Rich Thinking About the World’s Poor

Peter Meadows will be known by many from his involvement with Spring Harvest who are publishers of the book. Peter is now Head of Church Action at World Vision UK. Getting involved with a Relief and Development agency like World Vision, TEAR Fund or Christian Aid can open your eyes to tragic situations amongst the poor of the world. It can also be a learning experience, as it seems to have been for Peter.

Sadly I know that many Christians do not have a clear picture of what life is like amongst the poor and what is the best way to help. This book will help us to be specific in our praying and more sensible in our giving and action to help the poor. Our son has spoken of trousers with waist 52 being sent to Burundi recently! Elaine Storkey of TEAR Fund tells of computers given with good intentions but sitting idle for years! Inappropriate gifts are a waste and show that we don’t really get alongside our brothers and sisters in their need and discover what can best be done.

This book will help us learn some wonderful lessons, have scripture passages brought to life and I hope stimulate prayer and giving to hard working agencies like World Vision. Peter includes stories from his own upbringing as well as stories from the developing world as he helps us face some of the sad facts of life; facts about how so many children suffer in our world, facts about AIDS/HIV, facts about mistakes as well as good practice.

A good habit is ‘if something is worth doing it’s worth doing right.’ Peter helps us see what that means for the millions who are so very poor. There are 12 suggestions about ‘doing it right’ that would be a good guide in many situations. Having spent much of my own ministry in inner city or related areas I can vouch for the good sense for working with the poor in this book. The chapters are short and easily readable but hopefully people will not consider it ‘light weight’. It deserves a wide readership; it could help us be more Christ like as we live preparing ourselves for the glorious setting up of Christ’s Kingdom in all its glory, truth, love and justice.