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DAY OF POVERTY 2018

Ideas and SuggestionsGeneral Baptist International Ministries

Day of Poverty 2018

Emphasis: General Baptist Bible College Philippines

Special Offering: GBBC Campus Expansion Program

Ideas and Suggestions Guide

General Baptist International Ministries

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DAY OF POVERTY 2018 1

GENERAL BAPTIST DAY OF POVERTY 4

POVERTY AROUND THE WORLD 4THE CHALLENGE 4

A BIBLICAL ANSWER TO POVERTY: GOD ’S PEOPLE AND THE MARKETPLACE 6

GENERAL BAPTISTS AND WORLD POVERTY 9

SIMPLE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED 11

AWARENESS ACTIVITIES 11HUNGRY DECISIONS EXERCISE 11ACTIVITY: THE PAPER BAG GAME 11FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS JAR 11STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 12LEAD YOUR GROUP TO SPONSOR A CHILD 12LOCAL FOOD PANTRY/FOOD BANK/SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVES 12PARTICIPATE IN A MISSION ONE TEAM OR LAUNCH INTERNSHIP 12CHURCH INVOLVEMENT 12144 ENVELOPES: 12CHURCH PUNCH CARD 12KEEP THE CHANGE 13

13

ACTIVITY: THE STACK OF THE DECK 14

MATERIALS NEEDED: 14ILLUSTRATION INSTRUCTIONS: 14ENVIRONMENT 14

14EDUCATION 14

14NUTRITION 15

100 Stinson Drive • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 • (573) 785-7746 • www.gbimissions.com 2

15PARENTING 15

15COLLEGE 15

15DISCRIMINATION 16

16SAMPLE MEDIAN SALARIES 17HOW EASY (OR DIFFICULT) WILL IT BE FOR PERSON 1 OR PERSON 2 TO SURVIVE? 18

ACTIVITY: THE PAPER BAG GAME 19

PURPOSE 19MATERIALS NEEDED 19TIME 19HOW TO RUN THE ACTIVITY 19DISCUSSION 20NOTES FOR THOSE RUNNING THE ACTIVITY 20SHOPKEEPER ANNOUNCEMENTS 20HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BAG 22

HUNGER FEST INSTRUCTIONS – POCKET GUIDE 23


GENERAL BAPTIST DAY OF POVERTY

POVERTY AROUND THE WORLD

Welcome to Day of Poverty, a chance for General Baptists young people to tackle the advancement of the Gospel of Christ through social change! The clear teaching of scripture is for Christ followers to faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Christ. The example of Christ is that often the proclamation was accompanied by works of compassion. As General Baptists we are firmly committed to the proclamation of the Gospel but the focused of our Day of Poverty is also to understand the social climate in which that proclamation is often made. After you've browsed the 11 facts (with sources at the end)1 we hope you will take THE CHALLENGE.

1. Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day.

2. 1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. Sponsor a child or student through GBIM to help eliminate poverty “one child/family at a time.”

3. 805 million people worldwide do not have enough food to eat. Food banks are especially important in providing food for people that can’t afford it themselves. Run a food drive outside your local grocery store so people in your community have enough to eat.

4. More than 750 million people lack adequate access to clean drinking water. Diarrhea caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene kills an estimated 842,000 people every year globally, or approximately 2,300 people per day. Contribute to the GBIM fresh water fund to help communities receive clean drinking water.

5. In 2011, 165 million children under the age 5 were stunted (reduced rate of growth and development) due to chronic malnutrition. Give to GBIM health care ministries involved in teach proper nutrition to expecting and new mothers.

6. Preventable diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia take the lives of 2 million children a year who are too poor to afford proper treatment. Become involved in a Mission One medical team to help impact medical needs where we serve.

7. As of 2013, 21.8 million children under 1 year of age worldwide had not received the three recommended doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

8. 1/4 of all humans live without electricity — approximately 1.6 billion people.9. 80% of the world population lives on less than $10 a day.10. Oxfam estimates that it would take $60 billion annually to end extreme global poverty--that's less than

1/4 the income of the top 100 richest billionaires.11. The World Food Program says, “The poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty.” Hunger is

the number one cause of death in the world, killing more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

THE CHALLENGE

Our challenge is for your group is to host a Day of Poverty for your church/community. The goals are simple:

1. Understand the mandate of the Gospel is to proclaim Jesus Christ. But also realize the example of Christ in feeding those who are hungry, healing those who are sick, meeting needs as they are found.

1 https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-global-poverty


2. Create poverty awareness beginning with your community and then focusing on GBIM’s response to poverty around the world.

3. Respond to poverty in several ways:a. Do something for your local food pantry, food bank, school backpack program, etc.b. Involve your group/school/community in child or student sponsorship. Our programs at this

time focus on Honduras, India, Saipan and the Philippines.4. Present the LAUNCH fundraising challenge.

This packet is full of ideas that will help your group have a successful “day of poverty.” We can make a difference “one child/family at a time!” The “Day of Poverty” is part of the GBIM “LAUNCH: Launching Children and Youth into Missions Awareness and Involvement” program designed specifically for General Baptist children and youth.

