Stand up against poverty

For two days, from October 15 to 16, we were reminded, through various simultaneous activities like concerts, meetings, seminars and other modes of expressions, to make a personal, group, national and global statement, to take action and to stand up against poverty!

Did you? Hurrah for those who did!

Hurrah as well for those who did not but will do so, starting today! It is never too late for anyone to stand up against poverty. It is never too late to have another person say I will share what I personally have as my personal vow to stop poverty soonest!

We are sure we do not have to be told how many countless billions throughout the world are poor. These are not only the billions who live on less than $1 per day. The poor include those who do not have dollars at all, or those who may have $1 but not every day, not on a regular basis. The poor include those who do not have work, or those who may have work but do not have work regularly or those who have work but receive insufficient income, or those who have income but do not have receive this consistently.

While the definition of poor and poverty are crucial to understanding how the poor and poverty can be resolved, it is easier to see and recognize the poor and poverty that are just before our eyes daily.

Who have not seen not only individuals or groups, be they children or adults, be they family or not, out in the streets, literally begging for whatever you can share or trying hard to sell to you bananas, rags, newspapers, flowers or whatever else? Who have not noticed what they wear, how old, how colored, how tattered these have become through the days?

Who have not passed through dilapidated houses, too crowded for comfort, and not fit for humans to live in? And how many have not seen the real face of the hungry poor, bulging eyes, parched lips, hollowed cheeks, and a semblance of what is left of a body, with protruding bones and literally a living skeleton covered by wrinkled skin?

The face of poverty is legion and the number of the poor is countless. But if you and I and countless others throughout the world share immediately, right now, today, whatever we have with even just one other person, especially from among the ranks of the visibly, genuinely poor, it is possible for poverty to become history, for poverty to be eradicated, for the poor to be redeemed and for their humanity restored to all, especially within their lifetime.

The recent campaign focused and called on us all throughout this world to stand up against poverty. Beyond standing up, perhaps all of us may instead not just merely stand up but actively act against poverty?

True love for ourselves and our neighbor can start and continue the real sustainable crusade versus poverty. God gave us this earlier reminder about love centuries past and we are again reminded at present to express and show our love for ourselves through others. There would be no poor where there is genuine love among all human beings.

True love is our best weapon versus poverty and even war and violence in this present highly troubled world.

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