Zero Seven Roadtrip

[GodsoldierClintus]

This year as part of the Make Poverty History Campaign, about 1000 young Australians will be going on a road trip around Australia to advocate the message that we can indeed do something for those in poverty and make at least the most extreme poverty history. In the year 2000, the government signed a UN declaration as part of the Millennium Development Goals and agreed (by their own accord) to donate 0.7% of our GNI every year, with the aim to end extreme poverty by 2015, how very noble of our government.

Last year the figure of donation was 0.26% The ambassadors on the road trip will advocate for the government to meet its promised signed in black ink to lift that up to 0.7%. In the recently released budget the figure now apparently stands at 0.3%.

On the 1/7/2007 marks the halfway mark of this goal to end extreme poverty. Australians do your bit and write to your government that we really do want to make a difference for the developing world. It's not much 7 cents in every 10 dollars the government has to spend. When you consider that more than 50% of the worlds population earn less in a day than a parking meter earns in an hour, that 40 000 die each day because of extreme poverty, 30 000 of those children - we really should be doing something to help them.

Log onto www.makepovertyhistory.com.au for more details on what you can do.

Praying for those people in need would be a great start!

In Christ

Clint

 

[norbie]

We don't have to go so far. You as a Salvation Armee Officer will know how much Poverty is in this Country. A Country with 80 Billions Budget surplus. But no Money for the poor.

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

I know, but it really defined for me what happened when I met this homeless man on this train station. He was a Christian, and you know he was just trusting the Lord for his needs, but even though he didn't have a home, he was still doing okay, you know he was selling papers, and he had enough to live on, he even bought another homeless man a coke! (small in our terms but when you're on like a $100 and thats all thats a lot)

Anyway my point is people in Africa have NOTHING at all. As a Salvos officer I'll dealing with this kinda stuff and changing peoples lives on a personal level, but I still can't stand around doing nothing whilst thousands are dying each day.

 

[elm0]

I have a bit of a problem with 'projects' like this. I wonder if maybe the money spent on the roadtrip would be better spent on the people suffering poverty rather than giving 1000 young people a holiday...

Yes, let's all write letters to our politicians, and let's have awareness campaign, they're great ideas. But let's avoid travel costs by having everybody do their bit in their local area, then there's more money available to individuals to do more to fight poverty, like sponsor a child.

I'm sorry if I come across as rude, cynical or anything else negative to the cause, I've just seen too much money here and abroad wasted on trying to gain help rather than spent on helping.

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

Well that's the point, the government already has the money, they won't do anything about it unless the people know about all this. And people won't actually know about this unless we get the message out there. People don't realise the need to Africa and unless it's put in front of them. The government will just trash those letters and postcards we send but when we actually have petitions when they realise that this could effect the election result well then they might actually listen.

 

[elm0]

I think you missed my point... I agree that we need to push it into the politicians' view. My point was that we can get the petitions and the public awareness and all that without spending extra money to send 1000 young people on a holiday... That money could be put to better use, like sponsoring children or setting up wells for villages to get clean water. We don't have to wait until our government listens and gets into gear and does what it has promised before those people in poverty get assistance, we can start making a difference ourselves.

Lobby the pollies, write the letters, sign the petitions, and at the same time why not give up one movie or takeaway meal or night out each week and give the money to help someone else?

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

We could argue all night long whether the money could be better used. But it frustrates people who work on the ground that year after year after year of promises of change in the governments around the world there has been on change. Governments, and may I say, churches could end extreme poverty right now if they wanted to. Society already has the money, time and time again the UN has tried to formulate plans to end extreme poverty but the governments simply put in lip service and no commitment. The government will not act unless it feels enough people care and threaten its political standing.

The reality is still that 30 000 children die each day because they don't have the bare essentials. The money spent on a roadtrip will not save those people by itself. It is our hope that by bringing it to the people that the government will take notice and will take action and will end poverty. The Australian government still donates more money that all of the non government aid organisations combined. The most disgusting part of this is people, may I say, Christians, find it alright that people are dying without anything, without food, without housing, without things we take for granted but when it comes to making sacrifices we "can't afford it".

The money we spend is for the roadtrip - our sponsors are sponsoring for the roadtrip. That doesn't bother us because that money for the most part ie from the sponsor, will most probably not have gone to those that needed it anyway. This roadtrip is about convincing the public about the need for out government to do more. And by the loo

 

[erin74]

I have a bit of a problem with 'projects' like this. I wonder if maybe the money spent on the roadtrip would be better spent on the people suffering poverty rather than giving 1000 young people a holiday...

