I feel blessed to have friends who are people in need. Some would call them ‘poor’ but I call them rich. They may have a disability or be low income or both but they are great persons as friend because they are themselves, open and honest and appreciative of friendship.
People go to third world countries say similar things, how they are rewarded by being with the poor. Today I heard a person who at age 34 gave up his lucrative job at Microsoft to start of foundation that has created 10,000 libraries and 1000 schools in third world countries. This is a tremendous achievement. Yet daily we hear about private schools, voucher schools, charter schools, military schools redirecting education funds from our public school system and the cutting back of library services. Who is going to stop our public school system and libraries in the USA from becoming like they are in the third world?
People travel the world to help the poor yet just across town we can find many people in need. Americans in need might be better off that poor in third world countries but that can be a curse as well as blessings. I found that the poor in third world countries accept their poverty because that is all they see around them. Poor in American see the celebration of wealth and buying things around them and thus often feel depressed that they cannot meet the standards of others. Poor in the USA are treated as lesser human beings, marginalized and stigmatized. The rich are in control and everyone knows it.
So to be friends with people in need and thus be blessed is easy in these days. Just look around you and you will find the blessed ones. Blessed are the poor!
Comments
(:commentboxchrono:)
