globalsolidarity
&
poverty
Global Poverty & Solidarity
curriculum for youth
explore Catholic Social Teaching
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
Leader’s Guide for CFCA’s
Global Poverty and Solidarity Series
The problem of global poverty is huge. It can feel too big to even make a dent; to see any
positive change. We see the pictures on TV. We hear the statistics. We grieve when we hear of
the hundreds of thousands who are killed when a natural disaster strikes or a war breaks out.
We may feel helpless to do anything.
At CFCA, we believe one person can make a difference.
We offer this Global Poverty and Solidarity Series as a way for junior and senior high students
to begin to more fully understand the issues of global poverty and how they can help. Each
week begins with a meditation that brings into focus some of the issues our brothers and sisters
in developing countries face. Then we look at what Scripture has to say. After that, we have
several discussion questions, activities and other resources for further engagement in the week’s
topic.
The series is formatted as follows:
• Week 1 takes a look at the concept of solidarity, which is a key element throughout the
series.
• Weeks 2-6 tackle some of the larger issues of global poverty.
• Week 7 explores what these issues mean in relation to our faith and our call from God.
• Week 8 offers practical ways that youth groups and individuals can help.
The series is presented in such a way that it could also be used as a weekend retreat. We would
recommend that the group choose a “special guest” for the weekend from the list of students on
walkwiththepoor.org. You can use photos and stories about that teen from the site throughout
the weekend and the retreat participants can pray for their special guest.
Finally, if you use these resources we ask that you let us know! We would love feedback on the
series. We also welcome you to send us blog entries or video for the Walk with the Poor Web
site. If you are using the series and have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact
us. Our information is listed below.
On behalf of the children and aging in developing countries around the world whom we serve,
we want to thank you and welcome you to the CFCA community of compassion!
Larry Livingston
CFCA
U.S. Outreach
1-800-875-6564
[email protected]
Leader’s Guide
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 1
What is solidarity?
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 1
What is solidarity?
We begin our journey with a look at the concept of
solidarity. One definition of solidarity is: “a community
of common responsibilities and interests; of common
feelings and purposes.” Solidarity is a way of looking at
humanity – a daily choice to see other people as our
brothers and sisters. We see that the “neighbor” in
“Love thy neighbor” includes people halfway around
the world whom we have never met, and that we
are all interconnected and interdependent. The
idea of solidarity is why we call our youth Web
site “Walk with the Poor.” We are not doing
something to them or for them. We are on a
journey with them.
The way we think about global poverty sometimes makes
us feel separate or different from the people who live in poverty.
We may begin to think that “they” (the global poor) are ones who
have the problems and “we” (the global rich) are the ones with the
solutions. However, the idea of solidarity forces us to ask the question,
“What if we aren’t really that different from the people who are poor?”
What if people living in extreme poverty have some of the solutions?
What if we, the global wealthy, have some of the problems? What if
doing something about global poverty meant fixing ourselves rather
than fixing poor people in other countries?
Eugene V. Debs was a political activist
working around the turn of the 20th century. He expressed the
following ideas about what solidarity meant to him personally: “We
were taught under the old ethic that man’s business on this earth
was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the
ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may
become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question
was asked; “Am I my brother’s keeper?’’ That question has never
yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.
Yes, I am my brother’s keeper. I am under a moral obligation
to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but
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What is solidarity?
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by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think of me if I were
capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and
saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death?”
So, to be in solidarity with the poor of this world we must first take
a good, hard look at ourselves. How does your lifestyle contribute
to the global distribution of wealth? Which goods and services
in your life are “needs” and which are “wants?” For instance,
who really needs or wants all of the party favors you get at a
school dance that will one day end up in a trash dump? There
is much in our society that we just mindlessly accept, but
that adds to the huge amount of “stuff ” that we consume.
All that cheap “stuff ” comes at a high human, moral and
environmental cost. Over the next several weeks we will
be taking a look at the choices we make and how they
affect our brothers and sisters around the planet.
However, this is not an exercise in guilt! We are not trying to make you feel guilty. We
are trying to make you think, question, and reflect on your relationship with God and with each
other. There might be some things you hear that make you feel guilty, uncomfortable or even
angry. Pray about that. What is God saying to you? We encourage you to simply take an honest,
fresh look at your life and when you do, see where you might want to make some changes. It
doesn’t have to be drastic. Turn off the lights more. Walk more. Eat healthier. Accumulate less
stuff. But most of all, as you do these activities, hold our brothers and sisters in developing
countries in your heart. Remember them, pray for them, be of common purpose with them, and
you will go a long way toward being in solidarity with them.
