POVERTY!

Poverty is one of the intresting topic i heard over da radio last weekend. It creats a big confussion and misunderstanding as how we describes it. Poverty can mean so many things in so many ways.. Normally we see poverty as a state of being poor and not able to support our daily living through the means of food, water, clothing and shelter. Other people thinks that its not only that, it could means ppl without good houses, cars and other luxuries which they think its a neccessity to have.

The thing i like about this topic is that it brings out new and intresting ideas which I an individual needs to know and also increases my knowledge about life. Feels free to reply on this topic and tell us how it applies to ur life.

Tags: people, poor, poverty, struggle

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Permalink Reply by Danger Mouse on December 8, 2009 at 4:54am: hahahaha... lako i Walu Bay..levu kina na kateni ni beer ..lolz; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SuE GrEEn on December 8, 2009 at 12:22pm: Bula vinaka Gonesis!
There are things of greater value that money cannot buy. Recognition of this fact will help us keep material things in proper perspective, thus avoiding the frustrations of those whose lives center on the accumulation of money. Money cannot buy life, but acting in wisdom can protect life now and can even open up the possibility of endless life.

Live within your means. Our wants are not necessarily the same as our needs. Priority should be given to our needs. We can easily convince ourselves that we need something, when in reality it is a want and not a need. The wise person will first allot earned income to immediate needs—food, clothing, shelter, and so on. Then, before spending on anything extra, he will determine if his remaining funds can cover additional items. In one of his illustrations, Jesus recommended that a person "first sit down and calculate the expense, to see if he has enough."—Luke 14:28.

In Japan, KYOKO , a single parent with three children, has had the challenge of earning a living and following a strict budget since her husband left her some years ago. While doing so, she has trained her children to recognize priorities in the budget. For example, the children may see something that they would like. Instead of just saying no, she reasons with them by saying: "Well, you can have that if you like, but you will have to decide. We have enough money for only one thing. We can buy this thing that you like, or we can buy a little meat or vegetables to go along with our rice for this week. Now, which would you like? You decide." Usually, the children quickly see the point and agree that they would like to have food rather than something else.

Be content. "Having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things," states another Bible principle. (1 Timothy 6:8) Money in itself does not bring happiness. A lot of wealthy people are unhappy, while many poor people are very happy. These latter ones have learned to be satisfied with just the simple things needed in life. Jesus spoke of having a 'simple eye' that is focused on the more important things. (Matthew 6:22) This helps a person to be content. Many poor people feel quite satisfied because they have cultivated a good relationship with God and have a happy family life—things that cannot be purchased with money.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Danger Mouse on December 9, 2009 at 12:38am: you are so right bout what you talked about. Money aint da cause of poverty and also it wont help people out of poverty. What i think is that, once ur happy with your life.. you are not un poverty.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Motoka. on December 13, 2009 at 11:51am: How can you be rich and serving the Lord when he says to the rich to sell everything and follow him? Rich(wealth) is a thing of this world.To serve the Lord requires worldly emptiness and spiritually fullness because you are supposed to leave your place and everything and move when called! Your possesions when travelling is the words only and nothing more.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Danger Mouse on December 16, 2009 at 10:41am: very intresting indeed.

Mr Isimeli SOvaki... u did mention that money is the main cause of poverty. I dont agree with you on that. Lets go a few years back and think of our forefathers. They dont have money but they were so rich. They have food that last them for years, they have houses build without money and yet they were happy. And you also mention about the LOVE for money, now i agree with you sir. When you put it that way, it makes it more intresting and that is a good point.

