My Proposition
This is not a conclusion. I will continue to post content here whenever the Lord moves my heart.
There are a multitude of ways to combat the issue of widespread homelessness. Firstly, I want to be able to take action for myself. In most religions, there is a practice of tithing or donating to the less fortunate, but it shouldn’t only exist within religion, or out of obligation. It feels great to work hard and make a sacrifice in your personal life to help someone else in a hard time. In my daily life, it is easy to feel bored, to have too much given to me and not feel challenged in my life. I want to practice the Catholic lent but without the religious context. I JUST want to challenge myself by cutting out a luxury and replacing it with another alternative to enrich my life (and is cheaper). I will cancel my Netflix subscription for the month and borrow library books to read when I want to take a little brain-break from my studies. With the small money that I am able to save, after 3 months I want to donate it to the Suyam Charitable Trust. My tiny contribution will feed over 20kids 2 meals each and keep them off the streets, and help them to attend high level universities and change the world.
Secondly, I would encourage my peers to watch these same videos, and explore social issues for themselves. Many young people in good social positions do not think very deeply about social issues, to take time to explore how we can make our world a better place. Tik Tok and other apps may increase in popularity, but if we have so much time to be on the internet, it is far more productive to educate ourselves on real world issues instead. Having a better sense of society encourages young people to work hard in school not for wealth, but for enriching the community around them. Educating ourselves on what corporate policies do to disadvantage ourselves and those around us will undoubtedly increase political awareness to fight for more homeless friendly policies. We may have more skilled lawyers and government or social workers who are willing to work for low wages to ensure that homeless individuals are not taken advantage of, etc. I oftentimes hear that the lack of education is not a cause of our world today that doesn’t care about social issues, but I strongly disagree. If you tell people what the world around them looks like with true clarity, and teach empathy within school and home settings, we will become a more civil society.
I am very encouraged by the media today, though. If you look to see that millennials today are advocating for more human rights, less capitalist policies, and awarding films like Parasite, you can tell that our society today cares at least to some extent. Do not become discouraged by others, face your own values in life and take even small baby steps toward that direction every day. It can be panini’s, it can be water bottles, it can be prayers from home, it can be a tiny amount of your paycheck, it can be a conversation. Go at your own pace, and if and when you are ready, pour your heart and soul into it, because that is what life is all about. I discussed mainly about homelessness, but any social issue needs attention. If the homeless ministries piqued your interest through these videos, please by all means, explore these issues. Otherwise, if you feel more called to another ministry, follow your heart. No matter the issue, there are people who need your help. You are not useless. You, reading this right now, have the potential to change the world for another person.