“He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how
the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people
put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in
two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples
to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor
widow put in more than all the contributors to the
treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus
wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she
had, her whole livelihood.”
Mark 12:41-44
Week 1
What is solidarity?
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Discussion questions
Week one: Solidarity
1. What does the word “solidarity” mean to you?
2. When you think about global poverty how does it make you
feel?
3. What images do you think of when we talk about “the poor?”
4. Jesus had some pretty strong feelings about the poor of this
world. What did he have to say on this topic? (Mark 10:21;
12:41-44; 14:3-7)
5. Find passages from the Old Testament that speak to these
issues. Is the view the same from the Old Testament to the
New Testament?
Activities
Write down everything that has come to you in the past three
days - everything you have bought, things given to you, things
you just acquired. Your list should include food and drinks (in
detail, including the packaging it came in), gas for your car, mail you
have received, music you have downloaded, even the random pen found
lying around. Then circle those things that are truly needs and cross out
those things that are wants. What would look different in your day if
you only acquired those needs? Would you have more money in your
pocket? Less stuff to clutter your car or room? Now, look at the needs
list again and cull it down to the most basic needs. If you began to
live your life in such a way that you only acquired your most basic
needs, what would change? What would be better in your life?
What would be missed?
When we acknowledge the clutter and extras in our life we begin to walk in
solidarity with those who have so much less than we do.
Week 1
What is solidarity?
globalsolidarity
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poverty
How can we live in solidarity with the 1 billion people living in
extreme poverty?
Here are some ways we can express solidarity:
• Take off our shoes before entering a room. In many countries ( Japan, China, India),
removing your shoes is a traditional and cultural practice that shows respect for the place
that you are entering. It also has the practical purpose of keeping the room clean, especially
in a place where shoes have been walked in through unpaved, dusty streets where there
are poor sanitation systems. Also, if you are going to be sitting on the floor, with your feet
underneath you, taking off your dusty shoes will help keep your clothes clean!
• Sit on the floor and do not use the furniture. Have you ever considered your classroom
desk a luxury? Can you imagine sitting with legs folded while balancing books on one leg,
and taking notes on a pad of paper that leans on your other leg? Or taking a test this way?
How does your back feel after a half hour of sitting on the floor?
• Turn off the lights, and try to work by natural
light. Many schools and churches in developing
countries depend on natural light, and sitting
outside is often the best way to ensure enough
light. In many U.S. schools, large windows
provide a good source of natural light, but in the
developing world glass is expensive and perhaps
hard to come by. Many classrooms are built
with only small windows or slats in the wall to
allow some light in, but to also keep out most raindrops. How
much is spent on electricity at your school or church? How much does it cost to light your
classrooms? Do we always need to have the lights on?
• Sleep on the floor. A good night’s sleep, on a bed, in the silence, security and privacy
of your own bedroom is a luxury not available to most of the world. Many homes in
developing countries do not have multiple bedrooms, let alone the space for a permanent
bed with a mattress and box spring. Many sleep on a mat or cot that can either be rolled
up or used for other purposes. Even if you choose to sleep on your floor for one night, you
Week 1
What is solidarity?
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can still count many ways that your night’s sleep will be better than people sleeping on their
floors in poorer conditions.
• Shower by filling a bucket with water and use a cup to pour water over you. The national
average of water used for showering in American homes is 24 gallons. Imagine how much
water you would save if you showered with the bucket and cup method
that uses about two gallons a person. According to the World Bank, 1.1
billion people lack access to clean water.
• Turn off or turn down the heat or the AC. How much energy and
money do we spend heating our homes in the winter, and running the
air conditioning in the summer? The luxury of living in a controlled
temperature environment is something that we take for granted, and
it is easy to become annoyed if we find ourselves in an environment
where we are “too cold” or “too hot.” Experiencing the discomfort
of a cold or hot house for a few hours may help us appreciate the
comfort of indoor heating and cooling that we take for granted.
• Fast from technology that we sometimes use to shut out the present
moment, including: TV, cell phone and Internet. By
turning off our TV, our cell phone and Internet, we are
experiencing the reality of life for the majority of the world
that does not have access to these modern conveniences.
Though these items bring us together in innovative ways,
sometimes our lives, our attention spans, our creativity and
our relationships can be negatively affected by the fastpaced instant gratification of these technologies. Often
quality personal interaction between people—especially
family members—suffers. Turning them off for one evening
allows us the opportunity to control how we use those tools in our lives, and to not be
controlled by them. In their absence, there is more time to talk around the dinner table or
play a game together.
