TEEN BYTES - NICK & LIZ | KAIROS GLOBAL | OCTOBER 2019

Author: Sharon Siby

Nick: Hey dude, did you know that the global poverty rate had dropped from 11 percent to 10 percent? I read it in the news.

Liz: Really? That’s amazing dude!

Nick: Yeah, but the problem is that poverty is not affecting all the countries the same. For example, a lot of poverty is localized in sub-Saharan Africa while areas like Europe and Central Asia have reduced extreme poverty to below three percent.

Liz: What really? Is it really that bad?

Nick: Yeah man. By 2030, 9 out of 10 of the poor will be from sub-Saharan Africa.  

Liz: Dude, that’s messed up! But how can we help? I mean, we could help the homeless people around town but how much impact can that have on global poverty?

Nick: I know that feeling. But remember, small steps are needed to tackle big problems. As Christians, we should remember the beatitudes, the poverty of Jesus, and his concern for the poor (CCC 2444). 

Liz: Yeah, I remember that. There’s a bible verse that says something like, “whatever you did to the one of the least, you did to me,” or something like that?

Nick: Yeah dude! The exact words are, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to the one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” It’s Matthew 25:45. That’s basically the entire mission that Jesus has entrusted to us.

Liz: So, what should we do? 

Nick: I think the best thing to do is to start small. Maybe we can arrange projects with the Youth and Mission League at our Church to provide food for the homeless, especially in the downtown area. 

Liz: Dude you know what we should do? We should tell people to make small sacrifices of things

that they like and give it up for the homeless. It’s a great way to start making small sacrifices that you can offer up to God and it has a great intention behind it.

Nick: Fam, that’s an amazing idea! How’d you even think of that?

Liz: I mean, it’s like what we do for Lent but I thought we could do it for the homeless as well. Making sacrifices doesn’t have to just be during Lent, you know?

Nick: Yeah, that’s smart dude. I think we could also take a group of kids from our church and help out at a soup kitchen and provide the extra hands that they need.

Liz: That sounds great dude! I’m down, I think that starting off small is a great way to attack a problem that seems so large. Whatever we can do to practice our Christian faith and help out those less fortunate is important, no matter how big or small.

Nick: Nicely put dude! Yeah, I’ll reach out to the kids and see who’s down to help out.

Liz: Nice nice, I will too. See ya man!

Nick: See ya!