"The righteous gives, and does not hold back" -Proverbs 21:26

Poverty can be a desperate, emotionally draining state of living. Not knowing how you’ll pay for next month’s rent, or even where the next meal will come from. Just trying to support yourself in this state would be stressful. Could you imagine living like this with a family? Young children? Just children at all?

I’ve been blessed to grow up in a middle class family. Living day to day wasn’t ever much of a struggle. God blessed my father with enough work and loving family to support our family of 8. I knew that poverty was a global problem, even just down the street, but I think I stopped it at that. I’m not sure I ever really thought of the implications it would have on a family. With no extra money for clothing, babies become cold without a coat. Hygiene items are often looked over in place of food. Furniture is costly, and often at the end of the shopping list, so many resort to sleeping on the floor. And the list goes on. But more painful than these things could be in one’s life; because of poverty, many children are taken out of these circumstances and away from their loving family.

The Dream Center’s heart is recognizing needs like this, and reaching out in help, in the name of Christ. We have a specific group here that works solely with the circumstances I’ve talked of. Project Prevention is God’s hand of compassion on the poverty stricken families of Los Angeles. Families that are on the verge of having their children ripped away. We ask what their needs are, and we supply them. From beds to diapers, we help keep the families together. And above this, above all the kind gestures, we are doing what God commanded of us. To love, and to give full-heartedly.

Many often say that this “giving” lies in the worldly category of the humanitarians. That the giving done in Project Prevention would be better replaced by a Gospel track or sermon. Granted, the Gospel should never be short-changed. But giving IS apart of the Gospel! We ought not let the fear of “becoming too giving” define how we act. We act only on the word of God. And he tells us repeatedly to be generous with what we have, giving to those who have less.

Let’s just be honest here, we ALL are persuaded by love. It’s what drives us and catches our attention more than anything. I think it is no coincidence that Jesus cared for the sick and fed the hungry. He made our hearts, he knows what strings to pull!

With this all said, I think we need to tear down the wall, I believe it’s un-Christ-like to take a side on the matter of sharing only food or sharing only Bible verses. The two go hand in hand. God’s word is alive! And should be not only read but acted upon. Acted out. God knows what conveys his nature and draws people to his saving grace, let’s follow in his footsteps.

-Courtnay