• Go vegetarian for the week. For most of the 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty
around the world, the opportunity to eat meat is an unimaginable luxury. Going an entire
week without eating meat and preparing simple foods for all meals can be a powerful
reminder of how many of our brothers and sisters live. About 66 percent of grain produced
in the U.S. is used to feed cattle, and 37 percent of the world’s grain is used for animals, not
Week 1
What is solidarity?
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people. Be sure to research healthy meatless eating before you choose this option; changing
your diet should be done with careful thought.
• Take public transportation, ride a bike or carpool to school.
Or
better yet, WALK! Most of the world’s children do not ride
in cars to school. Sharing a ride to school can serve as a clear
reminder of how much more effort others have to make to
receive an education. Additionally, finding a more energyefficient way to travel to school is a great opportunity to
reflect on our daily environmental impact.
• Pray for those around the world living in poverty.
• Sponsor a child or young person.
Visit www.walkwiththepoor.org to choose a student and
help them have the necessary resources to finish school
and rise out of poverty. Write your sponsored friend letters
to let them know you care about them and are living in
solidarity with them. Your support and encouragement
means the world to them. You will also get to know an
individual student in a developing country personally, learn
about their culture, about their hopes and dreams and
learn about their challenges and daily reality. You’ll get to know them
as individuals and probably be surprised by how much you have in
common.
Visit: walkwiththepoor.org
Week 1
What is solidarity?
globalsolidarity
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poverty
week 2
AIDS orphans
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 2
AIDS orphans
To begin to understand the experience of millions of children around
the globe orphaned by AIDS, stop and think of everything your parents
have done for you today. Think over everything that your mother, father
or caregiver has done for you and given to you just today. Now picture
life on your own, right now, at this age, without your parents. Could you
take care of yourself? Who is your safety net and would help you?
Now, think of how many people you picture living in New York
City. Double that. Two New York Cities. That is about how
many children under the age of 15 have lost their parents to
AIDS. About 15 million. That is 15 million children whose mother and/
or father has died.* 15 million who either have to live with another family
member, live on the streets, live in an orphanage or are cared for by older
siblings who are orphans themselves.
In many households, the eldest child is suddenly forced into the role of being the parent,
provider and caregiver. If you are the eldest in your family, imagine quitting school so you
could work to provide for your younger siblings. Imagine giving up your dreams of completing
school, of choosing a career and making a life for yourself so you could get a low-wage job
trying to put food on the table for your brothers and sisters.
However, beyond the loss of stability, any sense of normalcy and the tremendous grief of
losing a parent, the other great tragedy is the loss of family stories. We all grow up with our
family story. Every Christmas we hear the story of how eccentric Aunt Edna fed the cat too
much eggnog that one year. Or how Grandpa falls asleep in front of the TV every year while
watching football. We hear the story of what happened the day we were born or funny things
we did as children. But these orphans do not have that privilege.
“Learn to do good. Make justice your aim; redress the wronged, hear the
orphan’s plea, defend the widow.”
Isaiah 1:17
* UNAIDS 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic; Chapter 4: The Impact of AIDS
on People and Societies
Week 2
AIDS Orphans
globalsolidarity
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poverty
Discussion questions
Week two: AIDS Orphans
1.
2.
3.
4.
Who would take care of you if your parents died?
What would you miss the most about each parent?
What issues would a teenager face if he or she had to raise siblings?
Read Isaiah 1:17. This idea about widows and orphans is reflected many, many
times in Scripture. What is our call?
Activities
The National Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS is an organization in Uganda
that has begun work on The Memory Project. According to NACWOLA, “The content of a
memory book is created by the individual (or family) writing it and can contain memories of
childhood, important information about family and friends, parents’ beliefs, ideals and hopes for
their children, traditions and special events in the family.” The Memory Project is a beautiful
way for families to begin to address the terrible grief and loss the children whose parents are
dying of AIDS feel.
Walk in solidarity with these children. Talk with your parents about what family memories they
would want to make sure to pass on. What traditions? What values would they want to make
sure were instilled in you?
Resources
Here are some ways we can express solidarity:
For ideas on how you can walk in solidarity with AIDS
orphans, visit the Web site www.walkwiththepoor.org.
Also, go to http://cfca.wordpress.com/category/africa/
and check out blog entries from one sponsor’s trip to visit
her sponsored child in Tanzania – “Visit to Tanzania entry
1, 2 and 3”. HIV positive and an AIDS orphan, he taught
one young woman how to face life with courage.
ABC Africa is a beautiful documentary about AIDS orphans in Uganda.
The film is directed by Abbas Kiarostami. Available on Amazon.com
Week 2
AIDS Orphans
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 3
Housing
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 3
Housing
Have you ever gone to a lock-in or stayed at a friend’s house and slept on the floor? Know how
great it feels to get back to your own bedroom and your own bed? Next time you go to bed be
aware of all that is around you. The bed, blankets, pillow, walls, heating and air conditioning,
and an indoor bathroom.
