The Poor

The last few weeks I've been reading a biography of Mother Teresa by Navin Chawla. Between reading this and concurently doing some significant renovations on our house the last few weeks ... I've really struggled with coming to grips with my views on the poor, poverty, and what I currently find acceptable in my life. I still have half the book to read so I'm sure I'll reflect even more. In the midst of us replacing a few windows and considering upgrading some of the flooring in our house ... I read a blog post from our friends working in Nepal who are experiencing food, water, and fuel shortages ... which they may deal with more over the coming months. I also recieved an email from another organization with stats about children around the world. (see below). I continue to examine my attitidues about assets, about income, and about my level of contentness (and simplicity).

Over half a billion children are struggling to survive on under $1 per day
(Poverty Reduction Begins with Children, UNICEF, 2000)

It is estimated that 25 million children will have lost one or both parents to AIDS by 2010
(Children on the Brink 2002; USAID, UNICEF, UNAIDS)

130 million children lack access to education
(State of the World's Children, UNICEF, 1999)

246 million children are child laborers
(Facts on Child Labour, International Labour Organization, 2003)

8.4 million children are trapped in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities
(Facts on Child Labour, International Labour Organization, 2003)

300,000 young people under 18 are exploited as child soldiers
(UN Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, 2003)

30,000 children die each day from preventable diseases
(www.worldhungeryear.org)