POVERTY
Mateo 25, Anti-Poverty Campaigns!
NaLEC’s Campaign to Confront Poverty
An estimated 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, on less than $1.25 per day. The Gospel message is clear: as Christians, we are called to help those in need. Global poverty is a challenge that is not insurmountable. We must confront this challenge with passion and wisdom. It is our Christian responsibility. The injunctions of Jesus in Matthew 25 are our clarion call.To meet this challenge, NaLEC and its sister networks are committing to a nationwide Mateo 25 Anti- Poverty Campaign that calls on Latino/a Evangelicals to confront poverty by speaking on behalf of and with the people living in poverty throughout the world. We must call upon our faith communities, leaders, and governments to act in response to the many faces of poverty through community development, feeding programs, and education.The NaLEC Mateo 25 Anti-Poverty Campaigns are inspired by Jesus’ injunction in Matthew 25 concerning the many faces of poverty; living wages, hunger, disease, nakedness, incarceration, and immigration. Jesus declared: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”While we recognize that there are multiple and complex factors contributing to poverty, the Mateo 25 Anti-Poverty initiative focuses its efforts on several key areas that require more attention to effectively confront poverty:
- Advocating for a Federal Living Wage
- Educational policies
- Budget policies
- Immigration and migration
- Faith-based anti-poverty and feeding programs
Here are some ways in which you can be a part of this very important initiative:
Learn about Gospel teachings concerning poverty. Discover how to confront global poverty, U.S. international and economic policies, and the impact on poor people around the world.
Pray for people throughout the world seeking to rise from the indignities of poverty. Pray for churches, families, institutions, and government policies that can help make a change.
Educate by contacting your elected officials to promote policies that promote dignity and justice for impoverished people.
Advocate to protect anti-poverty programs and living wages for the most vulnerable.
Give to those projects domestically and overseas that helps people lift themselves out of poverty.