We are called by God to have a heightened
awareness of what goes on around us. It is important
that we live our lives intentionally. That is, we notice
how we live, what choices we make, and what the
consequences of those choices are. We do not just
float through life only half awake, like that guy in
the movie “Click.” He chose to fast forward through
parts of his life and went through most of his life on
auto pilot.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus gets on Martha because she is so distracted with getting things
she thought she should have and doing things she thought she should do. He encouraged her
to examine what is truly needed in her life and let the rest go.
So, how does most of the rest of the world live? Well, the average size home in a developing
country is about 8 feet by 12 feet; the size of a one car garage. In that home, there is anywhere
from one to 11 people living. Generally, there are no interior walls, so there is one room where
everyone eats, sleeps and spends their time. Privacy is a luxury that most people do not have.
Several children will sleep in one bed if there is a bed at all, or on mats on the floor. There may
be a stove inside (especially in urban slums) but more often the cooking area is outside. They
may have electricity. They may not. They probably do not have indoor plumbing.
The house is often made of whatever materials the
family can get their hands on. If they are in the
country, the house may be made of mud and large
sticks with a thatched roof. Many, many houses
are made of materials that are pieced together: tin,
plastic, cardboard, wood boards. We heard of one
family who collected two-liter pop bottles, filled them
with sand and used them as bricks for the house that
they then surrounded with mortar.
Week 3
Housing
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
Walk in solidarity. When you are home really look at your house on the inside and the outside.
Appreciate the skill it took to make it. Give God thanks for things you usually take for granted.
Indoor plumbing, electricity, couches and carpeting. Try sleeping on the floor of your room. See
if it gives you a heightened awareness of how comfortable your home is.
“As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman
whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha,
burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you
not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell
her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha,
you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of
only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not
be taken from her.”
Luke 10:38-42
Discussion questions
Week three: Housing
1. What does it mean to be “aware of choices we make and the consequences of
those choices?” Do you ever live on “auto pilot?”
2. Do you share a room with siblings? How important is privacy to you? How do
you get privacy?
3. In verse 42, Jesus says, “There is need of only one thing.” What is that one thing?
4. Jesus began his life as a homeless person. While we can presume he had a
childhood home, we only hear about his travels and how he depended on others
for food and shelter. How is that image of Jesus different from that of Jesus as
King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Are both correct? Might both be needed in
order for us to have a more complete picture of who Jesus is?
Week 3
Housing
globalsolidarity
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poverty
Activities
Take notice of what is thrown away at home, school or
church. What things that have been discarded might be
used as building materials in a developing country? How
would you build a house from the things you find?
Measure out what an 8-foot by 12-foot house looks like.
What would it be like for your family to live in that space?
Have everyone in the youth group sit in that space and
hold your entire meeting there. Have them talk about what
that feels like. Have them try to figure out where everyone
would sleep.
Find out how much your home costs and what percentage
of your family’s income goes to pay mortgage. If your
family rents, find out what the rental agreement is. Many
families around the world rent but have no control or
recourse over being evicted. The landlord can simply throw
them off their property, for any reason.
Resources
•
“Glimpses of Poverty: Daily Life for Millions” is a slideshow available on walkwiththepoor.
org/theproblem. It shows living conditions, including housing, in developing countries.
•
Go to gapminder.org. It has all kinds of great video clips and films about urbanization,
global housing trends, and how global climate change affects developing countries.
Week 3
Housing
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 4
Food, water and
preventable illness
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 4
Food, water and preventable illness
Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease.1 That’s about
4,900 children dying every day just from diarrhea. Each year, 350 to
500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide and more than 1 million
people die, most of them young children in Sub-Saharan Africa.2
Pneumonia claims over 2 million children under age 5 every year.3
Measles: 242,0004. Tuberculosis: another 2 million.5
What is so heartbreaking about this is summed up in the title of
this piece: “Food, water and preventable illness.” All of these diseases
have simple, highly effective and generally inexpensive measures
for prevention, treatments and cures. It is simply a matter of global
priorities. The cases of diarrhea have been shown to decrease drastically when mothers
are taught to give their children a mixture of salt, sugar and clean water. This allows the body to
regenerate and absorb nutrients. Salt, sugar, clean water and an investment in the education of
women. Mosquito nets cost around $5 and have been shown to greatly reduce the number of
cases of malaria. The mosquito that carries the most deadly form of malaria mainly comes out
at night, so when a family sleeps under a net, the mosquitoes simply cannot get to them.
