There are a lot of problems that occur in poor/developing countries:
Starvation - Many organisations try to help to solve this problem by either giving people food, or teaching them how to provide food for themselves. This is a much better way of doing things; people learn to support themselves without being dependant upon outside help. However food cannot be provided that will suit all needs so this may lead to Malnutrition, where people have food to eat, but this food does not give them a balanced diet.
Another problem is disease, which can occur for a number of reasons, some of these being lack of nutritious food, and good sanitation. Medicines can help this problem, but aren't a permanent solution as the problem can always come back; therefore a better way would be to help to improve the sanitation/nutrition in some way, although this is a very difficult task.
There are a large number of things that Christians can do to help to support the victims of this inequality, for a start awareness of the poverty and inequality in the world needs to be raised as many people do not have any idea how large the gap is in wealth between the North and South of the world. If more people were aware of this then it is likely that a lot more would be done about it than at the moment.
Also Christians who want to do something about the terrible inequalities in the world could join a charity that has been set up specifically to give aid to those in need, and help in whatever ways possible. Or if it was impossible for a person to actually physically help a charity, perhaps a donation of however much they can manage to the charity per month/quarter to help the charity continue it's work helping those in need, as charities will always need money to help them carry on helping others.
Organizations such as CAFOD (Catholic Fund for Overseas Development) have been set up to help needy people, who would have no way of getting aid otherwise. CAFOD offers help in times of emergency, but also aids the country in the long term. CAFOD is not a Catholic specific charity and will help all who are in need.
There are a large number of charities like CAFOD, which are set up to help those who lack many basic needs we take for granted.
There are many bible quotes that tell us how our attitudes should be to charity.
Matthew 6: 2-3 says:
"When you give to a needy person do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do... do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it".
This is showing how you should not make a show of the things that you are doing, for if you are only doing so because you wish for people to see and see how good you are, then this would be the wrong reason.
In Matthew 6: 17-18 the following words are spoken about fasting: "When you go without food, wash your face and comb your hair, so that others cannot know that you are fasting - only your Father. And your Father will reward you".
I believe that what is meant by this is that we shall be rewarded for what we do on Earth, and even if our good deeds are not seen by everybody, we do not need to brag about them and let people know how good you are being, for God sees all and he will reward you in heaven for the good you have done on Earth.
The story of the Good Samaritan sets a very good example for people to follow, helping and doing what we can for those who are in need. In the story a man lies in pain by the side of the road, people passing by and not wanting to help, until a Good Samaritan walks by. The Samaritan immediately helps, not caring who the person is, or their social status, simply helping because they are in need. At the time, many people hated Samaritans just because of who they were, and people would not even speak if they passed by a Samaritan, yet the Samaritan ignores all of this and simply helps the needy person. Christians should try and do this, to help all who are in need, and to show charity even to those who are our enemies.
The church teaches that we are all one body, and as in a body, one part of the body cannot function without the rest, all joined together as one and need one another to survive. This is a good reason why Christians should help those in need.
The large number of charities and ways in which people try to help others in need shows how many people are unselfish and Christian attitudes to the inequalities in the world are good. Although a lot is done to help those in need, I feel that a lot more could be done, especially by spreading the word about the inequality in the world and the charities which help those in need.
The CCC tells us that developed countries do have a moral responsibility towards countries that cannot ensure the means of their development alone. This and the bible quotes I have shown are all reasons a good Christian should help those in developing countries. Christians need to put their faith into action and help others, in order for them to fulfill the teaching of Jesus, as this is all a large part of being a Christian.
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"Charity begins at home. Christians should only support charities in their own country." Do you agree or disagree
There are many different reasons for a person to agree or disagree with the above statement, but I disagree with it.
Although it could be said that Christians should deal with the problems that are closer to home before helping others who are further away in other countries, as there are people that are poor all over the world, poverty is relative. This means that you may feel that people in your own country who can't afford a holiday and some curtains for their house, which are things that you take for granted in your life, are poor people who need the help and charity of others, but are people in other countries who don't even know where their next meal is going to come from not in more need?
Christians may believe that God makes us all, and that we should all do our best to help one another no matter who we are or whether we live in the same country. Where we live does not matter, it isn't relative to how much help we need from others.
People may think that poverty is relative and that not everybody in the "poorer" countries is extremely poor, and that the richer residents of these countries should try to help those in poorer countries, those who don't know where they may get their next meal. And why should we help people in other countries when there must be people in their own country that are able to give them the help they need.
There are those who think that if we aid countries which need help then this will stop them from working for themselves, and make them just sit back and expect everything to be done for them. I believe that people wouldn't do this and that everybody who needs help should receive it from others.
Another reason Christians may think those in other countries should be helped is that in helping others, they can spread the word of God and his love and kindness throughout the population of the world, and not just to those in their own country.
In conclusion, I disagree with the statement and think that anybody that needs help should be given it, I also believe that we should support as many charities as we feel the need to, as nobody would get anywhere if we were selective about whom we chose to help and whom we didn't. This would not be a fair way to do things.