"We should look after the poor in our own country before we help the poor in other countries." Do you agree?

It must be stated that the countries formerly known as third world are now called developing countries. This shows they are improving and the condition of the countries have gradually got better over a number of years due to work done by organisations like CAFOD like I explained in AO2. However the countries are still in a terrible state. They need urgent help from the countries and governments that can provide help. They do not just need loans which will have to be repaid and will eventually end up costing them more through interest. The countries need the raw materials so they can get food to get strength to get work to get money. This is the only way the state of these countries can improve

The Bible states that everyone must be treated as equals. We see this in The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) In this story, Lazarus a beggar is rewarded in heaven while the rich man is in torment in hell. The rich man tries to get Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers that if they continue to live in greed they will end up in hell like him. Abraham replies ‘They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them. If they do not listen to them they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ The rich man ignored the problem of the beggar outside his gates looking for scraps. He could not say he did not know. We too cannot say we don’t know. Everyday we hear and see reports and appeals to help the poor through T.V., radio and the internet.

Another argument is that developing countries aren’t as well funded as our country. They have less money, more disease and illnesses and less chance of their country improving. On the other hand an old proverb says ‘Charity begins at home’ This is saying that it is our responsibility to end the poverty cycle. The poverty in our own country doesn’t get as much media attention as foreign countries so it is often overlooked. However if you travel up to Belfast or Dublin it isn’t long before you see homeless people begging for money lying under steps. We hear all about people dying in Africa everyday while we have the same problem (to a lesser extend) right here. In a world where poverty is so widespread and published it can be easy to forget about the poverty on our own doorstep. Some people feel it is necessary for the governments of those countries to provide financial support for the poor and also that if we keep helping them they will become over-dependent on our aid. All this is going on while the corrupt governments use this money to fight wars and rob people of their basic needs and rights.