LAUNCH has certain specific goals. 1. Create missions’ awareness among General Baptist Children and Youth focused on their local community as well as our various mission fields. 2. Engage General Baptist children and youth in missions’ involvement – again the focus is on community and international ministries. 3. Create short term opportunity for General Baptist youth and young adults to engage in mission teams and internships. 4. Allow the Spirit of God to move, through moments of awareness and involvement, and to call from among us those who would GO both short and long term.

We have partnered with the National Youth Conference GBNYC and ask all GBNYC participating youth groups to bring your special offering to GBNYC for a time of harvest. One gift worth $1000 off a Mission One trip will be awarded to the group with the largest special offering. The $1000 gift can be awarded to (or divided among) anyone planning to participate in a Mission One (M1) team during the latter part of 2018 or anytime in 2019. With GBNYC as the special offering target date, we suggest your group host its Day of Poverty in April or May.

If your group hosts a Day of Poverty but does not participate in GBNYC we ask you to send your special gift to GBIM, LAUNCH Offering, 100 Stinson Drive, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901.

Mark Powell, DirectorGeneral Baptist International [email protected] cell: 573.300.5345

Sources United Nations Development Programme. "Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience." Human

Development Report, 2014. Web Accessed February 25, 2015. United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). "UNICEF: Committing to Child Survival: A promise renewed."

UNICEF, 2014. Web Accessed February 25, 2015. FAO, IFAD and WFP. "The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2014. Strengthening the enabling environment for food security and

nutrition." Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, 2014. Web Accessed February 25, 2015. World Health Organization and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). "Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation, 2014 Update."

2014. Web Accessed February 25, 2015. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). "IMPROVING CHILD NUTRITION: The achievable imperative for global progress." United Nations

Children’s Fund. 2013. Web Accessed February 25, 2015. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) . "Pneumonia and diarrhoea Tackling the deadliest diseases for the world’s poorest children."

Web accessed February 25, 2014, UNICEF and WHO. "Immunization Summary: A statistical reference containing data through 2013." 10 November 2014. Web Accessed 25

February 2015. United Nations. "The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007." United Nations, 2007. Web Accessed April 29, 2014. Ravallion, Martin, Shaohua Chen, and Prem Sangraula. Dollar a Day Revisited. Working paper no. 4620. The World Bank, May 2008. Web

Accessed February 25, 2014. Oxfam. "The cost of inequality: how wealth and income extremes hurt us all." Oxfam, 2013. Web Accessed May 6, 2014. World Food Programme. "What causes hunger?" Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide, 2010. Web Accessed February 22, 2014. UNAIDS. "Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic." UNAIDS, 2010. Web Accessed May 1, 2015.


https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-global-poverty

mailto:[email protected]

OCT 15, 2015

THINKERS

A BIBLICAL ANSWER TO POVERTY: GOD’S PEOPLE AND THE MARKETPLACE2

How should Christians respond to poverty? Helpful thoughts from Dr. Anne Bradley. |

Ed Stetzer

Today's Thursday is for Thinkers post comes from Dr. Anne Bradley. Anne Bradley, Ph.D. is the co-editor, together with Art Lindsley, Ph.D., of For the Least of These: A Biblical Response to Poverty (Zondervan, 2015). Anne serves as vice president of economic initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, an educational organization that helps Christians find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society.

She writes an important post on how Christians can biblically respond to poverty. I hope you are encouraged and motivated to action.

We live in the richest time in human history. We are eradicating poverty at faster rates than any economist would have predicted 30 years ago. Global poverty rates have been halved since 1990 and are on pace to be halved

2 http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/october/biblical-answer-to-poverty-gods-people-and-marketplace.html


http://www.amazon.com/Least-These-Biblical-Answer-Poverty/dp/0310522994/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

http://www.amazon.com/Least-These-Biblical-Answer-Poverty/dp/0310522994/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

http://www.tifwe.org/

http://www.tifwe.org/

http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/thinkers/

again! This has been made possible by embracing the biblical principles of freedom and flourishing that encourage and reward our God-given creativity and talents.

Even with these monumental strides, we still have a lot of work to do. People around the world lack necessities of clean water, food, and shelter. As we seek to help the most vulnerable, we must first go to scripture to understand what to do and how to do it. The Bible gives us everything we need. Biblical principles create more flourishing for more people while simultaneously helping individuals experience personal fulfillment. The best way we can help the poor is by doing our job well. When we live into who God created us to be, we experience joy, reinforce dignity, and serve other people.

Income inequality is hotly debated in the first world. This discussion forces Christians to wrestle with it. Unfortunately, it pits the rich against the poor. In some cases, it’s true – the rich benefit at the expense and exploitation of the poor. However, coupling sound economic thinking with the metanarrative of scripture points us to the proper biblical perspective of income inequality.

God created us in his image. He created something out of nothing. As sub-creators living on his earth, we can create something out of something. God created us equally, but not the same. If we were all the same with the same talents and skills, there would be no cause for trade and we would all suffer.

