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InternationalRelief
Imagineaworldwhereeverychildwashappy,everyfamilyhadaroofovertheirhead,
andmankindhadenoughmoneytosupportthemselvesandtheirfamily.Unfortunately,thisis
notthecaseduetopovertyandworlddevastation.TheUnitedStateshasamultitudeof
organizationsthatprovideinternationalrelief,butAmerica,asacountry,isnotdoingenoughto
makeadifference.ChildrenofGenerationYareunawareandnaiveaboutthedisastersandcrisis
occurringthroughouttheworld,andiftheUnitedStatesdoesnotbringanawarenesstothisissue
thentheywillgrowupnotknowingtheconceptofhavingcompassionforthoseinneed.​Itis
essentialfortheUnitedStatestosupportimpoverishedcountriesthathaveexperienced
naturaldisastersandwarsthathavecausedmalnourishedchildrenandrefugeestoflee
theirhomes.
TheEuropeanUnionandtheUnitedStateshavebothclaimedtobethetopleadersin
disasterrelief.LiketheEuropeanUnion,theUnitedStatesisamajorhumanitariandonor.It
providesresourcesandpersonnelatdisastersites.However,theUnitesStateswascriticizedfor
poorinternalcoordinationandinconsistentpubliccommunication.In2012,theUnitedStates
sent$37.7billiondollarsoverseasforforeignaid.Although,$4.1billiondollarsofthebudget
goestohumanitarianassistancewhichincludesprotection,assistanceandsolutions,disaster
readiness,andmigrationmanagementthisisstillnotenough.Americaisfocusingmoreonwar
countriesthanimpoverishedoneswithmalnourishedchildrenandindividuals.Thetopfive
countriesthatreceiveUnitedStatesforeignaidareIsrael,Afghanistan,Pakistan,Iraq,andEgypt.
TheseareallintheMiddleEast,butwhataboutcaringforthoseinAfrica?Thetoptenpoorest
countrieswhicharemeasuredbygrossdomesticproductsarelocatedinAfrica:DemRepublicof
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Congo,Liberia,Burundi,Zimbabwe,Eritrea,CentralAfricanRepublic,Niger,SierraLeone,
Malawi,andTogo(PoorestCountries,actionforourplanet.com).Whenthinkingaboutit,$37.7
billionmayseemlikealotofmoneybutonthebiggerscale,itisonlyonepercentofthetotalUS
budget(Adams,Blaze.com).CanAmerica,asacountry,doabetterjobwithprovidingfinancial
assistancewithoutfallingintoagreatereconomicdepression?
Therearemanynaturaldisastersoccurringaroundtheworldthatcannotbestoppedbut
Americacanhelptheafterwardresultofthesituation.Ofcoursethecountriesthataremost
affectedbythenaturaldisastertendtobethepoorest.TheearthquakesanddisastersinAsiahave
beenheardallovertheworld.Asia,infact,isthemostdisasterproneregionintheworld.Also,
Asiahasalackofresourcesandisverysusceptibletothisoccasion.“Almosthalfthedeaths
fromnaturaldisastersinAsiaduringthelast10yearswereduetoearthquakesandtsunamis,
althoughtheyonlyaccountedfor12%ofthenaturaldisasterevents.Droughtandfoodinsecurity
wereresponsibleforaboutonethirdofdeaths.”(AsianDevelopmentBank,
Asiancenturyinstitute.com)​Ninetypercentofnaturaldisastersand95%ofdisasterrelateddeaths
occurindevelopingcountries.(KarN,indianjmedsci.org)Thecostofrebuildingforthesethird
worldcountriescanaffecttheireconomyasignificantamount.Iftheyalreadydonothavethe
resourcesandskilltosustaintheirlifeasis,thenhowcantheyrebuildthemselveswiththese
impactfultragediesthatcomeeverysooften?Thesecountrieshavedebttopaybackandwiththe
fundsofrichercountriestheirgovernmentsarepayingbackmillionsofdollarsaweek.(Anup,
Shah,GlobalIssues)OrganizationssuchasRedCross,Samaritan’spurseandCAREallhavea
missiontorespondtointernationalcrisisfromthefirstwordofthedisaster.Theyworkthrough
hunger,poverty,disease,conflict,andprovideeverythingtomakethesecountriesbetter.Mostof
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theorganizationsthatcallouttothecountriesthatneedhelparenonprofitthismeansthat
UnitedStatesdoesnotdomostofthelaboriousworkofprovidingandcaringforthesecountries.