As to food? Right now, 854 million people are hungry. Every year, 15 million children die from
hunger-related causes. That’s one child every three seconds.6 On the other hand, 66.4 percent
of the adult population and 16.3 percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. are overweight
or obese7, and $35 billion a year is spent in the U.S. on dieting.8 While others die of too little
food, we die from too much.
This seems stark and, perhaps, painful to hear. But, people around the world are dying from
things that we can actually do something about. We can make a difference. Walk with those
who are struggling mightily just to survive.
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my
Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared
for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and
say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you
drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe
you? When did we see you ill or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in
reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Week 4
Food, Water and Preventable Illness
Matthew 25:34-40
globalsolidarity
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Discussion questions
Week four: Food, water and preventable illnesses
1. How long will your group meeting last? So, how many children will have died
from water-related diseases in that time? How many will have died of hunger?
2. This week we threw a lot of statistics at you. How can you personalize those
statistics? That is, how do we realize that people are not numbers and statistics,
but children of God who each have dreams, stories and human potential?
3. Have you ever fasted or given up meat? If so, why did you do it? What did real
hunger feel like? Was it difficult? If you haven’t yet, could you?
4. Read John 13:1-20 and Matthew 25:31-46. As Christians, how might this
define our relationship with the poor of this world?
Activities
Watch the videos from www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival to see clips from the project Rx for
Survival, especially the clips on malaria, river blindness and The Story of BRAC. They are
compelling pieces that take you into the world of the poor who are dealing every day with
these issues.
Have the members of the youth group carry a bundle of wood on their heads. See if they can
do it without holding on to them with their hands. Then have them try it with a bucket of
water. People (usually women and children) carry wood and water buckets (not using their
hands!) sometimes for miles each day so they can cook their families’ meals. Often, they will do
it while pregnant or with a child strapped to their back (sometimes both!).
Resources
•
The book “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats,” by Peter Menzel and Faith S’Aluisio,
details what families around the world consume in one week. The contrast is startling. •
Check out the Web site eatlowcarbon.org. It has a great activity where you can see how the
food you eat affects the planet.
Bibliography
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
http://www.unicef.org/wes/index_wes_related.html
http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/impact/index.htm
http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/documents/9789241596336/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en/
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global_report/en/index.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/C002291/high/present/stats.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm
http://www.indieview.com/weightloss/39653.php
Week 4
Food, Water and Preventable Illness
globalsolidarity
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week 5
School
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 5
School
So, there is a huge party on Saturday night and everyone, it
seems, is going. You have been looking forward to it all week.
Then, Saturday morning you wake up sick. Fever, aches,
puking, you name it. You know there is no way you can go
to this party, and you are really disappointed. So, you stay
home and you end up curling up on the couch and having
a great movie marathon with your parents, which you
haven’t done since you were about 8. You hate to admit
it but you had a pretty good time and you actually
kind of reconnected with your mom and dad, and
that was pretty nice.
The next time you get sick, you remember what
happened last time and you decide not to be disappointed
but find something fun to do instead.
This is what psychologists call “reframing.” You take a
conflict, a disappointment, a problem, you look at it from
a different angle and you understand it better. Then you
can deal with this conflict or problem in a healthy way.
This technique is used by many people, from psychologists
helping individuals with personal problems, all the way up
to high-level government officials negotiating peace treaties
between countries.
Now, picture it is Monday morning and you feel better. It is time to go to
school but you don’t want to get out of bed. School is boring. It is a waste
of your time. You do not want to go to school.
Let’s reframe this. Today, 121 million primary school-age children will
not attend school. The number of youth who will not attend high school
is much larger. Millions of children who do get the opportunity to go
to school will walk, sometimes for more than an hour, to get there. Or,
because they must work for their family during the day, they will attend
school at night. Many students must carry their own chair to school.
Week 5
School
globalsolidarity
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poverty
It is vital to understand the privilege of free public education. Most students around the world
must pay to go to “public” school, as well as paying for school uniforms, notebooks and other
school supplies. Often, the school will not have textbooks, so students will copy word-forword from the one textbook supplied to the teacher so that their own notebook becomes the
textbook. School attendance is not regular because of sickness, civil unrest or natural disaster, or
the family simply cannot afford it. Often, the eldest child will work to try to send the younger
children (most often the boys) to school. For many parents, education is not a
priority so children have to beg their parents to allow them to go to school.
In the documentary “Stolen Childhoods” one of the filmmakers observes
the following, “It would cost $8 billion a year to put all primary-age
children in school who are not in school right now. We spend [globally]
$40 billion a year on golf. Where are our priorities?”