Instead, we are uniquely gifted with different strengths. Unique gifting results in some income inequality, but it’s not inherently a bad thing. Instead, it’s God’s created order. When people can freely choose who they want to be and pursue what God has called them to do, there is flourishing. We have to help the vulnerable by helping them be who God created them to be. The question is, how do we do that?

The gospel is the only tool that has the power to transform heart, mind, and soul. Caring about the poor is not only about adding to their income. It certainly is about money, but it is about so much more. When we engage in efforts to help the vulnerable, the gospel has to be at the heart of our efforts.

At the core of poverty alleviation is igniting God-given dignity into the hearts of the poor by empowering them to be who God created them to be. In that, there is abundant joy. Our efforts can’t just be monetary. Poverty alleviation is all about relationships. Jesus loved and cared for the poor, and he calls us to model his example. If someone has an immediate need and we can help them, we should. However, that’s only the first step. While addressing immediate, dire needs, we must maintain the long-term vision of flourishing and self-sustenance. We need to help turn survival into thriving.

100 Stinson Drive • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 • (573) 785-7746 • www.gbimissions.com

We are eradicating poverty at faster rates than any economist would have predicted 30 years ago.

7

Here are some practical takeaways:

Poverty alleviation is the church’s responsibility. It is the job of the church, the body of Christ, to care passionately and genuinely for the poor. The church must step up to their responsibility and be the first line of offense in addressing poverty.

When we do what God has created us to do, we help others. The impact of our work extends to God’s kingdom in ways we will never understand. Embrace volunteer opportunities. Serve your church. Work hard at your job every day. Love your family, friends, and neighbors well.

The fight to end poverty starts in your community. It starts with building long-term relationships, getting your hands dirty, and addressing real needs.


GENERAL BAPTISTS AND WORLD POVERTYGeneral Baptists currently minister in Asia, the Pacific, North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The United Nations maintains a list of nations called the Human Development Index. It lists counties as “very high human development,” “high human development,” “medium human development,” and “low human development.”

The poverty threshold, poverty limit or poverty line is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. In practice, like the definition of poverty, the official or common understanding of the poverty line is significantly higher in developed countries (with HDI of under than 0.700 score) than in developing countries. In October 2015, the World Bank updated the international poverty line to US$1.90 a day. Most scholars agree that it better reflects today's reality, particularly new price levels in developing countries.3

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is an international measure of acute poverty covering over 100 developing countries. It complements traditional income-based poverty measures by capturing the severe deprivations that each person faces at the same time with respect to education, health and living standards. The MPI assesses poverty at the individual level. If someone is deprived in a third or more of ten (weighted) indicators, the global index identifies them as ‘MPI poor’, and the extent – or intensity – of their poverty is measured by the number of deprivations they are experiencing. The MPI can be used to create a comprehensive picture of people living in poverty, and permits comparisons both across countries, regions and the world and within countries by ethnic group, urban/rural location, as well as other key household and community characteristics. These characteristic make the MPI useful as an analytical tool to identify the most vulnerable people - the poorest among the poor, revealing poverty patterns within countries and over time, enabling policy makers to target resources and design policies more effectively.4

This is how General Baptist countries rank:

Country HDI Ranking5 Population below poverty line

MPI Percentage6

USA 8 (Very High) 15.1%

Mexico 74 (High) 46%7 2.8%

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_threshold 4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multidimensional_Poverty_Index 5 http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI {HDI=Human Development Index, United Nations]6 http://www.ophi.org.uk/multidimensional-poverty-index/mpi-2015/mpi-data/ [MPI = Multidimensional Poverty Index, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative07 http://www.ibtimes.com/mexicos-economy-rising-poverty-inequality-undermine-pena-nietos-economic-agenda-2080010


http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multidimensional_Poverty_Index

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_threshold

Jamaica 99 (High) 19.9%8 39.4%

Philippines 115 (Medium) 26.3%9 47.3%

Honduras 131 (Medium) 60%10 45.7%

India 130 (Medium) 29.8%11 53.7%

Niger 188 (Low – last on list)

63% 89.3% (last on list)

8 http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Jamaica-records-increase-in-poverty_180317239 http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-is-still-poor-philippine-daily-inquirer10 http://borgenproject.org/poverty-honduras-taking-extreme-toll/11 http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/asia/india-poor-census-secc/


SIMPLE WAYS TO GET INVOLVEDHere are five simple and fun ways to teach your group about different cultures and what its like to live in poverty. Some of these activities are labeled as “ongoing” meaning that there is an ongoing responsibility or commitment and would be excellent pre-Day of Poverty activities to help create excitement for your Day of Poverty and develop ongoing awareness as well. Others are listed “Day of Poverty” meaning that they would be an excellent activity for your groups Day of Poverty.

Remember we have two distinct but related involvement goals for General Baptist Day of Poverty.

1. Engage in learning about General Baptist mission fields.2. Support through special offerings.

Your LAUNCH special offering can also be sent to GBIM, ATTN: Launch Offering, 100 Stinson Drive, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 or you can bring it to National Youth Conference.

