Give

We've all seen it in the news lately about the devastation in Haiti, and though I don't usually write social commentaries I felt compelled to speak out about people's response to this disaster, and to the plight of the poor in general. Now before I begin I want to be careful about not throwing stones in glass houses here; I don't want to rant about how people aren't doing enough to help those in need. In fact the question of how much help is enough is a relative one. I recognize that there are a lot of caring people in the world who want to make a difference. I admire those who dedicate their lives to alleviating the suffering of others in the world, both in big and small ways. You don't have to be a Mother Theresa in order to make a difference, and that most people show their care for others in the little things they do. If you are one of those people, I salute you.

I imagine that I am about to preach to the converted here, that most people who bother to read what I say already fit into the above category. What I want to do here is raise the level of compassion in people, starting in myself. But mostly I want to challenge the indifference that's out there. And there may be more than we realize. Recently I read an online poll which asked people how they were contributing to the Haitian relief effort. The poll gave various options (online, telephone, etc.) but also allowed for an "I'm not giving" response. Guess what the survey revealed: 59% of respondents said they weren't planning on giving. Now I realize that this wasn't a scientific poll, but rather a reflection of everyone who responded. It also contrasts a similar online poll which asked a simple yes or no to whether the respondent planned to give to Haiti (it was an even 50-50 split). But still, I found it shocking that 50-59% of respondents would even admit that they weren't lifting a finger to help the poorest nation in the western hemisphere in its greatest hour of need.

Consider this fact: we who live in the developed world account for 20% of the world's population. We who are the 20% control 80% of the wealth in the world. This is a fact I have (sadly) been able to verify. What I haven't been able to verify (so far) is this statement, that 80% of the charitable giving raised in the developed world stays in the developed world. In other words we, in the developed world, may very well be throwing table scraps to the poor. As I said I haven't been able to verify that statement but I'm waiting to hear back from a research institute who can hopefully answer my query on the matter. But I suspect there's a lot of truth to it, nonetheless. How often have we heard it said, "Charity begins at home"? Perhaps this is a perversion of another phrase, "Think globally, act locally."

Again, I'm not saying we should all go out and try and save the world, sell your house, walk around in rags and run soup kitchens. All I'm saying here is that we should all give. And if we all give we don't need to give a lot. If people choose one or two worthy causes and support them on a monthly basis it would make a world of difference. For years now Angel & I have supported Hope International, a development agency that helps people in developing nations help themselves. We also support Kiva, a microfinacing organization that lends money to entrepreneurs in developing nations. I'm not sharing this to get a pat on the back, but to make a point: if people like us who don't have a lot (in comparison to most people in our society) can share what we have with the poorest of the poor, then most people can too.

I don't care who you give to, so long as you give - something, anything. It just might make a difference to someone out there, especially when you live amongst the rubble of what was once your neighborhood. Or country for that matter.