Daily Poverty Busters

The poor do not have the same needs as we have...

2010-03-23T23:26:00.003+06:00

... but they would if they could afford it.

I'll fight

2009-07-09T00:08:00.002+07:00

While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl on the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight—I’ll fight to the very end.”

William Booth of The Salvation Army

God on poverty

2009-02-01T06:00:00.000+06:00

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

God in Proverbs (NIV)

God on poverty

2009-01-31T06:00:00.000+06:00

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing

God in Proverbs (NIV)

God on poverty

2009-01-07T06:00:00.000+06:00

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God.

God in Proverbs (NIV)

God on poverty

2009-01-06T06:00:00.000+06:00

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

God in Psalms (NIV)

Your responsibility

2009-01-05T06:00:00.000+06:00

You are responsible for how you act in every encounter with the poor.

Invite the rich with the poor

2009-01-04T06:00:00.000+06:00

When you treat the poor as a friend in a rich people's party you change the way your poor friend is viewed by others and open doors for him to get out of poverty.

When they ask

2009-01-03T06:00:00.000+06:00

Take the time to check the facts, then give a gift of truth.

When they ask

2009-01-02T06:00:00.001+06:00

Give her something she can eat but not sell, make it nutritious as well.

New Year Resolution

2009-01-01T06:00:00.001+06:00

Make a decision to get involved and stay involved in making a difference for good.

Mother Teresa on poverty

2008-12-31T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-12-30T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-12-29T06:00:00.002+06:00

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

2008-12-28T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-27T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

A name

2008-12-26T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-25T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-24T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-23T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

God in Leviticus (NIV)

God on poverty

2008-12-22T06:00:00.003+06:00

Do not show favouritism to poor man in his lawsuit.

God in Exodus (NIV)

God on poverty

2008-12-21T06:00:00.003+06:00

Love your neighbour as yourself.

God in Leviticus (NIV)

Keep a stock

2008-12-20T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Get an extra blanket

2008-12-19T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Why serve them

2008-12-18T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-12-17T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-16T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Together

2008-12-15T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Dignity and Justice

2008-12-14T06:00:00.002+06:00

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

Remember the enemy

2008-12-13T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Celebrate each victory

2008-12-12T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Agree on the action

2008-12-11T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Confront the issue

2008-12-10T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Name the problem

2008-12-09T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Ask the questions

2008-12-08T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Celebrate the poor

2008-12-07T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Celebrate the poor

2008-12-06T06:00:00.002+06:00

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

Imagine

2008-12-05T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Imagine

2008-12-04T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-12-03T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Listen

2008-12-02T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Look

2008-12-01T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Pray

2008-11-30T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Add a prayer

2008-11-29T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Add a prayer

2008-11-28T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Be a friend

2008-11-27T06:00:00.003+06:00

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

Be a friend

2008-11-26T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-25T06:00:00.002+06:00

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

2008-11-24T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Children's birthdays 4

2008-11-23T06:00:00.000+06:00

If you give a pencil case, fill it up.

Children's birthdays 3

2008-11-22T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Children's birthdays 2

2008-11-21T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

Children's birthdays 1

2008-11-20T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

It's all about you

2008-11-19T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-18T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-17T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-16T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-15T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-11-14T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-13T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-12T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-11-11T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

2008-11-10T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Feed her friendship with food

2008-11-09T06:00:00.001+06:00

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

Feed him fellowship with food

2008-11-08T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-07T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-06T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-05T06:00:00.000+06:00

“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

2008-11-04T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-03T06:00:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-02T06:56:00.000+06:00

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

2008-11-01T18:02:00.000+06:00

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.