ThisshowsthattheUnitedStatesneedstofundtheseorganizationssothattheycouldhelpmake
theworldabetterplace.ThesearethestatisticsthatshowhowmuchtheUnitedStatesfund
humanitarianassistancebyfiscalyear:2011188.04million,20121.20billion,20134.62
billion,20146.77billion,and20154.03billion.(HumanitarianAssistance,
foreignassistance.gov)
In2010,childrenwereaccountedforoneinthreeofthoselivinginextremepoverty
worldwide.Morethan1.3billionliveinextremepovertyandreceivelessthan$1.25aday;
22,000childrendieeachdayduetopoverty.Achildborntoamotherwhocanreadisfifty
percentmorelikelytosurvivepasttheageoffive.165millionpeoplesufferfromchildhood
malnutrition.Threemillionchildrendiefrommalnutritioneveryyear(11factsaboutGlobal
Poverty,dosomething.org).Allthisinformationprovidedistrue.Peoplelivingingood
conditionssometimesdonottakethetimetothinkaboutallthedrasticactionsgoingonin
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differentpartsoftheworld.AccordingtotheUNConventionontheRightsofaChild,each
childhastherighttoagoodqualityeducation,therighttofood,clothes,basicnecessitiesoflife,
andasafeplacetolive(UnitedNationsHumanRights,ohchr.org).Accordingtotheinformation
theUnitedStatesneedstohelpthechildrenhaveabetterwayoflivinginordertosupport
themselves.Therearemanyorganizationsthathelpacrosstheglobebutarenotgettingenough
supportfromthegovernmenttohelpthecountriesevenfurther.ThispastyearwiththeEbola
disease,manyorganizationsworkedtogethertoprovideassistanceandthemedicalhelpneeded
totreatthedisease,butmanyhavestilldied.InWestAfrica,atotalof6491deaths(World
HealthOrganization,CDC.gov)duringtheEbolaoutbreak.CouldtheUnitedStateshavedone
somethingtomakethisnumberevenless?BillGateshasgoneouttosaytherewillbe“almostno
poorcountriesby2035.”AttheratethatUnitedStatesishelpingatthemomentisthisatrue
statistic?
TherearemanycrisessurroundingAmericaatthemomentandpeopleareawareofthem
becausetheylistentothenewsbutdonotdoanythingtohelpthepeoplethatarebeingaffected
bytheseconflicts.TherearenumerouseventsintheMiddleEastthataredangerouswhichlead
torefugeesescapingfromSyria.Manyareriskingtheirlivessothattheycanescapetoabetter
placeandtofindanewwayofliving.WhentheUnitedStateshearsaboutthisnewsthefirst
reactionisfearwhenitshouldbetophysicallygooutandraisemoreawarenessforthese
problemssothatmorepeoplecansupporttheserefugees.Asacountry,theUnitedStatescan
providethenecessaryresourcesforthesedesperatepeople.SocietyknowsaboutIsisandhow
dangerousthisgroupisandthefearthatfollowstheirnamearound.Obamarecentlystatedthat
Isisisnotgrowingatthemomentbutwehavenotdecapitateditsleadership.Changethefont
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colortomatch​“Idon’tthinkthey’regainingstrength,”​ObamatoldABC’sGeorge
Stephanopoulos.​”Whatistrue,fromthestartourgoalhasbeenfirsttocontainandwehave
containedthem.TheyhavenotgainedgroundinIraqandinSyria.They’llcomein.They’llleave.
Butyoudon’tseethissystemicmarchbyISISacrosstheterrain.Whatwehavenotyetbeenable
todoistocompletelydecapitatetheircommandandcontrolstructures.We’vemadesome
progressintryingtoreducetheflowofforeignfighters.”(TomLoBianco,cnn.com)After
hearingthisinformationaboutthedisastrouseventsthatincludesIsisAmericashouldmakemore
effortstohelpthosethatareinthesurroundingregionswheretheseterroristgroupsarelocated.
