Lots of confusion!

I think that there is a lot of confusion about a lot of things - especially in things that people have never personally experienced and have only heard about. I may actually be confusing you right now. Here are some of the things that I'm talking about -

I think there is a lot of confusion about the poor - for example, I grew up thinking - and for a long time as an adult, had the thought that people that were poor were mostly poor by their own choice. I thought that anybody with a little initiative and work ethic could change their situation and could "choose to no longer be poor". Well, I was completly wrong (see Terri, I can say I was wrong). Here in Honduras - where the poor are also the hungry, the children are set up for a lifetime of being poor because the families aren't able to provide proper nutrition and without proper nutrition, the kids brains are permanently damaged. There are many many folks that grow up without the capacity to learn. Without the capacity to learn, there is little hope to break the cycle of poverty. That doesn't mean that they are unable to work, it just means that the work won't be the sort that will ever move them to the next level. Food and nutrition is one of the keys to breaking the cycle. We pray that the feeding center in Santa Katerina will play a role in helping to break this cycle.

Another confusing thing is the thought that you cannot be happy unless you have lots of stuff. That is a lie and I am pretty sure that Jesus tried to drive this point home with the "rich young ruler". Some of the most happy, kind, and generous people I have ever met are those with nothing. There are many folks that have nothing that would gladly give up their last bit of food to help a neighbor. I have seen that happen with my own eyes. I have experienced this in a very personal way - when a man offered me his only food - just because he though I was hungry.

Many people are confused about some of the business that use workers that are from poor nations. Here most of these businesses are in the clothing and textile business. The media in the states call them "sweat shops". Here - they are considered great jobs. I have a friend that owns several of the companies that provide jobs to the women that grew up with poor nutrition and would have a difficult time finding work - other than that of a domestic worker. My friend provides transportation, medical care, help with school for the children of the workers, and many other benefits. The work isn't easy but, it feeds families and helps the workers that are 90% single moms. Remember, in Honduras, the average age that young women begin to have babies is 15. Don't believe everything you hear about "sweat shops".

Sometimes there is confusion about the reasons we want to help people. It is really a simple proposition - we just want to show people a little bit of the unconditional love that Jesus showed us.

Be a blessing to somebody today!
Marc