Day 5: extreme poverty

When something doesn't go the way we expected or planned we say it "went down the drain." We say it because we feel that what we were doing was wasted or lost. But when you are living in extreme poverty, you live in a drain; it's as if you are in the drain and everything you are doing is fighting against the flow.

Global poverty facts: (http://onedayswages.org/about/what-extreme-global-poverty)

• $1 challenge. More than 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day and more than 2 billion live on less than $2 a day.
• Check your assumptions. Americans believe that their government spends 24 percent of the federal budget on aid to poor countries, but the actual figure is less than 1 percent.
• Daily disasters. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria—all treatable diseases—claim the lives of over 8,000 people every day in Africa due to lack of access to health care.
• The water walk. Women in developing countries travel an average of almost four miles each day to collect water.
• The poor pay more. People living in the poorest slums can pay as much as ten times more for water than those in high-income areas of their own cities.
• Gender disparity. According to the U.N., the majority of people in poverty are women, who globally earn roughly half as much as men.
• Daily bread. Food prices have risen 83 percent since 2005, disproportionately affecting those in poverty who spend a higher percentage of their income on food.
• No school for you. In 2005, a conservative estimate stated that 72 million children around the world of elementary school age were not enrolled in school.
• The global wealth gap. The richest 20 percent of the world's population receives 75 percent of the world's income, while the poorest 40 percent receive only 5 percent of the world's income.

 

Day 4: trash

How is trash injustice? Well let me ask; is it just that some have to live off the filthy waste of the privileged? Is it just that some have to make their homes amongst the things others discarded from theirs?

I don't believe so.

The first responsibility! as humans, we were given by God was stewardship. If there are people eating garbage...we have failed.

I took this picture in Thailand last year. What amazed me in Thailand was the dichotomy between God's beautiful creation and man's disasters. To have a country filled with so many beautiful things and equally bear so many heart-wrenching sights.

This is not the worst.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch this:

 

 

Day 3: homelessness

It is estimated that in a given year 3.5 million people, half being children, experience homelessness in the US. (Nationalhomeless.org)

This picture was taken looking through an empty beer bottle. We often think that if we look through their eyes that we'll find a life muddled with alchohol; but is that really the whole picture?

You can choose to look and see that they want the kind of change that fills their empty bottle or you can choose to see that they want the kind of change that fills another, more profound emptiness. What do you see?

I wrote a song based from conversations I had with friends I made amongst the homeless of Auckland, NZ and when I shared it recently with a man currently living on the streets he confirmed that it is a true testimony of what they experience. So I'd like to share that with you.

Verse 1: Wake up but not sure why. Stomach pains from last night. Don't want to go anywhere and be the focus of other's stares, but what choice do I have? Starve or face the shame? So I go back to my normal spot, lay my hat down for spare change. Hundreds of people passing by and I've only made three bucks. I wish I had a sign to say, "I'm not trying to get drunk." But I don't think that they even see me here. I am just trash that's yet to be picked up.

Chorus: I'm homeless not a criminal. Human not a sideshow. If I had another way I wouldn't be sitting here. But your blank faces don't help me and your coins don't do much either. There has to be a better way. Where are the hands of Jesus?

Verse 2: Am I just a pebble in the church's shoe? A check mark for Christian service? Does Jesus even see me here? Am I really unimportant? I know I've made some bad mistakes but these mistakes have left me here in chains. And I can't seem to break away; all I need is an escape. I see your angels. Do you see my demons? They're choking and they're mocking me. Can't you see me screaming?

Tag: I once heard a man speak of hope in God above. But why should I serve a God who isn't here below? In passing they say, "God bless you." Is that some kind of joke? Because I've been here for seven years and the blessing isn't coming.

Homelessness is everywhere. It shouldn't even exist, but here it remains. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to choose to see and do with what you see?

Pictures that didn't make the cut:

 

 

Day 2: no water

Over a billion people don't have access to clean drinking water. And in most parts of the world, "access" to it requires walking an average of 3 hours a day; Africans alone, spend 40 billion hours a year walking to collect water. (charitywater.org)

Water is our most basic need and too many people lack it. March 22, 2012 is World Water Day. On that day, many (including myself) will go 24hours without water. And for every time that we are thirsty, reach for the fausset, a glass, a bottle, etc...we will pray for the millions without water. Join the event, find out more and share it with your friends here: http://www.facebook.com/events/257716877652941/?context=create

 

Photos that didn't make the cut:

 

 

 

 

Day 1: hunger

There are around 925,000,000 starving people in the world. Hunger is killing them.

Find out how you can help at Bread.org

 

Photos that didn't make the cut:

 

 

30 Day Justice Cam Challenge

This challenge is for all those who love photography and are passionate about social justice. Take the 30 day challenge, take a picture everyday that you feel corresponds with the given topic, and upload it to your instagram, flickr, Facebook, pinterest, tumblr, blog, etc. The great thing is you don't have to be an amazing photographer to participate in the challenge; you just have to have a camera. So go for it! And help our world, your friends, and your family grow in awareness and understanding of justice!


Do me a favor: if you like this or know someone who might like it, SHARE IT. Thanks


Note for participants: Be sure and send me a link so that I can see your pictures :)

Kony 2012

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

I don't know how you felt, but at the end of the video I was sold. I've followed Invisible Children's work for a while, I even looked at applying for a job with them; so maybe for me it was an easier jump. I went right to the website, went to the store, clicked on the action pack and got all the way until the point of no return when I saw the big number behind the dollar sign and I came to a halt.
I have about $25 a week budgeted for my personal expenses. I have no job besides the full time volunteer work that people support me financially to do. People entrust their hard earned money to me to live and to work. So I prayed...

...and I bought it. Let me explain why.

I have given my life to help the broken. The only way that I can do that is firstly through the help and power of Christ and secondly, through the things that I have in my hands. I cover my blogs, my twitter, my facebook, my lyrics, my music, my art, my work, my speech, my thoughts, my reading, myself and my environment with my passion for justice in an effort to stand in the gap for the voiceless. How could I halt? How could I not click and put my money where my heart is? The money that I've been entrusted with to accomplish this work for which I've been called. Yeah it was expensive and I'm going to have to make some serious adjustments in my budget for the rest of this month, but it proves to be far more valuable than the pennies that would have been saved.

Let's put our money, our time and our efforts where our heart is.