ToraiseawarenessforInternationalReliefasacountry,theUnitedStatesshould
informitscitizensandresidentsaboutthedangersthatthirdworldcountriesface.Explainingthe
factsandissuesthattheyarefacingcandoalot.Somepeoplearecompassionateandwilldo
theirbesttohelpthemwhileothersarestubbornandwillnotwanttohelpforeigncountries.
Citizenscanvolunteeratnonprofitorganizationswhosegoalandmissionistohelpimpoverished
countriesandchildren.Samaritan’spurseprovidesmanyopportunities,suchasOperation
ChristmasChildwhichprovideschildrenallovertheworldwithfilledshoeboxesofgiftsand
necessities.Justseeingthesmileonthefacesofthesepoorchildrenlightsuptheworld.When
unfortunatepeoplereceiveaidtheycountitasablessingandarethankfulforit.Samaritan’s
PursealsohelpsrefugeesinEurope,internationalcrisisresponse,constructionprojectsand
feedingprograms.Allonehastodoissacrificeanhourortwoatleastonceayeartohelpthese
organizationsreachtheirgoal.Inaninterviewwithamissionaryshestatedmanyfactsthathelps
learnalotofinterestingfactsaboutthesethirdworldcountriesandhowtheyarestrugglingto
survive.“Wenowhavetheopportunitynotonlytoseethoseinextremepovertybutalsotohelp
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them.RobertStearnshadsaidthisinhisbookTheHoleinourGospel.SinceIwenttomany
missionariestoMoldovayougottoseethedifferentfamiliesstrugglingandyoucanseeintheir
eyesthattheyneedourhelp.WhenIthinkofRobert’squotesIapplyittomylifeatthat
moment.Whenyouseetheneedthatthesecountrieshaveyoustartthinkingaboutwhatyou
haveandappreciateitmore.FrommypersonalexperiencesIhaveseenthatthepeoplethatlive
inbettercircumstancesthantheseactmoreselfishthatthese.Eventhoughthesefamiliesdonot
havewhattheyneedtheywillstilltakecareofothersfirstandthenthemselves.Whydothe
peoplehereintheUnitedStatesnothumblethemselveslikethere.Sometimesitisembarrassing
tothinkthatwecanactsoselfishandtakeeverythingforgranted.Whenyouthrewawaythat
foodthatyoudidnothavethestrengthtofinisheatingdidyouthinkaboutthechildrenthat
wouldhavebeennothingbutthankfultohaveabiteofit?No,youprobablydidnot.Seethese
arethekindsofthingsthatIdonotunderstandwhywedonottakethetimetothinkabout.I
thinkthateveryoneofusshouldonceexperiencethecircumstancesthattheimpoverished
countriesaregoingthroughsothatwehaveabetterideaofwhatisgoingonoutsideofour
comfortzone.”Puttheefforttogooutandhelpthemalnourishedchildrenthatdonothavea
placetolive,anythingtoeat,orafamilytosupportandtakecareofthem.Thereisalackof
mediacoverageforthekidsthatdieeachday.Morethan26,500childrendiedyesterdayof
preventablecausesrelatedtotheirpovertyandthiswillhappenagaintoday,tomorrowandthe
dayafterthat.Almost10millionchildrenwillbedeadinthecourseofayear.(GlobalIssues,
globalissues.org)CanAmericamakethisnumberevensmaller?
ManypeoplemaysaythatthirdworldcountriesdonotneedAmerica’shelpand
canfigurethingsoutwithoutthesupportofUnitedStates.DonaldTrumphasgoneouttosay
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thattheJapanU.S.alliancethatobligatestheUnitedStatestoprotectJapanisunfair.“IfJapan
getsattacked,wehavetoimmediatelygototheiraid,andifwegetattackedJapandoesn’thave
tohelpus.”(Jiji,japantimes.co.jp)TherearepartsofJapanthatareneedofassistancealsobut
peoplesuchasDonaldTrumpareagainstthesesortofacts.Thisisnotrightbecauselookingat
moralcodes“treatothershowyouwanttobetreated”.Whenlookingatthisstatement,even
thoughJapanisnotobligatedtohelpAmericadoesnotmeanthatUnitedStatesneedstolookat
thisasabadattributebutinsteadasanactofkindness.WhatiftheUnitedStateswasthecountry
thathadtheworsteconomyandthemostmalnourishedchildren,war,andnaturaldisasters?