AWARENESS ACTIVITIES HUNGRY DECISIONS EXERCISEAnother interactive activity that can be done with a group or at home, is the Hungry Decisions exercise. This is a “choose your own adventure” simulation of the challenges faced by the most vulnerable people around the world. It requires critical thinking skills and is a simple way to introduce the complex issues of poverty to children. (Day of Poverty)

This is an example of an educational activity that uses three volunteers and a series of guided exchanges of playing cards to illustrate how a person's background, experiences, and choices can impact his or her opportunities and economic status.

ACTIVITY: THE PAPER BAG GAMETo learn about how current global economic systems in some areas of the world are pressuring children and families to work long hard days for very little money, forcing families around the world, living and working in incredibly poor conditions, to resort to child labor, prostitution and dangerous jobs.

FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS JARWhile this might be for more advanced grade-levels, the First World problems jar is a way for students to begin acknowledging the privileges and blessings that they may take for granted. It is a great thing to do in both the classroom and at home! Set a jar out that is clearly marked (something like “First World Problems Jar” will do) and make it clear for all the students that this is money that will be donated to a person in need. Then, make sure you watch this video and this video to begin thinking what might be considered a “first world problem.” Then, anytime someone complains about something that could only be considered a “first world problem,” ask them to contribute something to the jar (maybe $1, or even just a quarter). It won’t take long before students stop complaining that the cafeteria ran out of chocolate milk! (Day of Poverty, ongoing, Special Gift)


STUDENT INVOLVEMENT LEAD YOUR GROUP TO SPONSOR A CHILDOne of the best ways a teacher or parent can begin a conversation with a child about poverty around the world, is by sponsoring a child. Ask the students to bring in $1 a month in order to participate. Then begin corresponding with the child in different meaningful ways. Allow students to ask questions about how the sponsored child plays with their friends, or what they are learning in school, or what they want to be when they grow up. Sponsoring a child is the ultimate pen-pal relationship for a student, and it can be done in the classroom, or at home. (Ongoing/Sponsorship)

LOCAL FOOD PANTRY/FOOD BANK/SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVESIt’s always important to keep lessons like these in perspective. Therefore, including an activity or exercise that your children can relate to is helpful. A simple way this can be done is by conducting school supplies or canned food drives. For every item of school supplies they may buy, ask if they (and their parents) might consider buying additional supplies for local children who can’t afford it. This allows the students to begin thinking about the blessings they have, while also providing them an immediate outlet for compassion and generosity.

Teaching a child about the needs of the most vulnerable is an education that will go beyond their Sunday School or youth group experience. If we want our children to grow up with hearts of generosity, lead lives of compassion, and to seek justice, these are simple activities that will begin to shape a healthy perspective of how we can all work together to care for the poor. (Day of Poverty)

PARTICIPATE IN A MISSION ONE TEAM OR LAUNCH INTERNSHIPGeneral Baptist International Ministries actively encourages young people 16 (with parental permission) and above to participate in short term mission trips with our Mission One program. As part of this LAUNCH program we also have active, ongoing opportunities for young adults 18 and over to serve as an intern on one of our mission fields.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT 144 ENVELOPES:Put 144 envelopes in the lobby or back of the church, numbered from 1–144 with $ in front. (So $1, $2, etc.) Ask church members to make a donation with that amount of money in it. If every envelope gets filled, it = $10,440. This is a simple way to involve the whole church in your Poverty Day project. Other numbered envelope amounts would be: 1-100 numbered envelopes =$5050.00; 1-75 numbered envelopes=$2850; 1-50 numbered envelopes=$1275.00; 1-200 numbered envelopes=$20,100.00,

OPTION 1: Even numbers only. Examples, even numbered envelopes only 2-200 = $10,100.00; 2-100 = $2550.00; 2-50 = $650.00.

OPTION 2: Odd numbers only. Examples, odd numbered envelopes only 1-199=$10,000.00; 1-99 = $2500.00.

CHURCH PUNCH CARDRelated to the above idea as an alternative or as a visual extension of the envelop system. This is a great fundraiser because it doesn’t require a lot of volunteers to run! Create a giant grid with dollar amounts ranging from $1 to $100 in each square (See below). Ask for church members to donate certain amounts and cross them off as they are donated. The idea is to get one donation for each dollar amount.


This idea will allow almost everyone to get involved, as there is probably an affordable amount for everyone! Kids can even help out with some of the smaller amounts. If each square is donated, then you will have raised over $5,000.00!! Your youth group’s biggest role in this one is to generate enthusiasm in your church body!

KEEP THE CHANGESpare change is a small thing that adds up quick! Many people are willing to let their loose change go, so ask local businesses if you can set a jar or can to collect customers’ loose change. Be ready to explain the trip that your youth group is raising for! Make sure that you follow up with the cans after you’ve placed them. It becomes a nuisance to store owners if the cans are not constantly collected and kept presentable. The appearance of your cans will reflect upon your church, so be sure they are not an eyesore. Have contact information on the can so that people can find out more about what the youth group is doing. A few cans of change can go a long way!