On the other hand you did say bout serving GOD as a rich man. The thing i would say is that its not your fault to serve GOD even if you're rich. What i think is that as long as you doing your part, that matters the most. God have different plans for everyone. Maybe the rich guy was a hardworking man who deserves that wealth he earns. We cannot all be a rich mahn, that will make the world so boring. And this kind of people should be a role model to us the poor and the people below the poverty line to work our life out and atleast make an attempt to get ourselves out of poverty.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by PaCiFiCrOsE*__* on December 16, 2009 at 6:37pm: i totally agree with Isimeli
yaaaaaaaaaaay
well written and very well spokennn; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jerry Shaw on December 30, 2009 at 2:52pm: serving GOD and homeless,, with a limited income,, $140:00 a month,, homeless from o7 till today,, 16 years in ministry,,this is the happiest day of my life,,,see my PAGE,,,god bless,,,; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ksDear on December 8, 2009 at 12:24pm: What is Poverty in Fiji
Poverty is a difficult concept to understand and maintain an objective perspective. Poverty in Fiji identifies those households, which cannot afford the basic minimum nutritionally adequate and palatable diet. It also define as that situation in which people are unable to obtain sufficient amounts of food, water, shelter, clothing, education and health care to meet their basic needs.

This poverty line is simply a certain level of income or expenditure below which an individual or family will be deprived of the basic necessities of life for a specified time and period. It is calculated in terms of expenditure for a nutritionally adequate diet plus expenditure for non-food items such rent, clothing, fuel etc.

Overview of Poverty in Fiji
In a recent study in fiji it was found that one quarter of the household’s were classified as poor, but many more were in constant danger of sliding into poverty or destitution because their household income was so small. The study also found that the poor were not a homogenous group –poor people were not necessarily subsistence farmers, the unemployed or the lazy. Most poor households had someone in employment. The basic needs poverty line in Fiji was $83 (gross income) per week at national level.

http://www.unsiap.or.jp/participants_work/cos03_homepages/group1/fi...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Danger Mouse on December 9, 2009 at 12:40am: wow...thnxs... i can see u get some research done out ther..well thanks for that. But the main question we need to ask ourselves now is 'how can we help ourselves and our people out of poverty?'; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Danger Mouse on December 9, 2009 at 1:42am: if our spritual live is on da right mode... things should go just fine... Yeah i think spritual poverty can also lead to poverty in a bigger picture i would say.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jese Sikivou on December 9, 2009 at 1:29am: Dear KS,

You make excellent points, with which I totally agree and if I may I would like to add that there are some objective measurement tools out there we can consider when trying to determine the level of poverty in our midst. Bottom line I agree that the minimum caloric intake has to be one of the key basic indicators.

If we quantify the amount of money required to purchase that minimum daily caloric intake, taking into account age, gender and other demographic factors, do you think that is a fair way to determine the income level, so those that earn below that monetary indicator level, can be classified as living in poverty.

In the late 1990s there was some opposition taken by the Fiji Govt to a UNDP survey because they stated that though some people may fall below the US$1 or 2 a day (can't recall exact figure) they could also and still obtain their minimum daily intake requirement from subsistence farming and fishing

As inDicators, perhaps we can also conisder the number of people sharing the same source of safe drinking water and the distance and availability of that water source, as well as the the number of people sharing sanitaion facilties. We can also take into account the materials of which the dweling is built and the number of people per square footage sharing that dwelling. Execellent picture to illustrate by the way.

In my humble opinion if you take all these factors into consideration you may find more than 25% of our households living in poverty, I have no fugures to quote though, just gut feeling based on personal observation.

Another point I would like to commend to you is that if we surveyed based on gender and age, we may aslo find that more womne and children fall into poverty than adult males. Its always the women that have to fetch the water, clean the house and the toilets, cook the food and eat last. Finally if we add the poverty (lack thereof) of opportunity and choice then we would get a more accurate picture of the leve of poverty in Fiji.

Rant now over, my apologies for sounding off (and the typos), but this is one subject that really gets to me especially because we could fix a lot of it, if we only had the collective political will.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by apple on December 9, 2009 at 6:36pm: BULA GONESISI,
I agree about the topic of POVERTY..Isa now days people suffer from hugry and thirst...Its just a matter of people to help each other in order for good health...TO all the fijians kerekere mada vei vuke vei ira na wekada who needs help...
lols..
god bless; ▶ Reply to This