Eliminating Poverty Begins at Home

Aug 21, 2013 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. Mother Teresa

What a great quote. We are convinced that the cure does start in our homes. Mother Teresa reminds us that poverty takes on many different forms and how often the idea of poverty (financially, hungry, naked, homeless), really stems from true poverty…a lack of love.

We are so committed to the family and the belief if we can “fix” the family needs and “brokenness,” we can help end other forms more commonly called poverty. We believe that parents committed together do make a difference in the lives of their children. We believe that marriages that are strong, healthy, and genuinely loving, are wonderful examples to help children see and learn what marriage is, the love that is possible, and what marriage can be for them. We believe this will help with divorce and separation.

We believe that a dad in the home and being present in the lives of his children has a major impact on the success of his children. Studies for years have proven this. We know the power of a mom involved in the lives of her children pays huge dividends in the development of healthy children making a positive impact in society as adults. Dads, being there, showing love, and genuinely caring for your daughters will help them find love in a healthy way and your sons learn what it means to be a man. Moms, showing a strong, but kind, loving, and respectful attitude toward your sons will empower them to step out and be a man, as well as, develop a healthy understanding of and respect for women.

Mother Teresa’s quote reminds us of our belief that if we can work on the family we can then eliminate the poverty of nakedness, homelessness, and hunger, as well as, sex trafficking, abuse, and abandonment. Why? Because if we can help the family be whole and healthy, we will help eliminate the need for children to run away or be kicked out of their family. If we can lower the divorce rate and genuinely help healthy marriages be role models for their kids, and parents to earnestly establish values and demonstrate a true love for their children, we will abolish the poverty of love. Raising healthy, wholesome, values-committed children and living out wonderful marriages will help eliminate the needs that cause these other issues of poverty to exist.

If Mother Teresa is correct and the greatest poverty is to be unwanted, unloved, and uncared for, then creating healthy, whole families eliminate these. The direct result will positively affect the other symptoms of poverty.

• How are you doing in prioritizing your family?
• What commitment have you made to make sure you are present and committed to your family?
• What are you doing to make sure you and your family are not suffering the true poverty of being unwanted, unloved, or uncared for?
• How are you starting in your home to make a difference?

~Jim Bogear