You can also ask the families of your congregation to set up jars or cans in their homes and collect their loose change for a certain period of time. This allows parents and children to get involved in helping the youth group. Encourage the teens in your youth group to set up a jar for themselves! They may be surprised how much they can donate.


ACTIVITY: THE STACK OF THE DECKAn Illustration Of The Root Causes Of Poverty

This is an example of an educational activity that uses three volunteers and a series of guided exchanges of playing cards to illustrate how a person's background, experiences, and choices can impact his or her opportunities and economic status. This version is adapted for large youth groups.

MATERIALS NEEDED: 3 decks of cards dry erase board or flip chart dry erase or flip chart markers copy of this page

ILLUSTRATION INSTRUCTIONS:Choose three volunteers from the group and invite two of them to stand at the front of the room facing the group. The third volunteer should sit between them with a calculator that you have provided to him or her. The third version is the "Banker." Ask the other volunteers their names. Give each of them a deck of cards. Give the third deck of cards to the banker. [Note: You may want to pre-sort the cards in each deck so that they are in order, beginning with 2s and ending with Aces.]

Leader: What is contained in each person's deck represents his or her earning potential, which is affected by his or her background, experiences, choices, and opportunities in life.

One of our volunteers [Person 1 in the text below] has been born into a low-income, working class family in a poor neighborhood. The other volunteer has been born into an affluent, white-collar family in a nice, suburban neighborhood.

We will now accompany our two volunteers as they go through life, with various factors that affect them symbolized by exchanges of playing cards from each of their decks.

ENVIRONMENT

Person 1

You live in a dangerous environment. Your neighborhood is plagued by gang violence and your parents are afraid to let you play outside. You don't get much exercise and as a child, you develop some risk factors for obesity. Since physical activity, health, and exercise stimulate mental activity, please give the Bank your Aces and you will get back sevens.

Person 2

You live in a safe environment with clean air and safe playgrounds. From an early age, you join Little League baseball or softball and get a lot of fresh air just running around outside the house. Since physical activity, health, and exercise stimulate mental activity, please give the Bank your twos and the Bank will give you nines for them.

EDUCATION


Person 1

Children who live in poverty are less likely to attend preschool, less likely to read at home and learn basic skills, and they often enter the educational system behind other students. Also, you live in a poor urban area where the schools are bad. When you start school, there will be large class sizes and students have to share text books. Give the Bank the Kings from your deck and the Bank will give you back sixes

Person 2

You started pre-school at the age of three and you picked up numbers and the alphabet really fast. Your parents also practiced with you at home. You enter grade school one step ahead. You live in a wealthy suburb and the schools are well-funded through taxes. You'll have everything you need. Please trade in your threes and the Bank will give you tens.

NUTRITION

Person 1

Your family struggles to get by on a minimum wage income and is on and off of food stamps. However, food stamps don't always last until the end of the month and you sometimes are forced to come to school without breakfast. It is difficult to concentrate on school when you are hungry. Please give the Bank your Queens and the Bank will give you fives for them.

Person 2

You always have three meals a day, usually with nutritious snacks in between, and you always know where the next meal will come from. Please give the Bank your 4 fours and the Bank will give you 4 Jacks.

PARENTING

Person 1

Your parents become separated and your dad disappears from the scene for a while. During this time, finances are really difficult. Child support is required by law, but your mom isn't sure how to navigate the system to try to force your dad to pay it. Besides, you aren't even sure where dad is living. Since on average, women's earnings tend to lag behind men, and almost 43 percent of single mothers live below the poverty line, please give the Bank your Jacks and the Bank will give you fours

Person 2

You have a happy family, but even if your parents were to separate, there's never a question as to whether you will always have access to financial resources from both of them. Give the Bank your fives and the Bank will give you Queens.

COLLEGE

Person 1

You want to go to college, and there is some financial aid

Person 2

It has always been assumed that you will go to college,


offered for low-income students. But even with that, college is really, really expensive. Besides, even though your dad is now back, mom got laid off from her cleaning job. You decide to go full-time at the job you had through high school, a fast food joint, and to put off college for now. Please give the Bank your tens and you'll get back twos.

as will almost everyone in your high school. You take a SAT-prep course and are enrolled in AP classes in the hopes of starting off with some extra credits. Deciding where to go to college is a tough decision; you apply to your favorite places, get in to some of them, make college visits, and finally, you choose one that feels like the best fit for you. Please give the Bank your sixes and the Bank will give you Queens.

DISCRIMINATION

Person 1

We haven't mentioned your race yet. It turns out that some minority groups are twice as likely to live in poverty as Caucasians. Part of the reason for this is that poverty is cyclical and passed down through generations. But segregation, discrimination and other racial injustices also play a role. In your case, you happen to be African American. There was a promotion you were hoping for at the fast food joint. But you didn't get it. You suspect that race might have something to do with it—you've overheard one of the managers say some racist things, but they've never been directed at you and you're not sure you could prove anything. You lose two nines for your race and the other two because you didn't get the promotion. The Bank will give you back threes.

