[JeanLynn81]

This past Sunday our pastor was discussing how charity and justice are related (or rather aren't, I'll explain as I go on). Charity is a word not found often in the Bible, but justice is. Charity he explained, is like sending money to help a good cause like feeding a poor family or sending children to school. Justice is doing something to help them improve their lives. Kind of like " teach a man to fish and he'll never go hungry."

Our pastor and his wife often go on missions to other countries and visit the less fortunate. They recently were in Mexico, visiting a very poor village. It was almost deserted because everyone had left to go to America to make money, because they were starving and had no other choice. There was just no money to be made there. They came across one family still there, making very little money selling crafts, sundresses and other things...taking whatever money they could get. Our church paid for a computer and a digital camera, and on the next trip out there, our pastor gave these items to them, and showed them how to sell their products on E-bay (next Sunday I'm going to ask if he knows what their seller name is). Now they are making more than quadruple the amount of money.

I think Christians need to do more than just send money to a cause. We need to look around, and see how we can improve people's lives-Bring a little justice in this world.

What are some ways you have helped bring justice to someone less fortunate than you?

[babydawn]

The church I belong to (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aka mormons) definately does this. We as members are encouraged to donate money, but what I like so much about their programs is they really are helping people to help themselves. They have a program called the Perpetual Education fund. It offers loans to people in developing countries so that they are able to go to school and get the knowledge to get a good job. It has opened the doors for many. The loan part makes sure that people don't take advantage of the program and that others can take advantage of it down the road. Of course the LDS church humanitarian efforts extend far beyond just the Perpetual Education Fund and it also helps those who are desperately in need of the basic necessities without wanting repayment of any sort.

I was watching another program... Dateline or something, about another charity that was working with the people in Africa. I don't remember which one, but I was impressed because this charity worked on helping this specific town to become self sufficient. Buying seeds and equipment for them to farm, helping to engineer an irrigation system to water the crops. All of this was in the works when I watched it, and I don't know how well it turned out, but the concept makes a lot of sense.

[Tsunshine]

I think charity and justice are actually related. Because charity to me is love and if you don't have love for someone then you aren't going to try and help them. So charity is needed in order to provide justice to others, because it still takes love and money when you actively help someone instead of passively send money and letting someone else do the work.

[mcmama]

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
1 Cor 13:13.

Love is sometimes translated as "charity". And yes, targeting a need and using your resources to make a difference is much better than throwing money around to feel good.

I like the idea behind http://www.equalexchange.com/

A church coffee hour can accomplish the social contact we all need, and support local farmers in countries where justice does not always prevail. Some Lutheran congregations I know of serve this coffee and sell it at their coffee hour.

My son and I will return for a second year to a mission in Appalachia where we work to restore houses - not build them - to help keep people safe warm and dry. We know what it is like to need to restore a home, since we survived a house fire when he was little.

I think when you have received charity and benefitted, it becomes really important to pay it forward.

[JeanLynn81]

Originally Posted by Janet

I like the idea behind http://www.equalexchange.com/

I like that too! What a great plan!

And how great that you have helped rehab houses. How did you get into/find out about that?

I'm interested also, in knowing about things people do that bring justice everyday. For example, I taught my brother to drive when he was 16, helped him with homework (yes helping children with homework is a great example-this really sheds some good light on homeschoolers ). We had a great program here a few years back called Operation Brightside, that got locals into cleaning up their neighborhoods and planting flowers. The flaw in that program however, was not teaching them how to maintain it! I also like the Big Brother/Big Sister program. I had a Big Sister when I was a child, and got out of it a great friend who has taught me so many things. Someday if I have the time, I will try to "pay it forward" and do the same for another little girl. What local programs do you have that help out your community? Have you joined or thought about joining them?

I love hearing about churches helping out. Ours does the mission work, but us who don't go help out by holding food drives, and we have a program that helps prepare people for jobs. As well as all we do to help fellow members!