Yes, let's all write letters to our politicians, and let's have awareness campaign, they're great ideas. But let's avoid travel costs by having everybody do their bit in their local area, then there's more money available to individuals to do more to fight poverty, like sponsor a child.

I'm sorry if I come across as rude, cynical or anything else negative to the cause, I've just seen too much money here and abroad wasted on trying to gain help rather than spent on helping.

I must admit to sharing your cynicism.

Would these young people have been as keen if there were no road trip? Could they not have spent as much energy raising sponsorship for the people who need the money, rather than for a roadtrip for themselves?

Sorry - I guess I just see too many 'helping holidays' about at the moment. The NRMA even has them - although their's are astoundingly transparent.

 

[elm0]

We could argue all night long whether the money could be better used.

We could argue all year long, but it would be a waste of energy that could be better used. I was not intending to argue, just share another opinion, which is what forums are all about. I applaud the fact that people are trying to get the government to honour their promise, even if I disagree with the way it's being done.

But it frustrates people who work on the ground that year after year after year of promises of change in the governments around the world there has been on change.

Yes, it is extremely frustrating!

Governments, and may I say, churches could end extreme poverty right now if they wanted to. Society already has the money, time and time again the UN has tried to formulate plans to end extreme poverty but the governments simply put in lip service and no commitment. The government will not act unless it feels enough people care and threaten its political standing.

I agree that our governments, churches, aid organisations, and society in general could do a lot towards ending needless deaths through lack of food and health services by putting up the funds. I've seen first-hand the difference a little food and clean water can do for families in Africa. School children being given at least one decent meal a day are more able to concentrate on their classes, and have a chance of finishing school, increasing their chances of escaping the poverty cycle. This is why I was urging people before to 'buy' wells for villages and/or sponsor children. If each of us can give just one child a chance like that, we can start to make a huge difference while we're shouting for the government's attention and action.

The reality is still that 30 000 children die each day because they don't have the bare essentials. The money spent on a roadtrip will not save those people by itself.

That's true, though my view is that it would make a great start. And that is my only point of disagreement with the whole roadtrip thing.

It is our hope that by bringing it to the people that the government will take notice and will take action and will end poverty. The Australian government still donates more money that all of the non government aid organisations combined.

Well, they do have more money to start with.

The most disgusting part of this is people, may I say, Christians, find it alright that people are dying without anything, without food, without housing, without things we take for granted but when it comes to making sacrifices we "can't afford it".

Totally agreed, hence my earlier post mentioning the same thing.
When you can change your habits to save money, you have extra money that you can donate to help others. A few suggestions for those who think they can't afford to give any money away:

• Rather than going to the movies, hire a video. And if you just have to see that movie on the big screen, go on cheap Tuesday, and buy your snacks somewhere other than the cinema!
• Rather than going out for a meal with friends, get everyone together for a barbecue. Or use vouchers to grab cheap pizzas.
• Get together with a group of friends to sponsor a child, so you each put a smaller amount in.
• Sell fundraising chocolates, do carwashes, etc.

The thing that continually amazes me is that the majority of Australians I see giving to help others are low income earners, those who have more reason to be saying they can't afford it...

The money we spend is for the roadtrip - our sponsors are sponsoring for the roadtrip. That doesn't bother us because that money for the most part ie from the sponsor, will most probably not have gone to those that needed it anyway. This roadtrip is about convincing the public about the need for out government to do more.

I wish you success in this, and will be praying.

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

Thanks elmo, we obviously disagree on some points and agree on others. It's nice though that you will be praying.

And just as an aside, even if the government does give in and donate the 0.7%, there would still be poverty in this world. This roadtrip is about ending the worst of it.

In the end the only way suffering like this will end is if God puts a stop to it and God changes the mind of politicians. So definitely pray. This roadtrip will also be a massive opportunity for me to witness to others who may not be Christian so pray for that as well.

Just one final thing, again not arguing, the problem with a lot of the money donated and stuff is that sometimes you have 2 or 3 aid agencies offering to build a well in the same place. And those people there, who are not stupid, will accept all of them because if they say no, they know that the well will just get built elsewhere and they won't get it. Pray for greater cooperation between aid agencies, and even for the right development. Some areas have schools, but no teachers, so even though money goes in, nothing comes out. Pray for the right resources to go in the right places.

Real change needs to happen both overseas and over here. Until the world recognises extreme poverty can be stopped and decide to do something about it, there will still be needless death on a daily basis.
One of the most challenging things for me is seeing atheists working just as hard as I do in helping these people. What is in it for them? It is harder to witness to these people because they don't see anything in Christianity at all. These guys work day in day out, frustrated, and for what? Pray for these people I work with and that God will show them his power.

Cheers

In Christ,

Clint