Person 2

You were born to a Caucasian family. You can't deny that your race has allowed you many privileges. Give the Bank your sevens and you'll get back Aces.

Leader: Let's see how our two volunteers are doing. (To audience) How do you think the first person's deck is doing? The second person's deck?

Statistics tell us that our first volunteer, who hasn't gone to college, is likely to make $20,000 a year less than his or her counterpart who has finished college.

We're going to see what effect each person's background, experiences, choices, and opportunities in life had on the earning potential of each of the volunteers.

(To Persons 1 and 2) Please shuffle your decks.

Now, take the top four cards from the deck and show us what they are.

Let's add up the numbers on the cards to see what your earning potential is. Number cards 2 through 10 are worth those numbers. Jack is worth 10, Queen is worth 15, King is worth 20, and the Ace is worth 25. After each person


adds their four cards, add three "0"s to the end. For example, if Person 1 draws a 2, a 5, a 6, and a Jack, then his or her earning potential will be $23,000. (Note: based on the cards left in Person 1's deck, his or her four cards will add up to anywhere between $8,000 and $36,000. Person 2's cards will add up to anywhere between $36,000 and $100,000.)

Draw the "How Easy (or Difficult) Will it be for Person 1 or Person 2 to Survive?" table below on the dry erase board or flip chart. You could also re-create it on a PowerPoint slide and project it instead.

Fill in Deck 1 annual earnings and Deck 2 annual earnings on line one of the table below.

Explain that there is some flexibility in these numbers and that this calculus can change due to the choices that a person makes as an individual. Deciding to stay in school is a personal choice that can affect a person's future.

However, it should be clear that the "deck is stacked against" Person 1 and in favor of Person 2, based on many factors he or she cannot control.

We sometimes hear about "rags-to-riches" stories where a person escapes from dire poverty to become the CEO of a company, but we should recognize that these cases are too rare. For many people, the factors we described related to poverty really can impact a person's opportunities. How much is this person earning per month? (Divide the salary by 12). Write this number on the second

line of the table. How much is this person making per hour? Divide the salary by 52 weeks/year. Then divide again by 40

hrs/wk. This will tell you how much the person is earning per hour. What type of job might this person have? (Use the chart at the end of this resource for some examples of

jobs that earn different amounts.) Is Person 1 making more or less than a minimum wage job? (Federal minimum wage is currently $7.25/hr.

Have students multiply $7.25 by 40 hrs/wk x 52 wks/year. A minimum wage job pays $15,080/yr.) What might cause a person to learn less than minimum wage? (Maybe he or she is only working part

time or temporarily, or perhaps he or she is undocumented.) How does Person 1's earnings compare with the federal poverty line?

Now ask some questions about Person 2's salary:

What is his or her annual income? What type of job might he or she work at? How much does he or she earn per month? How much per hour?

SAMPLE MEDIAN SALARIES

$18,000-$21,000: Cashier, Waiter/waitress, Home care nurses, Parking lots attendants, Maids, Child Care Workers

$22,000-$25,000: Ambulance drivers, Janitors, Taxi Drivers, Telemarketers, Retail, Receptionists, Security Guards

$28,000-$35,000: Bus driver, Butcher, Truck driver, Office administrative support, Dental assistant, Highway maintenance, reporter

$38,000-$45,000: Flight attendants, health technicians, social worker, graphic designer $53,000-$60,000: Elementary school teacher, School counselor, real estate agent, librarian, editor, public

relations


$63,000-$73,000: Registered nurse, accountant, occupational therapist, post-secondary teacher, computer programmer

$82,000-$92,000: Electrical engineer, scientist, veterinarian, economist, manager $100,000+: Pharmacist, Upper management, Airline pilot, corporate lawyer Source: United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics," May 2011 Occupational Employment

and Wage Estimates: National Cross-Industry Estimates, "http://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_dl.htm. . .

HOW EASY (OR DIFFICULT) WILL IT BE FOR PERSON 1 OR PERSON 2 TO SURVIVE?

Explain that we are going to see how far the annual earnings of Person 1 and Person 2 go – to see if they can survive on their earnings.

Mention the below expenses and ask the volunteers to subtract these amounts from the monthly income for Person filling in the balance left over at the end of the month for each person.

Deck 1 Deck 2

Annual earnings $ $

Monthly paycheck $ $

Housing -$565 -$565

Food -$356 -$356

Utilities -$250 -$250

Childcare -$220 -$220

Used car -$345 -$345

Health care -$220 -$220

How much is left?

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditures Survey, 2011; USDA: Expenditures on Children by Families, 2011.

