After church today I was having a conversation with one of the men in our church about generational poverty. He pointed out, accurately, that families do not have examples or mentors in their own parents, grandparents and sometimes great grandparents. They are raised by people who waited each month for a welfare check just like their own parents do. His point was that we have gone too far with welfare.
He has a very good point and has pointed out a serious problem. But what is the remedy? Is the remedy to stop welfare payments? What is that going to do? If people haven't been taught or mentored by family members, how are they going to suddenly be successful because the check doesn't come.
In our Vision 30 we talk about being born into an unhealthy river and how many things can get you from healthy to unhealthy (substance use, trafficking, domestic violence, etc.). But the only way to get from unhealthy to healthy is through a meaningful relationship.
And that is the crux of what is needed for there to be a solution. If we want to see kids safe, and families strong, and folks coming out of poverty they need guides .... mentors.... people who care. What if one middle class family was willing to do everything within their power to help one family in poverty learn something new? Now THAT would be a solution.
And how would people find those families? CarePortal. It provides church families with connections to families in crisis.
And almost any other solution seems like a better idea for middle class folks than getting involved on personal, daily level with those who need us most.
OK, maybe I just want too far.....
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