Listening to Extreme Poverty
by Elouise
An article this morning about Australian Professor Philip Alston’s survey of extreme poverty in the USA did me in. It’s Advent. A time for hope, joy and expectation. Yet for over 41 million Americans there is no expected arrival of anything but escalating hunger, despair, disease, death, and promises not kept. Professor Alston’s written report will go to the United Nations next May.
It’s easy to blame politicians and corporations. Or the super rich. But that doesn’t cut it.
Taking time to listen deeply is a spiritual discipline. I love pondering a beautiful flower or sunset. It’s something else, though, to ponder a problem this large. What is this reality trying to tell me?
There’s a growing divide between those who care to understand extreme poverty, and those who choose to ignore it or put the blame somewhere else. For example, we know charitable agencies, churches, outreach programs and governmental services work daily to ease the anguish and dehumanization of USA-style extreme poverty.
We may also believe that if extreme poverty isn’t addressed systemically, our personal efforts are mere bandages–a waste of time, effort and money. Yet the message of Christianity and other faiths includes the importance of showing hospitality to strangers. Especially those in distress.
So what can I do about any of this?
I don’t have answers. The easiest thing would be to shake my fist at politicians and super-rich ‘one-percenters.’
I’m reminded of Dorothee Soelle’s book on Suffering. What’s needed from me isn’t outrage, shaking my fist, or solutions to solve the problems of people trapped in extreme poverty. What’s needed is simpler than that, and a thousand times more difficult.
I need to listen in silence, the way Dorothee Soelle listened to victims of the Viet Nam war. That might mean listening to long, painful silence before words are found and haltingly spoken with anguish or rage.
Yet if I don’t learn to listen patiently for the story of a person trapped in the despair, humiliation and disenfranchisement of extreme poverty, I won’t understand my story. ‘Their’ story is another piece of my story, whether I like it or not. It’s also part of the story of the USA, whether we like it or not.
The photo at the top shows the sanctuary of a church in San Francisco that opens its doors weekdays from morning through mid-afternoon for homeless persons to rest and sleep. It came from the article I read this morning.
Praying each of you will have a hope-filled Sabbath rest.
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 16 December 2017
Photo of St. Boniface in San Francisco found at msn.com in “A Journey through a Land of Extreme Poverty: Welcome to America”
Telling the Truth 
I look forward to seeing what opens in our center city (Philadelphia) transit hub early next year. Our transit authority is working to refurbish unused space to provide a space to meet the immediate needs of those living on the streets – think showers, laundry, medical and psychiatric attention, legal services, food, and more; an environment where vulnerable folks can sit and feel safe. Not a complete solution, but a strong start.
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/philadelphia-homeless-services-septa-suburban-station-20171014.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it could be. Thanks for the link!
LikeLike
the privatisation of the health services in so many places, has condemned those with mental health issues to isolation when it comes to buying the health services they need, while not being able to access them, and many times, not knowing they are unwell at all, Medicine was not meant to be a business, it just got that way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. It seems we’ve lost our way, leaving the most vulnerable of us to bear the consequences alone and abandoned. Inundated beneath billboards and commercials selling salvation for a price. How did we get to this place? Better, how do we find our way home to those who most need help? Thanks for your comment. Mental health isn’t a product to be purchased.
LikeLike
“we’ve lost our way…” Yes. My mom spoke those very words to me about a different topic, but it has become a refrain at times in our conversations. This phrase haunts me as one who proclaims good news.
Sunday a member brought up the poverty and how she struggled to be joyful in her own blessings at the same time. Most of us, self included, are not willing to listen and pay attention to the voices of the oppressed. “‘Their’ story is another piece of my story, whether I like it or not. It’s also part of the story of the USA, whether we like it or not.” Powerful and so true. Thank you.
I will say that I believe we need to work on creating evidence based programs/projects funded by the government that effectively provide change. Free housing programs in Utah and Arizona are promising. I have come to the conclusion that putting energy into bandaids (church programs, shelters, etc) is failing to understand God’s justice and the fact that we are all God’s children.
Until that time, we can all learn from the church in SF that allows folks who need to sleep a sanctuary. Thank you again, I saw that article in the SF Chronicle years ago. I believe it is a Catholic Church that was going to be closed. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, David, for your thoughtful comments. Yes, the San Francisco church is Roman Catholic. That church and it’s sister church were the only churches found in SF opening their doors to people needing a safe place to sleep. They talked with other churches that were locking their doors out of fear.
We definitely need evidence-based solutions, plus humane ways to deal with current needs. And local, state and national ‘investment’ in this USA-grown tragedy. If your church has or finds a way to be part the solution, I’d love to hear about it.
LikeLike
Great article. I think you’ve highlighted a way forward. One, Christians which I am one, need to actually be Christians. 2.2 billion {est} Christians in the world could do much good. Two, alot of what people do is tokenism, here’s a blanket, etc. We need to do more than that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for visiting and for your comment. Getting beyond tokenism is a tough walk indeed. Being a Christian is no easy walk, either. Especially when it means listening deeply to other human beings’ anguish/despair.
LikeLiked by 1 person