You can also subtract additional potential costs not mentioned in the above list: Field trip - $25 Cleaning supplies - $10 Toiletries - $20 Haircuts - $48 Vacation Recreation - $50 Birthday gifts - $50 New pair of shoes and a coat - $150 Doctor's office co-pay - $15 Prescription medicine - $20 Fix heater - $300


ACTIVITY: THE PAPER BAG GAME12

A quarter of the world’s population live in severe poverty. Many work long hours in poor conditions just to earn enough to stay alive, often surviving on less than $2.50 per day. With this money they have to pay for everything – food, clothes, somewhere to live, school and medicines when they get sick. Many workers have no employer or regular wage. Instead they work as street vendors: shining shoes, selling newspapers or recycling waste materials. In the Indian city of Hyderabad, some people earn a living making paper bags out of recycled waste paper – such as old newspapers – and selling them to shopkeepers. The object of the Paper Bag Game is to show how people work so hard, yet earn so little. Using real cost-of-living prices and wages, players can get an idea of how they would manage if they had to survive making and selling paper bags.

PURPOSE To learn about how current global economic systems in some areas of the world are pressuring children and families to work long hard days for very little money, forcing families around the world, living and working in incredibly poor conditions, to resort to child labor, prostitution and dangerous jobs.

MATERIALS NEEDED Glue, Newspapers, announcement list, ‘How to make a paper bag’ cards, Family shopping lists, a calculator.

TIME 40 minutes

Suggested Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2-XIOTUI9o

HOW TO RUN THE ACTIVITY Explain that each group represents a family living in a crowded and poor shantytown in Hyderabad. There is a huge demand for paper bags, which are mainly made by women and children from the poorest families. Some bag makers buy their paper from warehouses, which are called go-downs. Others collect it free from local households. Boiling water and flour, and adding an anti-fungal chemical makes the glue.

In real life, paper bags are sold in batches of 22, called gistas. On average, one child makes 200 bags a day, earning up to 1.5 rupees per gista – that’s 13 rupees (less than 18 pence) a day. For the purposes of this game, the figure has been rounded up to one rupee per batch of ten bags – meaning that however poor the players feel at the end of the game, the real-life situation for the bag makers is even worse.

Tell the groups that they have to survive for a day by making and selling as many paper bags as possible. They have 30 minutes. Show the groups how to make a bag using a sample bag so everyone can see, then ask them to start making bags. Each time a batch of ten bags is ready, a group member should take them to the shopkeeper (you) to

12 http://learn.christianaid.org.uk/Images/paper_bag_game_introduction_tcm16-28878.pdf; http://www.hertfordshirescouts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Paper-Bag-Game.pdf


http://www.hertfordshirescouts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Paper-Bag-Game.pdf

http://www.hertfordshirescouts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Paper-Bag-Game.pdf

http://learn.christianaid.org.uk/Images/paper_bag_game_introduction_tcm16-28878.pdf

sell, while the others continue making bags for the next batch. The shopkeeper checks that each bag is properly made, and makes a note of how much the group has made.

Read out the announcements randomly – they change the conditions each group is working under. Each group keeps its own checked bags. With younger children it is easier if the shopkeeper keeps the bags and notes down how many each group produces. Note how the groups organize themselves. Some will operate a production line with each member specializing in one task; in other groups individuals will make their own.

When they have finished making bags, don’t let them wash their hands straight away. Point out that many bag makers don’t have the luxury of soap and running water.

DISCUSSION Look at the family shopping list, what they would buy first with their money and why? What are the priorities? What can’t they afford? Who did survive? Who didn’t survive? What would it feel like to make paper bags all day every day? Did any groups join together? Why? Did it mean you could make more bags? Why are the shopkeepers so powerful? Why do prices rise and fall?

NOTES FOR THOSE RUNNING THE ACTIVITY Try to recycle all the paper used in this activity.

SHOPKEEPER ANNOUNCEMENTS

There are too many bags in stock and the demand is lower. Families now have to make 15 bags for 1 rupee instead of 10

There is a shortage of bags in stock and the demand is higher. Families will now be paid 2 rupees for 10 bags instead of 1 rupee

The size of the bag wanted has changed. All bags have to now be half the size. Work out how to make them.

The size of the bags wanted has changed. All bags have to now be tall and narrow. Work out how to make them.

A fire has destroyed the shopkeepers current stock of paper bags. The first family to provide the next batch of bags will be paid double.

Two of the families (you decide) live in a part of the city that has flooded. They must wait 3 minutes for the floodwaters to subside before making any more bags.

There has been a cholera outbreak. Two members of each family have fallen ill and cannot make paper bags for 5 minutes.


Patel Kumar Maneesh Bhanjee Ghanesh SinghBags Rupees Bags Rupees Bags Rupees Bags Rupees Bags Rupees Bags Rupees


HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BAG

1. Fold the sides ofthe paper to the middle,overlapping by about 2cm.

2. Paste one edge. Stick down the overlapping edge.

3. Turn up the bottom edge about one-third of the way up the bag. Crease it then unfold it

4. Fold up the bottom corners to the crease. Unfold them.

5. Tuck the corners up inside the tube.

6. You now have a tube with two flaps, A and B.

7. Fold the upper flap A down on itself to the middle line.

8. Paste the shaded edge of flap B very carefully.

9. Fold it over flap A and stick it down.

Note: If you want to strengthen the bag, stick a strip of paper across the bottom


