A parishioner of Dromore Cathedral writes for the website this week. Follow her experiences as she continues on a poverty challenge. “Living on $2 per day.” This challenge aims to raise money to send to Maridi, Sudan for emergency relief and to raise awareness of what it means to live in relative poverty.
“I’m going to bed tired and very hungry. My evening was going to be made complete by a cup of tea, but I had to ask someone for a couple of headache tablets today, so that’s that then. Might as well go to bed. You’ll probably guess, today was quite a challenge. No one at my work seemed to notice I hadn’t ironed my clothes, but I did chicken out a little and wear the same blouse as yesterday. Had my meal, if you can call a bowl of rice a meal, at lunchtime before my hour long walk. The gilding, if there was any wore off half way round my walk as I realised I’ve another few days of walking left. You know I really missed my wee cup of coffee at lunchtime. It’s my chance to get away from it all with a book or newspaper. Maybe it’s just habit and I could read for free in the library. I haven’t even a good wash to look forward to tomorrow morning thanks to one of my nearest and dearest. As I smugly commented about my shower this morning being a ‘sprinkle’, the retort came back that it should have been a cold ‘sprinkle’. Well, the gauntlet has well and truly slapped me about the face. A cold sprinkle it is I hope it improves my concentration. I’m hungry but at least I’m not a statistic. Due to food poverty 1 in 7 do not get enough to eat to be healthy and 25,000 people die each day from hunger and related causes.
6 children die each second due to hunger.”
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.”
Proverbs 30:8 (NIV)
Hey Lynn
This is scary stuff! Not just un-ironed but un-cordinated! How un-Lynn-ly.
It seems that every single thing we do in a day needs rethunk! You’re helping me think about my “take it all for granted” outlook. Thanks, Lynn. Take care.