So, you wake up one morning and don’t feel like going to school. As
you are lying in bed, reframe the picture to see what life would be
like if you were not allowed to go to school. Where would your
life lead you? What goals in life would you have to give up? How
would you connect with your friends each day if you had to work to
provide for your family? Begin to see the difference between “I have to go to
school” and “I get to go to school.”
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and
Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a
distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they
were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He
threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to
return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”
Luke 17:11-19
Week 5
School
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
Discussion questions
Week five: School
1. When your mom says, “Eat your spinach! Don’t you know there are children
around the world starving?” Is that “reframing” or a classic guilt trip? What is
the difference?
2. What might God be calling you to be in your life? What education do you
need to reach those goals? What are your obstacles? How will you get around
those obstacles?
3. If you didn’t have to go to school by law, would you?
4. It has been said that “Education is the silver bullet required to rid the world of
the vampire that is hunger.” What does that mean?
5. Read Luke 17:11-19. Have you ever thanked God for school?
Activities
Watch the CFCA video “Mabuhay: A Journey to the Quezon Project, Philippines.”
(A copy of this video has been included in the Global Poverty & Solidarity notebook. You may request
an additional copy by calling CFCA at 800-875-6564 or 913-384-6500.)
What surprised the students most? What disturbed them?
Write a short autobiography as though you were 80 years old and looking back at your life.
Included in the fictional autobiography should be an explanation of when and why you had to
quit school and what life looked like after that.
Resources
• Go to www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/school2/#videoplayer for great short video
clips about educational situations all around the world.
• Go to walkwiththepoor.org to read profiles of students around the world who are struggling to finish their education. Have each person find a student on the Web site who has
the same interest and/or goals that they do. Find out about their hopes and dreams and
how you can help.
Week 5
School
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 6
Child labor
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 6
Child labor
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that there are 218 million child
laborers in the world. These children are between the ages of 5 and 17. You may think, “I’m 16
and I work, too – I’m a hostess at a restaurant. So, what’s the big deal?”
And you’re right. In some cases, the work children do is appropriate and can help them learn
responsibility and a strong work ethic. Unfortunately, this type of beneficial work is not always
the norm.
According to the ILO’s Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, the worst forms of child
labor involve “children who work long hours, often in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, are
exposed to lasting physical and psychological harm. Working at rug looms, for example, has
left children disabled with eye damage, lung disease, stunted growth, and a susceptibility to
arthritis as they grow older.
“Children making silk thread in India dip
their hands into boiling water that burns
and blisters them, breathe smoke and fumes
from machinery, handle dead worms that
cause infections, and guide twisting threads
that cut their fingers. Children harvesting
sugar cane in El Salvador use machetes to cut
cane for up to nine hours a day in the hot sun;
injuries to their hands and legs are common and
medical care is often not available.”
This abuse of children through child labor is obviously
wrong. So, what can we do to stand up for the children whose voices are being silenced?
“So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at
the table again, he said to them, ‘Do you realize what I have done for you? You
call me “teacher” and “master” and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore,
the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s
feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you
should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this,
blessed are you if you do it.”
John 13:12-17
Week 6
Child labor
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
Discussion Questions
1. Sin can be understood as a failure to respect the dignity of other people, of God
and of ourselves. What sins are involved in global poverty? What about child
labor?
2. Do you work? How are you treated at work? Why do you work? Do you know
someone your age who has to work to support their family?
3. The global poor (and specifically the child laborers we are talking about here) are
thousands of miles away from us. How can we follow Jesus’ model of washing
their feet? How can we best serve them?
Activities
Make a list of your favorite foods, restaurants, clothing companies and other companies whose
products you buy. Go to www.coopamerica.org to see how those companies are rated in the
areas of labor rights, the environment, health and safety so you can make informed buying
decisions. We must be informed if we really want to see change happen. We must pray for the
strength to open our eyes to the realities of the world around us and then pray for the courage
to do something about it.
Also, when you put your clothes on each morning, check the tag to see where they were made.
They were probably made in a developing country, and probably under pretty poor conditions.
Take a moment each morning to give thanks for those who made your clothes and walk with
them throughout your day. This is a great way to walk in solidarity by keeping our brothers and
sisters around the world in our thoughts and prayers throughout the day.
Resources
ABC News Nightline produced a segment called “Stolen Childhood,” which is available on
DVD. It provides an excellent insight into the underground world of child labor.
CFCA is helping children stay in school, which means they have more choices in their lives
and a better chance of not having to work at an early age. To learn more about how CFCA’s
sponsorship and scholarship programs are helping children finish their education,
visit www.walkwiththepoor.org.
Week 6
Child labor
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 7
Why me?
