Something to Think About

(This was something given to me in my “International Service Learning”course. I think while yes it is depressing it is something that is now up on my wall to remind of how lucky I am to be on this trip, have the family I do, and live in the home I do. I wanted to share it with as many people as possible. This trip is opening my eyes to so many things and is already having such a large impact on my life. Once again THANKS MOM AND DAD!!! For the experience of a lifetime!)

 

Something to Think About:

 

-If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following.

 

There would be:

57 Asians

21 Europeans

14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south

8 Africans

52 would be female

48 would be male

70 would be non-white

30 would be white

70 would be non-Christian

30 would be Christian

89 would be heterosexual

11 would be homosexual

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth and all 6 would be from the United States

80 would live in substandard housing

70 would be unable to read

50 would suffer from malnutrition

1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth

1 would have a college education

1 would own a computer

 

When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.

 

The following is something to ponder…If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

 

If you have never experiences the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

 

If you can attend a religious meeting of your choice without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. 

 

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace…you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. 

 

If your parents are still alive and married…you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

 

IF you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful…you are lucky because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder.. you are lucky because you can offer healing touch.

 

If you can read this message, you are luckier than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.