MOTHER Teresa once said: “God didn’t create poverty. We created poverty, because we do not share with one another.”
Every time a debate ensues, whether in the hallowed halls of the ruling political lords, or in the boardrooms of the business elite, there is mention of plans to alleviate poverty.
Some of these plans do pan out, but they generally prove to be drops in the bucket and still leave a
great percentage of our fellowmen living in the fringes.
Pope Francis, who really “gets it,” has suggested in many ways for everyone who can to proceed to the “fringes,” to those who are marginalized and who do not have the wherewithal to survive in a world that barely takes a second look at them in their abject poverty. Thus, he requested that we go out and take to heart his message of “mercy and compassion” and put plans to help others into action.
When I was the president of the Manila Jaycees (now JCI Manila), I wondered if it would be possible to approach big hotels and restaurants and ask if they could give us their leftovers (which turned out to be tremendous) to recycle into food for those who have nothing to eat on a daily basis. As one, they all said no and that they were afraid of legal repercussions should anyone suffer food poisoning. I even offered to sign a waiver and let the recipients of such largesse sign waivers, too—but the hotels and restaurants were unmoved.
France recently passed a landmark ruling that mandates that leftovers be turned over to organizations capable to passing on these food items to those who would need them the most. I think it is time for our lawmakers to pass one such law. In fact, I realized this the other day when I went to my supermarket suki and bought some turon (banana in edible wrapper). I noticed there were still a lot leftover and asked what they did to them at the close of the day. They got thrown away, per the saleslady. Company policy. I was saddened and asked if the salesmen and workers there were ever given the leftovers, and they replied in the negative.
So much food, so much thrown to the garbage bins.
This reminds me of that award-winning video that featured a man riffling through a garbage bin for leftovers. Prior to this, the video showed some people and families eating their favorite fast-food items and leaving some items with a little rice. Well, it seems that what the poor man found in the garbage bin outside the fast-food outlet, and that was plain waste to the people who ate in the restaurant and to the ones running the outlet, became a feast for a family somewhere in a marginalized housing area. One’s waste became a family’s feast.
In a Marian visionary’s account that had Our Lady commenting on the situation in the world today, she mentioned that, if only people observed the biblical admonition to tithe at least 10 percent of their wealth, poverty would go away.
This simple observation of giving to the less fortunate would help alleviate hunger and poverty in a big way. And she was not referring only to individuals.
She also mentioned that this should become a norm for large institutions and corporations.
What is needed is not lip-service generosity…but the actual setting aside of 10 percent of net income to help the poor directly. And we know that the good Lord cannot be beaten in terms of generosity, for He rewards good done with an abundance of good in return…or, as the Bible says, a hundredfold.