Rev wrote:
My role? It involves my being responsible and willing enough to take the time to show people that poverty is a state of mind originating in the human spirit. Because of my own poverty-stricken childhood, I am qualified to speak from experience.

With confidence I can tell people: When I chose to be prosperous, I became prosperous. The most important thing I can do for others is to encourage them to make the same choice.

Rev-- I cannot believe that you wrote this. How can you compare your life in Canada to that of a child born in a tarred paper lean-to on a rubbish tip in the Philippines? You may have come from a poor family but you were born into a country with a splendid reputation for Social Welfare, good education, excellent health care, an appreciation of the law, equality of franchise etc etc. Canada is a country that can stand proud in its treatment if its citizens and you were able to use the drive and intelligence you were born with to advance yourself by using the facilities provided. Had you not done so your Govt, representing the people, would still support you. If you were disabled by accident or disease, or became unemployed you would be helped, and possibly re-trained if that was appropriate.

This situation is NOT the same for most people on this planet. Uncertainty is their everyday experience. If they become ill or unemployed they will need to beg, or die. They should not have to depend on charity. We, as the components of society, have an obligation to help people who have been less fortunate than we are. Somewhere you stated that you were an individual and thus only responsible for yourself. How can this be? Surely we,( ie society), are responsible for ensuring that anyone is able to achieve everything they are capable of, and those that can not need to be looked after too. Of course we need to help them, not because we are good people doing charity but because we are all part of the society in which we live. And each one of us is important.

Both of us live in countries that are quite wealthy enough to ensure their citizens receive free education, have free access to medical care, and financial government support in unemployment, old age, and disability. It's not a matter of luck, it's a matter of planning and intention. In our countries it would be shameful not to do it. Maybe one day everyone on the planet will be as fortunate as us.

(The above is only my own opinion.)