Is it wrong to live a comfortable life amidst so much poverty

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111111

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I have been studying global and public health for some time now. I have traveled to several different countries working with global health and international partnerships. My siblings are all now getting married and settling down now and I’m confused with what to do. If the world were perfectly fine I’d buy a piece of property close to my siblings and parents and raise a family the best I could and that would be perfect for me. But it seems condemnable to lead such a life when you know you could have an impact developing countries and putting roofs over peoples houses and books in schools. The problem is this, to work internationally and really make a difference it requires an incredible time out of the country which would distance me from my family. So what’s a guy to do?
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Well, it depends on what you are called to do. The Bible tells us over and over to prosper. It also tells us to leave everything behind and follow Jesus. Franciscans live a life of poverty, but is everyone called to this? Certainly we must care for others by giving our time, money, and prayer.

I do not feel called to a life of poverty, but I am called to be a good Catholic woman. I want to provide a comfortable, Catholic life for my boys without teaching them to value material things. I want them to always have what they need, and some of what they want. I want them to value giving over receiving.

I would suggest you pray about this. Maybe you are called to a more meager lifestyle. That is something for God to let you know.
 
111111 said:
I have been studying global and public health for some time now. I have traveled to several different countries working with global health and international partnerships. My siblings are all now getting married and settling down now and I’m confused with what to do. If the world were perfectly fine I’d buy a piece of property close to my siblings and parents and raise a family the best I could and that would be perfect for me. But it seems condemnable to lead such a life when you know you could have an impact developing countries and putting roofs over peoples houses and books in schools. The problem is this, to work internationally and really make a difference it requires an incredible time out of the country which would distance me from my family. So what’s a guy to do?
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It sounds like you *might *be being called to do something along those lines, even tho it would mean that you would be far away from your family a lot. Pray about it.
 
Sounds like you’re still “discerning” your vocation. Do you continue on with what you have been doing, or do you go back home and start a different kind of life. I think that, at least for the time being, God has you where He wants you. If there is to be a family in the future, that’s in His hands. Even if you did marry, you could probably find someone who shares your vision of helping out those in most need.
 
“…impact developing countries and putting roofs over peoples houses and books in schools…”

Why limit your help to developing countries? Why not help the poor closer to home? I don’t know where you are from, but in the USA, I do not believe there is one State in the union that is completely free of abject poverty and the homeless. It is also wise not to confuse USA standards with developing countries, for there are many people in other countries who would prefer not to be developed to the point of likeness to the USA, especially rural farmers and villages. Small and simple is sometimes a decision rather than a choice.

This is not to say that help is not needed in developing countries. I am sure it is needed and welcomed by the international community. However, we often make the mistake of believing that a civilized, developed country (like the USA) has no poverty.

Good luck in whatever you decide!
 
You might consider that you could be called to live a life of simplicity where you are right now, so that you can save up all your excess income to be used in a place where it is needed more. It is much cheaper to sustain a local within a culture than it is to feed and house an American transplant.

Trimming your lifestyle right now might be a good start to your discernment process.
 
Your definition and understanding of a comfortable life may not be entirely “accurate”.

If you want to marry and have children, then you had better be able to support them. So you need a decent income. and I assume you and your future wife want to home school the kids, so you would have to be the primary breadwinner.

A friend of mine when he married said that two can live as cheaply as three.

It takes money.

Oh, And going to meetings isn’t helping the poor. It may make you feel virtuous, but it isn’t getting people out of poverty.

If you want to elevate people out of poverty help them start a business, so they can earn an income.

Cut their taxes so they can keep some of what they earn.

Make sure they don’t get cheated by government bureaucrats and “thugs” [some countries have a LOT of government thugs, which is why so many people want to come to the United States]

Make sure they get a good education.

Encourage them to not marry and start a family until AFTER they get their education.
 
111111 said:
I have been studying global and public health for some time now. I have traveled to several different countries working with global health and international partnerships. My siblings are all now getting married and settling down now and I’m confused with what to do. If the world were perfectly fine I’d buy a piece of property close to my siblings and parents and raise a family the best I could and that would be perfect for me. But it seems condemnable to lead such a life when you know you could have an impact developing countries and putting roofs over peoples houses and books in schools. The problem is this, to work internationally and really make a difference it requires an incredible time out of the country which would distance me from my family. So what’s a guy to do?
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Good for you.

There is virtue in a simple lifestyle and it is good that you are thinking about this prior to starting a family. Once you start a family it becomes very difficult to live a simple lifestyle.

You may want to consider the priest hood where they take a vow of poverty and dedicate their lives to God and the service of others. You may also want to consider researching the Amish as it relates to the avoidance of luxuries.

You may also consider that helping people in remote places does not always mean going there. Your calling may be to work here and earn money to send to them.
 
From what you write I discern you to be a compassionate character, but this must be tempered with wisdom. Whatever we do usually can be the cause of suffering.
If you were to give all your money away 2 things would most likely result:
  • You may be a burden to others who now have to support you
  • You will have the knowledge it was your choice, the poor often lack this.
The best any of us can do is to work on our own welfare for the benefit of those around us (spiritual, moral, and material):
Spiritual we can be an example for others to follow, moral we can instruct and guide and material we can be an example of stewardship.
Nurture an attitude of gratitude, whatever you have is gift.
 
Kevin,

I think partly because the poor don’t have a choice, our choice to identify with them by being poor is a valuable thing. I live well below the poverty line right now because of the choice I made to be home with my children. I am not a burden on anyone, and my children prefer it this way. We have discovered over the last few months just how little we really need and how much we thought we needed that we can actually live without.

This has also opened us to relationships we might not have otherwise had. I don’t know if you’ve ever had the experience of being really uncomfortable in an affluent person’s house, because you’re afraid to touch anything? Or you have to be careful not to be envious, or judgmental because you know they are living beyond their means in a fancy house/car/stereo?

Nobody feels that way in my house 🙂 And my friends know that while I can’t just go out to dinner with them or pick up a birthday present at WalMart, we can share a meal at my home, and I can give them a gift out of my particular talents, just for them.

So I’m a very big fan of voluntary poverty. No, don’t go off the deep end and live in a cardboard box, but do find out what you really need and what is just wants and develop your stewardship from there.
 
I was recalling what a Missionary of Charity had told me: That she thought by becoming poor she could better relate to the poor - and then she found how wrong she was. That for a lot of the poor, poverty was not by choice, and it makes a big difference.
St. Jose Maria Esciva says we should give glory to God by becoming the best we can where we find ourselves. If a mother, then become the best mother you can be.
Christ calls us to a life of service, and to use the talents God has given us. Stewards in the Kingdom.
In being materially poor someone has to meet our costs of living, social benefit payments, etc. It can encourage a life of gratitude. It can make us thankful for the small things in life. It can also have the opposite effect; as can wealth.
 
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