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Working for a charity that helps children living in poverty, we’ve often heard the question: “Why help people in other countries when there are plenty of people in poverty right here?”
It’s a good question, and an important one. Our time and resources are finite, yet there seems to be infinite need. We know that the Lord has called us to be kind to the poor, and we want to do it wisely.
Here are a few things to consider as you struggle through this question for yourself.
Both/and, not either/or
Sometimes we set up a false dichotomy that we must choose between helping people in poverty in our proverbial backyard and those in poverty abroad. At Compassion, we’re passionate about helping children struggling through poverty. Not just in other countries, but we’re also passionate about and active in their own communities.
We’re involved in foster care, in food banks, in homeless shelters, in youth and family support and in ministries to the elderly. The same compassion that drives us to help children in other countries drives us to be active participants in our own communities.
Our energy and resources aren’t infinite, so earnestly ask God where the balance lies in your life. We can be present in ministry in our own communities in ways that we can’t be in ministries that are afar. On the other hand, our money can have significant, life-saving effects. Many that wouldn’t be possible in the same way locally because of the different contexts. For example; £10, which doesn’t go that far in the developed world, can treat parasites or prevent malaria in many communities where we serve and can literally save a life.
Biblical precedent
One reason to give to other countries as Christians is that Paul directed early believers to do just that. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul writes about how he took a collection from the Macedonians to give to churches in other regions who were in need. He urged the Corinthians to follow suit:
“At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need” (2 Cor 8:14)
From the first century, we see Christians giving to help churches in poverty in other regions—even when they themselves were surrounded by poverty. Paul describes the Macedonians as being in “extreme poverty,” or, literally “down-to-the-depth poverty.” Yet they were still eager to help Christians in need elsewhere. As the Body of Christ, we are to help the other parts of the body when they are in need.
As Galatians 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” That’s one thing I love about Compassion: we partner exclusively with local churches. That means when you give to help a child in another country, you’re giving to help a church situated in areas of poverty meet that child’s needs.
Who is my neighbour?
Speaking of biblical precedent, we can’t forget the wonderful, if ubiquitous, story of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10, Jesus offered up this Samaritan as the ultimate example of fulfilling the commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself.”
When he was asked whom “neighbour” refers to, Jesus told this story of a Jew. The Jew was attacked, robbed and left for dead. The only man who stopped to help him was a Samaritan—a foreigner from a hated religious sect. Jesus made it clear that our “neighbour” isn’t necessarily someone from our hometown or even someone from our own religion.
Different callings
The needs in the world are great, and none of us can respond to all of them. But God has given each one of us the ability to make a difference.
Ephesians 2:10 says;
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)
“Handiwork” implies that we are each created uniquely and differently—we serve different purposes. At the same time, God has prepared good works for us to do. He has prepared ways for me to help others and ways for you to help others.
It won’t look the same for every single person. Some may have a passion to help people struggling with addiction. Others will have the heart to help children impacted by poverty. Others will want to help those in debt in the UK. That’s okay. God loves each of these groups infinitely and needs His people to reach out to them. We each play a different part as we fulfil God’s command of loving our neighbours as ourselves.
The difference between poverty and extreme poverty
It’s often a bad idea to compare suffering. There are few things more obnoxious than someone who, when you tell them of a particular ailment of your own, tries to one up you with their own. Suffering is suffering. But at the same time, it’s worth asking—is there a difference between poverty in the communities where Compassion serves and the UK?
“Extreme poverty” is defined by the World Bank as living on less than $2.15 USD a day. Some of the families Compassion serves live less than even this.
In some rural areas of Uganda, for example, some families live on the equivalent of $8 USD a month, as subsistence farmers. If their crop is good, they eat. If it’s not, they don’t. They don’t have access to safe water, so the children might get typhoid, dysentery or cholera. When their children are ill, they cannot afford to pay for treatment. They also have no means of transportation to take them to a clinic when they are sick. Sometimes there aren’t government safety nets in place to help when the worst happens. And, thus, millions of children die each year due to easily treatable causes that do not kill children in the UK.
When it comes to school, many governments provide education. But parents have to provide uniforms, books and fees—as they do in other parts of the world as well. What is difficult to provide for many low-income families in the UK is completely impossible to provide for parents who earn only fifty cents to a dollar or two a day. And thus, children are left uneducated and perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
The scale of the problem is also a factor to consider. In the UK, 7.3% (roughly 4.6 million people) are in persistent poverty. That’s those in poverty in the current year and at least two of the three preceding years.* Compare this to Togo where 54.18% of the population live below the poverty line of less than $1.90 a day. The government in the UK is able to provide some services as a safety net that many other countries can’t (or won’t). That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help people in poverty in the UK. We definitely should! But it makes a compelling case for also caring for people who are in desperate situations elsewhere.
Igniting your Compassion
At Compassion, we want to help the Church in the UK as well as the local church in other countries. We’re passionate about educating families and young people about a biblical approach to helping those in poverty.
We know that we serve a God who has deep compassion on people living in poverty. We pray that God would guide you as you find ways to love your neighbour as yourself. Both near and far.
This blog was first published by our friends at Compassion Canada
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