fight poverty with hope
Ask any little boy in America what he wants to be when he grows up and you might hear firefighter, doctor, or astronaut. Little girls will say they want to be teachers, nurses, lawyers. Though their answers differ, these children all have something in common: They can answer the question.
Ask a child in Africa what he or she wants to be when all grown up and you may be met with a blank stare. Shrugging shoulders. “I don’t know.” They can’t comprehend the question and they don’t know how to answer. They don’t know, because they don’t know how to dream.
I’ve seen the blank stares. I’ve watched the shoulders shrug. I’ve heard the “I don’t know”s. Once when I asked a young boy what he wants to be when he grows up, he answered with a statement that has never left me: “I want to be alive.”
Poverty kills dreams. It murders hope. It squashes every last ounce of ambition. Poverty impacts the old, but targets the young. It steals more than full bellies and healthy bodies; it suffocates the future and squanders potential.
What Africa needs—what anyone affected by poverty needs—is not a hand-out. Africa needs more than charity, more than money, more than employment opportunities. All of those are vitally important, but Africa needs something even greater. Africa needs to learn to dream again.
Next time you choose to make a donation, contribute your skills, or give of your time for someone or some organization, find a way to also instill hope, offer encouragement, shine a light at the end of their tunnel. As you spark dreams in people’s hearts, you’re doing the best thing you can do to eradicate poverty.
[originally posted this day last year]
Wow. Alece. I love your writings and totally agree. God has and is using you to be such an awesome voice.
@gritandglory says:
HOLLA joe!!!
Great post! Have a great day today! Loved getting to see you at Catalyst. Wish we could have had time to chat over coffee.
@mallyflip says:
and THAT is the EXACT reason why I want to live in Africa some day!
@gritandglory says:
yesssss!
@gritandglory says:
where’d your blog go!?
@danielleH says:
i’m gonna pass this out to my missions class, permission, yes?
i love you. i love your heart.
@gritandglory says:
permission yes!
i love you!
i LOVED this post last year.
and it was even more to my heart this year.
oh how i love you friend <3
So fitting for my week. We held a human trafficking awareness week on campus. I hope I can be a spark.
Loved it then and I love it now. Thanks for reminding me.