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 7
Why me?
“Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no
one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite
responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself,
with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.” -Jean Paul Sartre
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the
Continent, a part of the main.”
–John Donne
These two quotes offer two very different views of how the world works. Sartre gives us an
existential view of the world, one in which it is every person for himself or herself, and we are in
the world alone. Donne’s quote says that we are not alone but that every single human being is
one small part of a greater piece. So, who is right?
As Catholics, human connectedness is at the heart of our beliefs. That means whatever happens
to someone else, good or bad, has an effect on you. Every moment a child dies from hunger,
disease or war the world is deprived of the potential life that child could have lived. Even those
children who do survive, only survive. They do not thrive. They do not become who God dreams
they can be. Who knows what cures they could find, what great art they could create, what
buildings they could build if they only had the chance, the education, the encouragement to rise
above the poverty and daily task of survival? God knows.
As Catholics, we are people with a mission, and our marching orders come at the end of every
Mass when the priest says, “go now to love and serve the Lord”. We are called to go forth from
our celebration of the Eucharist, fed with the Body and Blood of Christ, to act as Christ in the
world. Ours is not just a warm and cozy faith, but one that compels us to go out and make a
difference in the lives of others.
Our call is clear. The men, women, and children who live in developing countries are our
neighbors, our brothers and sisters. We are one human family. We must walk with them, hear
their stories, help them when we can, and learn from them. But all of this can only be done with
God’s help.
It is very painful to open our eyes to the reality of the world and know that many of our actions
are causing others to suffer. But, through prayer and community we can have the courage to
face poverty head on. Yours is the first generation that can truly eradicate extreme poverty and
hunger. Make your mark on history.
Week 7
Why me?
globalsolidarity
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poverty
“As a body is one though it has many parts, and all
the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so
also Christ. But as it is, God placed the parts, each
one of them in the body as he intended. If they
were all one part, where would the body be? But
as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor
again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround
with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our
more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater
honor to a part that is without it, so that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If
one part suffers all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
I Cor. 12:12, 18-26
Discussion Questions:
1.
2.
3.
Re-read the quotes from Sartre and Donne. Do you sometimes feel like
Sartre is right?
“Those to whom much is given, much is expected.” Do you agree? Why?
If we believe the image that Paul gives us in First Corinthians, how do we need
our brothers and sisters in developing countries?
4. What are practical ways we can seek and serve the Christ in other people?
Activities:
Discuss the seven tenants of Catholic Social Teaching on the following pages. What are you
currently doing as a parish community to address these issues? Brainstorm other ways that
your group and you as an individual can live out these important teachings.
Have the group make a film as a response to this series. Give them the task of motivating
other teens to be aware of the issues of global poverty and get involved. Then send us the film
(you can e-mail [email protected]) and we can put it on our walkwiththepoor.org
Web site! That way, they really will be reaching other teens!
Week 7
Why me?
7
1
Main Principles of
Catholic Social Teaching
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
It all begins with what you believe about human
life and dignity. The Catholic Church believes that
a person’s dignity doesn’t come from things like
wealth, power or fame – things that can be taken
away – but from the fact that each of us was created
in the image and likeness of God. In other words,
our dignity is hard-wired into us! Every human
being is equally precious in God’s eyes, which is
why every human life is sacred. And that is what
Catholic social teaching is all about – respect for the
sacredness of life.
7 Main Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
2
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
The desire for community is part of our nature
as human beings. Family is the most important
community because that is where we learn how
to relate to others. The other groups we might
belong to – school, friends, clubs, etc. – are also
good, but there is one ‘club’ that everybody has
membership in – society. Whether our local society
or the global one, everybody has both the right and
the responsibility to work for the common good.
Simply put, the Catholic Church believes that all
people should participate when it comes to making
decisions that affect their lives.
3
Rights and Responsibilities
There are some rights that everybody has just because
they are human. For example, everybody is entitled
to food, shelter, freedom of religion and protection
from harm by others. There are other rights that
depend on your culture and the society you live in.
But along with every right comes a responsibility to
use that right wisely and unselfishly. It is only when
we respect each other’s rights – while accepting our
own responsibilities as members of society – that we
can truly live together in peace.
4
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
If you want to know the moral health of a society,
all you have to do is look at how their poorest and
most defenseless members are treated. The reality
in most societies – including our global one – is that
it is really hard for the poor to rise out of poverty.
That is why the Church believes that the poor
and the powerless everywhere deserve extra help.
Whether choosing a new president or a new pair
of shoes, it is always important to ask, “How will
my decision affect the poorest and most vulnerable
among us?”
