Mother Teresa on poverty

Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.

Mother Teresa on BrainyQuotes

Mother Teresa on poverty

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.

Mother Teresa on BrainyQuote

Mother Teresa on poverty

It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.

Mother Teresa quoted on BrainyQuotes

Take a chance

The chance is that you might go without for a short while if you give away your blanket; weigh this against the certainty that the other will continue in her suffering if you don't.

Eye contact

When you respond to a request, look the person in the eyes. This ensures that you know what you do.

A name

Start a relationship with the person you meet, ask him who he is. Even if you will never see him again, he will be somebody once you know his name.

God on poverty

However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you.

God in Deuteronomy (NIV)

God on poverty

If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.

God in Leviticus (NIV)

God on poverty

Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

God in Leviticus (NIV)

God on poverty

Do not show favouritism to poor man in his lawsuit.

God in Exodus (NIV)

God on poverty

Love your neighbour as yourself.

God in Leviticus (NIV)

Keep a stock

When you meet a need of your own, buy one extra so you have for someone in need.

Get an extra blanket

When you buy a blanket, get an extra - it is twice as cold when you are hungry.

Why serve them

Our desire to serve them must be the result of respect for an individual, as creative and worthy not as inferior and needy.

Michael Kaiser, Florida, USA

Person not poor

When you look at your neighbour, think of her as a person not poor; treat her like your mother, your daughter and your sister.

Together

Expect great contributions by the poor, ad your own sacrifices, make the change together.

Together

When you do something, don't do it for the poor; do it with him.

Dignity and Justice

Treat your neighbour as your equal and act justly. This will go a long ways towards bringing her out of poverty.

Remember the enemy

The fight is not against the poor or even against their oppressors. The fight is FOR freedom and dignity.

Celebrate each victory

Look for and celebrate every achievement made in the battle against poverty.

Agree on the action

Decide together what your friend can do; and on how you can best support her.

Confront the issue

Face the problem with your friend, talk about and against it together.

Name the problem

Think through and name the things you think keep your friend in poverty.

Ask the questions

Dare to ask your poor friend about the thing you think keeps him in poverty.

Celebrate the poor

Celebrate the poor - it will change the way you see them.

Celebrate the poor

Celebrate what is good in your poor neighbours - it will lift their spirits.

Imagine

Imagine what it would be like for the mother if she could feed her child.

Imagine

Imagine what it would be like to be the person you meet, to have her illness, his house or her lack of proper clothing.

Touch

Take the hand of the poor until you have felt the bones in his body and know how he feels.

Listen

Listen until you have heard the cry of the poor and know his need.

Look

Look to make sure you have truly seen the needs of the other.

Pray

Whether you give or don't, whether you help or won't - pray.

Add a prayer

Whatever you do add a prayer - so that what you do is for the good of the receiver.

Add a prayer

Whatever you give add a prayer - to remember who is the source of all good.

Be a friend

If you are bringing a cake to your rich friend's house, why not take one to your other friends too.

Be a friend

When your poor friend comes to visit, offer him a cup of tea and a piece of fruit if you would do that to a richer friend.

Birthdays

If you go to a rich man's birthday, give but give most of his gift to someone who needs it.

Children's birthdays 5

I am sure you get the idea. Put your heart in the gift.

Children's birthdays 4

If you give a pencil case, fill it up.

Children's birthdays 3

If you give a doll, wrap it in a real shawl.

Children's birthdays 2

If you give a toy truck, fill it with rice or fruit.

Children's birthdays 1

Give a better and bigger gift that you think will meet the other's needs.

It's all about you

You only know what you know. After you have thought through the best line of action, ask your heart what to do. Then act.

It's all about you

If in doubt about whether to give something or do something for another, ask yourself what it says about you if you do. Then ask what it says about you if you don't.

A true friend

The marks of true friends are first that they stay friends even when it hurts AND that they stick to the truth even when it hurts.

You can't help them all

You'll do much better if you try to help just one or a few. Perhaps all they need is one true friend.

Let the person matter more

Imagine the person asking was a close friend or a relative; how would you want a stranger to respond when asked for help.

Let the person matter

Imagine the person you meet mattered to you; what would you do if it was a relative or a friend or someone who had once saved your life?

Feed families, not factories

If it can be done by a skilled labourer rather than by a machine you might have fed a family rather than the owner of the factory where the machine was made.

Employ the mother, not her child

If you plan to get a girl to look after your baby, you can let her mother do the job at your house, and help her send her child to school.

Lotteries

If buying tickets in the lottery is worth your money, it is also worth giving the money directly to the development organisation that runs the lottery. You probably don't need the prize offered - just send the money.

Fair trade

Obviously, and get verification that the product and store really is trading fairly.

Feed her friendship with food

Talk to the poor and get to know her so you feed her friendship with the nutritious meal.

Feed him fellowship with food

Invite the poor to share a meal with you at your house; feed him fellowship a you share a nutritious meal.

Fair treatment - business partners

You can say no to being part of exploiting the poor by insisting on fair treatment of others. Require your business partners to treat their staff fairly.

Fair treatment - business

You can say no to being part of exploiting the poor by insisting on fair treatment of others. Make sure you pay a fair rate for the services you buy.

Heart's reply

“If you tell people what to do they might rebel and do the opposite. If you ask them a question they might reply with a lie, but their hearts will speak the truth.” Source unknown
When you see injustice done, ask the perpetrator a question and let his heart tell him the truth.

Fair treatment - your subordinates

You can say no to being part of exploiting the poor by insisting on fair treatment of others. Encourage your staff to treat their subordinates fairly.

Fair treatment - you

You can say no to being part of exploiting the poor by insisting on fair treatment of others. This requires that you try to treat your own staff fairly.

Rickshaw pullers

Perhaps the rickshaw puller needs the ride more than you do. If you need to exercise, use a gym. Pay what is fair or a little more. The extra money he makes might make the difference for the meal his children eat that night.

 

Shoe shine

During hard times, make sure you have your shoes done as often as possible and pay a little more so that the shoe shine man and his family may eat another day.