Poverty and Brain Power
It took a few months of gypsy life, but I finally woke up in the middle of the night with no idea where I was. It is such an unsettling feeling, not knowing what bed you're sleeping in. It was dark and hard to see anything at all. A quick scan around the room helped me get my bearings, and I managed to get back to sleep.
But then I read an article about a homeless teenager who slept in a tree, and I realize how lucky I am. My gypsy life is a chosen life. I'm not really homeless even though I don't have a room or a closet to call my own. But I have a roof over my head, and go to bed with a full belly each night.
The unfortunate reality is that homelessness and poverty are a real problems for many people. Just this week, Mama conducted an interview on her blog discussing how so many people are just a paycheck or two away from homelessness.
But then I read an article about a homeless teenager who slept in a tree, and I realize how lucky I am. My gypsy life is a chosen life. I'm not really homeless even though I don't have a room or a closet to call my own. But I have a roof over my head, and go to bed with a full belly each night.
The unfortunate reality is that homelessness and poverty are a real problems for many people. Just this week, Mama conducted an interview on her blog discussing how so many people are just a paycheck or two away from homelessness.
And reports were released that explore's poverty's negative affect on brain power. It seems that the stress caused by lack of money limits the brain's capacity to to perform well in cognitive and logic testing.
All this gets me thinking about my upcoming trip to Guatemala with World Vision. Did you know it is the most populated country in Central America? It has a population of nearly 150,000. Over 50% live below the poverty line, and nearly half of the children in Guatemala suffer from malnutrition.
But World Vision is doing some exciting things in Guatemala. Like the Children Artistic Development Center, which provides education in music and arts. World Vision has a recent blog post about how learning music helped one girl rise from poverty. Go read Yolanda's story.
I am leaving in a little over a week, and I have much to do to prepare for this journey. But I am excited about this opportunity to witness the work World Vision is doing. To learn more about their sponsorship program. And to tell you all about it. If you, too, would like to support someone like Yolanda, click here to sponsor a child in Guatemala.
All this gets me thinking about my upcoming trip to Guatemala with World Vision. Did you know it is the most populated country in Central America? It has a population of nearly 150,000. Over 50% live below the poverty line, and nearly half of the children in Guatemala suffer from malnutrition.
I am leaving in a little over a week, and I have much to do to prepare for this journey. But I am excited about this opportunity to witness the work World Vision is doing. To learn more about their sponsorship program. And to tell you all about it. If you, too, would like to support someone like Yolanda, click here to sponsor a child in Guatemala.
