On Helping the Poor

Sometimes I wonder how much our efforts to help the poor are really helping them. I think and pray on these things: “Lord, am I doing Your will, or mine?” Sometimes it is hard to distinguish.

In America, we have defined a certain income level as being “the poverty level.” People with an annual income below this level are defined as “living in poverty.” Strictly speaking, the numbers are distortions, since one’s income is not necessarily how they are living. Many people, especially among the elderly, have save up or purchased many assets. They can have multiple homes and cars and large amounts of money in their retirement funds, but still fit the category of “living in poverty” if their “new” income level falls in a certain year. This is a distortion. But besides the dollar levels, expectations in America are also a distortion. Huge percentages of those “living in poverty” have homes, cars, big-screen televisions. This isn’t poverty, this is living below where they would like to be. Compared to most countries south of the equator, virtually every American is rich.

But enough of money, certainly a more important measure of richness is a man’s relationship to God, and his pursuit of not earthly, but heavenly happiness. Conversions to the Catholic Church, and to Christian churches in general, are huge on the African continent. While Muslims dominate the religious scene in the North, much of Southern Africa has become Catholic. From what I’ve read, these are good, fervent Catholics. Recently I helped a young woman go to teach at an orphanage in Ghana; her new blog describes the “poverty” there. But she also describes the happiness there, the faith, and yes the family, neighbors loving and caring for one another. Although promptly homesick, she quickly wrote that now she feels part of a family there. “How could I think,” as she first did, “that I wanted to live with other teachers from America or Europe? This is now my family.” So young, and yet she has rapidly learned so much! She is not there to build wells, buy chickens, or build houses. And yet she is there, I believe, to help these people in much more meaningful ways. Helping the poor does not mean giving them things.

If a man is smiling, if he has peace in the Lord, leave him be! Even if he has little food, even if he has dirty, torn clothes, even if he does not have all the earthly blessings as we have, leave him be! In giving to him, you may be taking from him, for you may give him earthly desires and lessen his heavenly ones. If you must interact with him, do not teach him how to gain all your earthly treasures, rather learn from him how to have peace with none. Do not lead him onto the road to hell, rather look to him to help lead you onto the road to heaven.

If a man is at peace with God, leave him in peace! Don’t stir up an envy or hatred of those who have more, materially or spiritually.

In my thinking, I believe this, this is really helping the poor.