Making A Difference
December 1, 2019
This post is based on some concepts from a book that I am currently reading. The way that we define poverty, either implicitly or explicitly, plays a major role in determining the solutions we use in our attempts to alleviate that poverty. I love the comparison that the author used in this book. “When a sick person goes to the doctor, the doctor could make two crucial mistakes: 1. treating symptoms instead of the underlying illness; 2. Misdiagnosing the underlying illness and prescribing the wrong medicine. Either one of these mistakes will result in the patient not getting better and possibly getting worse.” “The same is true when we work with poor people. If we treat only the symptoms or if we misdiagnose the underlying problem, we will not improve their situation, and we might actually make their lives worse.”
Let’s think about this. A major part of brokenness that low-income people experience is the relationship within themselves. Instead of seeing themselves as being created in the image of God, low income people often feel inferior to others. This can prevent them from taking the steps necessary to change their situation, thus leaving them to live their life in poverty.
For those of you who are not aware of what Bridge of Hope does or does not do, I would like to take a moment to explain. We do not only provide housing. We create relationships of trust and friendship. We assist families in setting and achieving goals. We celebrate the accomplishments, both large and small. We want to provide an avenue of change for the families that we serve. Our neighboring volunteers are a very important part of what makes Bridge of Hope successful. I am very blessed to be a part of such a wonderful organization. Blessings to you all!