It's apparent that the over-whelming cloud of millions of poor, obscures the guilt of personal responsibility. Statistics of over two or three people seem to lose their humanity; returning to what they are ... simply statistics; comforting black and white numbers and zeros. Numbers left in the world of text.
Erasing healthy guilt and bringing us to a comfortable conclusion, because I can't do everything ... I can do nothing.
Some statistics bothered me as I read the October issue of Time Magazine. The growth of American poverty. Is it 15% now? In the article it says that an American family of four is at poverty level if they make less than $22,000.00 a year.
Poverty? $22,000.00 plus food-stamps? Poverty?
I know poverty. I know what it looks like. I know what it smells like. (As a kid I knew what it felt like.)
I work 100 yards on the south side of America. Tijuana; where a family of four, six or eight might make $5,000.00 a year and no food stamps. Most make much less.
Thanksgiving is coming to America in a matter of days. Thanksgiving is an appropriate Holiday for America ... indeed America has been blessed of God. We need to be grateful and most of us are.
To set aside a day to thank God is good... but to set aside a day to gorge ourselves in the name of gratefulness isn't ... not when my neighbors are eating two meals a day and buying tortillas five or six at a time.
All over the world there is hunger, except at my table!
To thank God is good ... to share, even better.
Taking this Thanksgiving Holiday for a teaching day ... teaching the family not only THANKS, but GIVING too!
Indeed we have the privilege of giving! PTL!
