Poverty: Myths and Truths, and Our Attitudes Towards Those in Poverty

“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

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

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 ?