The rich get richer and the poor, poorer

Are we headed for a two-tier society, with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer? By the end of this century will the rich withdraw behind gates with alarms and armed guards to keep out the rabble in growing stages of hunger and poverty?

Some project that by the year 2050, eight billion people will live on planet Earth, with two-thirds in the poorest countries. Millions will want out of those countries, but may not be able to emigrate as affluent nations construct barriers to protect their wealth.

We live in a global village, and the greater issue is how God views what is happening and what He wants us to do about it. Consider that there are about 1.2 billion adolescents in the world, with half of them growing up in poverty and surviving on less than US$1 a day. In addition, every 14 seconds, one of them becomes infected with HIV, says the World Health Organization.

What can we do with the need around us? By the grace of God, you and I can make a difference in someone’s life. Look around you and you’ll find someone hurting, someone who needs a dad, someone who needs financial help. You can make a difference if you try.

This is what Herman and Flora Manalo have done in Barangay Valencia, a squatter’s area in Manila. Turning down opportunities to move into a better part of the city, they chose to stay there to impact their neighborhood, doing Bible studies, encouraging and helping the people. When a tragic fire destroyed the area, the Manalos turned their little plot into  a ministry center. They made a difference, and so can you.