Stats don't bleed
As Tearfund founder George Hoffman said, ‘Statistics don’t bleed.’ Statistics, it’s true, can dull the heartbeat at the crux of an issue.
But they are vital. Because they provide a headline to help us understand the problem. And whichever way you look at it, the issue of poverty has reached critical proportions…
- 600 million children are among those living on less than $1 a day - in 'absolute poverty'
- Since 1990 around 270 millions people have died from poverty-related causes
- For every ten Christians alive today, nine live in poverty
- One in every two children alive today lives in poverty
- In 2006, 2.9 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses - 99 per cent of these were in poor countries
- Nearly half the world's population (2.8 billion people) now live on less than $2 a day. A billion of these live on less than $1 a day
This is the context in which we're calling people like you to act.
Brothers Laston, 24, Andrew, 22, and Abel, 15, walk through the forest that saves lives. A local church-based project in Malawi, supported by Tearfund, gave the saplings to protect villagers when the river floods. 'I know all this comes from God,' says Andrew. It's transforming.
How can I respond?
A situation of this magnitude requires that we pray for stronger shoulders – not a lighter load.
The task is huge. And this is a passionate appeal for people to pray from the heart.
The answer is not prayer alone. We need financial and campaigning support too. But prayer is a key ingredient for Tearfund.
In his recent book, Prayer – does it make any difference? Philip Yancey notes that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.
As Jacob knew, praying is about wrestling with God. It’s not always easy but it is a vital act of Christian love.
Apathy is not a biblical word. Action is.
So we’re mobilising our worldwide network of Christians and churches, inviting you to pray for the church in your locality, and local churches overseas, as each plays its part to end poverty.
Remember: when we pray, God responds. And he reminds us that discipleship is about biting off a challenge so big that it consumes you. A whole-life mission which affects every part. What theologians term an ‘integral mission’.
The journey starts here...
- Join the prayer chain: Please act now by signing up - click here to commit to praying and we'll place you on the map. Please ask your Christian friends, small group, pastorate and – if you feel able – your church to pray too.
- Add your prayer to the Global poverty prayer chain: The Global poverty prayer chain is our way of uniting Christians around the world who care about justice. Click here to see the prayers and for details of how to add your prayer.