Americawouldnotwanttherichercountriestolookingdownuponthemandpointingoutthe
badcharacteristics,andnotlendingahandtohelp?No,insteadtheUnitedStateswouldbe
beggingforassistancefromothercountriessothattheywouldbeabletoaidtheUnitedStates.
Thisisexactlyhowthesethirdworldandunfortunatecountriesarefeeling.
TherearemanywaysthatindividualsinAmericacanhelpandmakeadifference.The
Chineseproverbstates,“Ifyougiveamanafish,he’lleatforaday,butifyouteachamanto
fish,he’lleatforalifetime.”IfAmericacanteachthesethirdworldcountrieshowtosupport
themselvesthentheywouldlaterrelylessontheUnitedStatesandwouldbeabletosupport
themselves.AccordingtoRobertStearns,“Experienceshowsthatthebestwaytofightpovertyis
toempowerpeopletoshapetheirownfuturetotreatthecausesofpovertyandnotjustthe
symptoms…Wehelpthecommunitytoowntheirownfuturebecausethebestwaytochangea
child’slifeistochangetheworldtheylivein.”Therearefewkeywaystohelpthesecountries:
Learn,pray,act,give,andspeak.Whenitcomestotheideaoflearningonecansponsorachild,
formfriendshipwithorganizations,andjoinorstartacampusgroup.Onecanpraynomatterthe
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situation.Justtakingafewminutestorememberaboutthecountriesandhumanbeingsgoing
throughdifficultsituationcanmakeadifference.Theaspectofactingincludesvolunteering,
fundraising,startinganorganizationinachurch,shorttermmissiontrips,andusingone’stalents
tohelptheimpoverishedcountries.Donatingandgivingupregularexpensesfitinthedefinition
ofgiving.Theideaofusinganindividual’svoicecanmakethebiggestdifference.Sendinga
messagetoCongress,organizingatownhallmeeting,seekingmediacoverageforthedying
children,andusingsocialmediacanallspreadthewordandraiseawarenessforinternational
relief.TheseareafewwaysthattheUnitedStatescanmakeachangeintheworldbystarting
offfromoneindividualandspreadingthroughoutthecountry. 
TheUnitedStateshastheobligationtosupportthirdworldcountriesthathave
malnourishedchildren,war,andareexperiencingpoverty.​Now​imaginetheworldbeingaplace
whereeverychildwashappy,everyfamilyhadaroofovertheirhead,andmankindhadenough
moneytosupportthemselvesandtheirfamily.TheUnitedStatescanmakethisarealityby
learningtopray,act,give,andspeakbydoingtheseitwillmakeadifference.Itonlytakesone
individualtomaketheworldabetterplaceandthatoneindividualhasthepowerandstrengthto
makethechange.
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Adams,Becket.”$37,680,000,000:That’sHowMuchtheU.S.SpentonForeignAidin2012—
Here’saChartThatHelpsExplainIt.”TheBlaze.N.p.,19Dec.2013.Web.15Nov.
2015.
Brattberg,ErikandRhinard,Mark(2012)TheEUandUSasInternationalActorsinDisaster
Relief.BrugesPoliticalResearchPaperNo.22,January2012.[WorkingPaper
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15Nov.2015.
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TimesRSS.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Nov.2015.
KarN.Naturaldisastersindevelopingcountries:Mentalhealthissues.IndianJMedSci
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LoBianco,Tom.”ObamaSaysISISNotGrowing,butNot’decapitated’CNNPolitics.com.”
CNN.CableNewsNetwork,n.d.Web.15Nov.2015.
“NaturalDisastersinAsia.”AsianCenturyInstitute.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Nov.2015.
Shah,Anup.”CausesofPoverty.”GlobalIssues.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Nov.2015.
Stearns,Richard.​TheHoleinOurGospel
​
.Nashville,TN:ThomasNelson,2009.Print.
“Today,around21,000ChildrenDiedaroundtheWorld.”​GlobalIssues
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“11FactsAboutGlobalPoverty.”11FactsAboutGlobalPoverty.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Nov.2015.
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