HUNGER FEST INSTRUCTIONS – POCKET GUIDEThe Hunger Fest can be very effective with groups of adults or children to simulate the imbalanced distribution of food in our world. Participants represent various countries around the globe and receive a meal that corresponds to that country’s economic status. The Hunger Fest is an opportunity for your community to actively express solidarity with the poor around the world. Below are the instructions to carry out this activity in your parish or school, and we hope you will adapt it as necessary to meet your needs. Please see our Hunger Fest Guide for further information

What you need

• Volunteers to prepare and serve food• Tables and chairs• China dishes, glassware, silverware, linen napkins• Paper plates, plastic cups, plastic utensils, paper

napkins

• Small paper or plastic bowls• White paper, scissors• Name tags in three colors• Markers, pencils, and pens

Preparation

• Food and Table Settings (see chart below).• Have volunteers prepare the food for the Fest.• Include at least one meat dish, vegetables, potatoes, breads, desserts and a variety of drinks for the people assigned to the

Developed World – (Levels 1 and 2, see below) and rice and water for the people assigned to the Developing World.• Prepare table settings as indicated on the chart below.

Dividing the Participants

• Each participant will represent a country from the Developed World-Level One, the Developed World-Level Two, or the Developing World. Participants should be divided according to the proportions indicated on the chart below.

• Prepare slips of paper with the name of a country and its development category listed on each. See page 2 for information on which countries belong to each category.

• You may want to include a statistic or fact about each country on the slip of paper. See page 2 for sources of country statistics.

• Prepare name tags in three colors (or with dots of 3 different colored stickers) with each color representing a development category.

Development Category Table Setting FoodDeveloped World Level One (10% of group) Linen tablecloth, flowers in the center of

table, china plate, linen napkin, silverware, glass

Access to multiple servings of all food available

Developed World Level Two (20% of group) Paper plate, paper napkin, plastic silverware, plastic cup

Access to one small serving of meat and vegetables

Developing World (70% of group) No table, no eating utensils, sit on the floor for the meal (Be sure that there is enough floor space available for this group.)

Access to one small serving of rice, beans, and water

Procedure

• As participants enter the room, have each of them choose a slip of paper with a country listed.• Fill out a nametag for each participant on the appropriate color based on the country chosen.


• Instruct all participants to be seated at the appropriate tables or on the floor, based on their country assignments.

• Give a brief presentation explaining the purpose and symbolism of the Hunger Fest. Explain how the group has been divided.

• Begin the meal.o Participants assigned to the Developed World – Level 1: Others serve them meals of meat, potatoes, vegetables, bread

and dessert while they remain seated at their elaborately set tables. Invite them to ask for second helpings of food at any time.

o Participants assigned to the Developed World – Level 2: Help themselves to one small serving each from a buffet of meat and vegetables and be seated at their modestly set tables.

o Participants in the Developing World: Stand in line and be served a small helping of rice and a small cup of water. Sit on the floor.


• If you are hosting a special speaker at your Fest, it is recommended that he/she speaks during the meal. It is most effective for participants to hear about the realities of hunger while they are sharing the meal.

• After the meal, hold a brief reflection to gather the thoughts and feelings of each group.

Discussion/Reflection

• Invite a speaker to your Hunger Fest who can bring the realities of world hunger to life for the group. Former Peace Corps volunteers, missionaries, or refugees that may be residing in your community would be good sources to speak to your group.

• Break into small groups for a brief reflection, and consider the following questions:o How did you feel when you realized which country you had been assigned?o How did you feel about those assigned to countries different from yours?o What did you learn about the Developed World, the Developing World?o By participating in this exercise, we have reached out in solidarity to the poor around the world. In what ways can we

continue to reach out to our neighbors around the world, even after we leave here tonight?

Optional Activities

• Hold a Work of Human Hands sale after the Hunger Fest. This alternative crafts bazaar promotes social justice by allowing participants to purchase crafts made by men and women in the developing world.

• Serve Fair Trade Coffee after the Hunger Fest. This provides a tangible way for members of your community to learn about the Fair-Trade Coffee Projects and act to make a positive difference in the lives of coffee farmers and their families. For more information, visit: http://abeantogo.com/.

• Ask children in the church to create posters illustrating their thoughts about world hunger and their ideas about how we can make a difference. The posters can be hung around the room during the Hunger Fest.

• Encourage high school students to use the Hunger Fest as part of their participation in General Baptist Day of Poverty activities.

Development Categories and Corresponding Countries

• Developed World – Level 1: (industrialized nations): Countries in which most people have a high economic standard of living. United States, England, Spain, Italy, France, Norway, Australia, etc.

• Developed World – Level 2: Countries in which most people have an adequate standard of living. Russia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, etc.

• Developing World: Countries in which most people have a low economic standard of living. Angola, Bolivia, Cambodia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Niger, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Uganda, Vietnam, Honduras, Tanzania, etc.

Suggested Sources for Country Statistics

• Nutrition Information: UNICEF- www.unicef.org• Basic Hunger Information: Bread for the World- www.bread.org/basic• World Fact Books- www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook• United Nations- www.un.org


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