The Pope's Christmas Message

The world-wide problem of poverty, hunger and violence couldn't be more evidenced by the Pope's special Christmas message. He said that we should direct our thoughts toward children forced to serve as soldiers in a violent world, who have to beg, suffer deprivation and hunger, and who are unloved. And that despite claims of advances and successes by many, people continue to die and suffer from hunger and thirst, poverty and violence.

As I write this, the tv news is featuring children on the streets carrying big garbage bags with recyclable plastics they could sell to help their jobless parents earn income. Today being Christmas doesn't make it any different for them...just more plastics to collect from the day's Christmas celebration.

I'm reminded of children who are recruited by rebel armies to work as soldiers, deprived of their youth and not given a chance to enjoy their childhood. These children are catapulted into a world of chaos and violence, suffering from a situation not of their own making.

I'm reminded of the message emotionally posted by a blogger who went to Dili in Timor to start on his teaching job there. He witnessed the murder of men, women and children and of houses being burned just weeks before Christmas. He asked his friend to spread the word around that the people there need assistance to rebuild their homes...rebuild their lives.

It also brings to mind what I heard someone say just this morning that she was tired of her country giving aid to other nations using their money while she has to pay higher taxes. I would have had something to say to that but I didn't want to delve on the person's personal opinion which she is entitled to, nor on the political aspect of a stronger nation helping poor ones.

Humanitarian organizations like the World Vision, Children International, One and similar others do such a great job in extending aid to children and families in dire need of assistance. Their strength and success lie in each and every individual who is willing to share something of himself to help alleviate poverty and other problems plaguing the world. I'd like to think that one by one the number of kind-hearted people who offer help is growing so more lives can be saved, and more people can be educated and taught to sustain themselves.

It's so true that together success can be achieved. It just takes a lot of determination, selflessness, and each of us giving a little more of what we have to others.