5
Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
It was never God’s plan that people work just to
survive. A person’s job should give them a chance
for a better life. But for work to be life-giving, both
workers and bosses need to play their part. Workers
have the right to a fair wage, to voice their concerns
and to join with others when negotiating with
employers. On the flip-side, employers have the
responsibility to pay workers fairly, to listen to their
concerns, and to make sure that working conditions
are safe and dignified. Once again, it’s all about
respect.
6
Solidarity
Solidarity is another way of saying we are all in this
together. As one human family, our choices affect
each other, sometimes in ways we never realize.
Solidarity moves us to pay closer attention to what
happens throughout the world – instead of just our
own backyards – and to consider the impact our
actions have on those events. Solidarity is where
awareness – of ourselves, our choices and the realities
of other people – spills over into action that makes a
real difference for the better.
7
Care for God’s Creation
We end where we began, with respect for life – but
this time we are talking about not only human life
but all life on Earth as well as Earth itself. God has
entrusted this planet to our care. We are responsible
for how we use the gifts of creation. As we are
becoming increasingly aware, all life is impacted by
the choices we make as individuals, organizations
and nations. Proper use of the Earth’s natural
resources will allow us to preserve and pass on to
future generations the beautiful, nurturing world as
our Creator intended.
7 M ain Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 8
So, now what?
Walk with the Poor, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging l 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103 l 800.875.6564 l www.walkwiththepoor.org
globalsolidarity
&
poverty
week 8
So, now what?
Imagine you have $5 to give away. What would you do
with it? Now imagine you have $100 to give away. Where
would it go? How about $500? What about $300,000,000?
There will always be organizations and individuals who need
your money. Generally, unless you are Ebenezer Scrooge, most
people think giving away some of their money is a good thing.
However, how do you decide who gets the money? How do you
decide how much you should give away? Should you give your
five bucks to the homeless guy on the street? Should you split your
$500 between five of your favorite organizations?
The desire to give and to help comes from the heart and
shows humanity at its best. As Christians, giving is one of
our most basic commandments from Jesus. However, when
choosing where to give, you must use your head, not just
your heart. For instance, most experts who work with the
homeless population in the U.S. strongly discourage giving
money to beggars on the street. It may make you feel good
to give it, but it is not wise and effective giving. When you do
that, you are only giving to one person and you do not know
how that person will use the money. However, given wisely,
your $5 can buy a mosquito net to prevent an entire family from getting malaria in Tanzania,
buy four day’s worth of rice for three people in the Philippines, or provide transportation to
school for a week for one student in Mexico. What did you do with
the last $5 bill you had?
Beyond giving money, however, we go back to the idea of solidarity.
We have walked for the past several weeks with the poor of this
world. Continue that journey. Keep them in your hearts and
prayers. Take action against injustice. Speak out about what you
have learned.
If there is a company whose ethics are questionable to you, either
do not give them any of your money or contact them and let
them know you are not happy with their business practices. Live
life with intention. Noticing and being grateful for what you
have gives you sensitivity for those who have little.
Week 8
So, now what?
globalsolidarity
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poverty
You have a voice! Find your passion, and get involved! You can impact the world.
Finally, it is important that we fully recognize before God that our own sinfulness contributes
to the scandal of global poverty. We must confess our sins and our willful disregard and
neglect of the needs of our brothers and sisters. Then, forgiven and given a mission, we can
know that we are playing an active part in ushering in the Kingdom of God.
“No one shall appear before the Lord empty-handed, but each of
you with as much as he can give, in proportion to the blessings
which the Lord, our God, has bestowed on you.”
Deuteronomy 16:16-17
Discussion questions
1. What are the ways you might choose to live in solidarity with the poor?
2. How could your community be in solidarity with the poor?
3. What does it mean to “walk with the poor?”
4. What is the biggest thing that you have learned from this series?
Activities:
Make a list of your favorite charities. Go to www.charitynavigator.org and see how those
charities rate. See how they spend their money. See how much the leaders of the organizatins
make. You can learn a lot about wise giving. The Web site encourages you to consider how
much the organization spends on fundraising and administration. Be a wise giver. If you give
money to your church, get involved and look at the finances. See where your money goes.
You will find that CFCA, sponsor of the Walk with the Poor youth movement, gets the
highest four-star rating from Charity Navigator. CFCA takes stewardship very seriously.
When you choose to sponsor through Walk with the Poor or give to the CFCA Scholarship
Fund, you can feel confident that your money is truly making a difference in the world.
Pray about sponsoring a teen from the walkwiththepoor.org Web site. Discuss whether there
should be fundraisers or if the funds should be given from each individual as a part of their
personal commitment to ending global poverty.
Week 8
So, now what?