“We
think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless.
The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty.
We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” – Mother Teresa
The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty.
We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” – Mother Teresa
3 “Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck
out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite,
first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:3-5
to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck
out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite,
first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:3-5
References:
·
What Every Church Member Should
Know about Poverty, by Bill, Ehlig and Ruby Payne
·
A Framework for Understanding
Poverty, by Ruby Payne
Idea:
Our thoughts of poverty often leave us with an “Us vs Them” mentality, and
prevents us from drawing into communion with people who are no more
impoverished than ourselves.
Discussion
Setting: The myths and truths of poverty, our lives, and our
attitudes toward those in poverty.
Myths
surrounding poverty:
1. People
choose to be poor.
2. Poor
people should just get a job.
3. Poor
people just want to be on welfare their whole lives, and most of them are
minorities.
4. Most
people in poverty are alcoholics or drug addicts. We should drug test them
before we give them benefits.
5. People
in poverty are lazy and stupid.
6. Even
if you are poor in America, you are doing pretty well.
7. No
one goes hungry in America.
8. Poverty
has little lasting impact on children.
9. Few
American children are homeless.
10. All
American children have equal opportunities to succeed in school.
The Truth:
1. Poor
people might not want your life, but
they do not want to be poor.
2. Most
poor people have jobs. Over 50% of families in poverty have a breadwinner in
the home. In addition, many families in poverty are headed by a single mother
with multiple children. Low paying jobs do not provide sufficient income for a
mother to afford day care, free day care is not always conveniently located,
and many poor people do not have reliable transportation. (see the story below)
3. The
average welfare recipient is in the program for less than 3 years. Over 50% of
middle class individuals will experience poverty at least once in their
lifetime. In 2006, people in poverty consisted of 33.4% white, 35.7% African
American, 26.1% Hispanic.
4. Statistics
show that the percentage of substance abusers among poor people is NO GREATER
than the percentage among the middle and wealthy class. Even in that case,
condemning their children to starvation and homelessness is shameful.
5. See
numbers 2 and 3.
6. America
ranks 22 of 24 “wealthy nations” in how it cares for children in poverty.
7. 17.4
million American families (15% of households) are “food insecure.”
8. Children
born into poverty have a higher mortality rate, do not get proper nutrition,
have difficulty in school (because of their parents and the so-called hidden rules), suffer more sickness in
their youth and later life, typically witness and suffer violence at a young
age, and are at greater risk of living in poverty as an adult.
9. 1.5
million American children do not have a home.
10. See
number 8.
Stories:
Paraphrased from A Framework for Understanding Poverty, by Ruby Payne
1. John
is an 8 year old Caucasian boy. His father is a doctor and remarried, but does
not see his children, and pays minimal child support. The mother, Adele, works
part time. One younger sibling, a girl who is mentally and physically
handicapped, lives with the mother and John. Adele is 29 years old. She quit
college her sophomore year to support John’s father while he was in medical
school. John was their first child, and they were both excited when he was
born. Their second child was born while John’s father was an intern, and she
was severely handicapped. John’s father fell in love with another woman and
left Adele and the children. Adele’s parents are dead, and her sister lives 50
miles away. Her weekly income (including child support) is $300. Adele’s
handicapped 3 year old child is in day care provided by the school district. Adele
has been late to work for the third time this month. Her car broke down and it
will take $400 to fix it. Her boss told her that she will be docked a day’s pay,
and if she is late again she will be fired. Adele does not know how she is
going to get to work tomorrow. Adele’s daughter had another seizure, and Adele
took her to the doctor (one of the reasons she was late). The new medicine
costs $45 per month. John came home from school and announced that the school
is going to have a reading contest. Every book Adele reads with him will earn
points for him. Each book is one point, and he wants to earn 100 points. Adele
must do physical therapy with her daughter each evening, as well as get dinner.
John needs to go to the library to get books, and Adele does not have enough
gas to go to work and back the rest of the week. John also tells Adele there is
an open house and he will get a pencil if she comes, but John is not old enough
to watch his sister.
2. Otis
is a 9 year old boy. His mother, Angie, conceived him at 14, and dropped out of
school. Otis has two younger siblings and one older sibling who is a gang
member. Angie is currently 24, and the oldest of five children. Angie had her
first child when she was 13, and she currently receives welfare and food
stamps. Angie lived with her mother until her fourth child was born (when she
was 18). Then she got her own place. School was always difficult for Angie, and
she never could read very well. Angie’s boyfriend comes over often and he works
sometimes. Angie’s weekly income (including food stamps) is $225. She moves a
lot because there are always more bills at the end of the month than money.
Angie’s sister calls and tells her that her boyfriend has beaten her again, and
she needs to come spend the night at her house. The last time she came she
stayed for two weeks, and her 12 year old handicapped son would not leave
Angie’s 5 year old daughter alone. Otis comes home from school and announces
that the school is going to have a reading contest. For every five books Angie
reads to him, he will receive a coupon to get $2 off a pizza. To obtain his
books, he needs Angie to go to the library. Angie is not even sure she can read
to him, since she has not read for a long time. They have to walk to the
library because they do not have a car, and the neighborhood is not safe. The
school is having an open house and is sending a bus around to pick up parents.
Otis gives Angie a note that she cannot read. Otis recently went to the doctor
and they want $200. Rent of $300 is due for the month. Angie’s sister is coming
and that means extra food. Angie’s boyfriend got arrested and wants $500 for
bail. It’s a lot of money, but his money makes it possible to eat sometimes. Otis’
teacher calls and tells Angie that Otis has been misbehaving again.
Discussion
Points
1. What
type of poverty is Adele trapped in, situational or generational? Discuss her
situation.
2. What
type of poverty is Angie trapped in, situational or generational? Discuss her
situation.
3. I
once had a friend who told me, “We are all 2 bad turns from being in poverty.”
What situations could lead to a person being in poverty?
4. Over
25% of children under the age of 5 in Texas are living in poverty. Give some
reasons why these children might be at an educational disadvantage.
5. Churches
in middle class neighborhoods often have an Us vs Them attitude when dealing
with poor people. What can be done to transform our thoughts and relationships
with people in poverty so that we have ministry
with them as opposed to ministry for
them ?
