
Maybe you’re already praying and supporting the fight against poverty, but sometimes you wonder if anything is getting better.
Maybe you’ve looked around and been overwhelmed by such great need.
Maybe it appears the problem is too big and the solution too small.
Maybe you think it’s not possible to defeat poverty.
That’s a myth. We can do this. We can put an end to extreme poverty.
The truth is, between 1990 and 2010, the number of people living in extreme poverty was cut in half.
The truth is, in one generation, the number of children dying before their 5th birthday was CUT IN HALF.
The truth is, AIDS is no longer a death sentence. New HIV infections are steadily declining. Diseases like Malaria and Measles are being defeated.
But there’s another side to the truth. Despite all this progress, 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty.
In his book, Hope Rising, Scott C. Todd says, “Extreme poverty does not have to exist. When Christians accept that fact and start living accordingly, we will find the solution is already within our reach.”
But more importantly, Jesus said to give generously. Not to those who can pay us back, but to those can never pay us back.
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” Luke 14:12-14
Please join us, to fight world poverty. Compassion International is an excellent place to start. We sponsor children through Compassion, and even had the blessing of meeting a few of them face-to-face in their home country last year.
We witnessed first-hand the important work of this organization. They are fulfilling a high calling, and seeing amazing results. We get to be a part of it, which is truly thrilling. Sponsor a child, and you will be blessed!
(Statistics above taken from Hope Rising.)
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