What is Poverty? Big question you say. Well yes, how do you define a persons state or condition with many factors and influences, restrictions and bonds into a few words.

Today we had our first Chennai Challenge meeting. It was great to see a potential team coming together and sharing expectation, previous experiences and having a fun time bonding.

Amongst all of this came the reality of what we are going to see and do whilst we journey thousands of miles away to a strange country. We are going to be visiting some of the poorest areas of Chennai, walking past the homeless on the streets, have children begging at our feet and tugging at our clothing. To see it up close is challenge enough, knowing how to help is another. Keeping it fresh and real without it becoming the norm or expectation is probably the hardest challenge.

This is my third year joining Chennai Challenge in their short project in a bid to make a small difference to a big problem. Each year I still take a second glance at the old man sleeping on the edge of the pavement, find it hard to turn my back on the begging hand desperately reaching in through the bus window.

So what is a christian perspective on poverty? Does it differ from a non-christians. To understand this, is one of the 4 challenges we will be expected to undertake over the next 8 months.

Tonight our very first thought for the day involved a video looking at what poverty is and our challenge should we wish to accept it.

We need to break the cycle, stop looking down our nose and meet each other eye to eye. We are all the same in God’s eyes and not one is loved more than the other. Our possessions and wealth are not what defines us but the way we live and love.

The greatest part about Chennai Challenge is being there. Showing our love for those who are not as fortunate. It doesn’t take a christian perspective to know that poverty is unjust and wrong, but maybe it takes the example of Jesus for us to realise that we can do something about it. Jesus championed the least and the lost, the hurt and the broken. Why should we care?

Because God did!

‘God of Justice, Saviour to all. Came to rescue the weak and the poor. Chose to serve and not be served.

Jesus, you have called us. Freely we’ve received, now freely we will give.

We must go, live to feed the hungry. Stand beside the broken, we must go. Stepping forward keep us from just singing. Move us into action, we must go.’

Well, it’s the beginning of the year and very nearly the beginning of a new project for us here at Chennai Challenge.  We have been thinking quite a lot about the future of the charity and the possibilities that await us in 2012 and beyond.  This has also led to me thinking about the point of it all.  Why do we do what we do? What is the point after all?

Much of the time we are trying to think about how to grow, how to change and how to develop.  I think this is all really important and I am glad that the board of trustees are all in agreement about this.  It is so important that we think about future prospects and ways to survive in this tricky climate.  It is also vital to think about how we can develop to be bigger and more extravagant in our projects, aims and giving.

Having said all of this, the 2011 project really helped me to remember the inherent value in simply taking people out to meet the boys at the YMCA Boys Town and work alongside Oasis in their community development projects.  Even when we don’t acheive bigger and more ambitious targets or projects, the trip is always filled with value.  Here are some of the reasons I believe this:

1/  Just listening to the feedback of the 2011 team about the experiences they had and how much they enjoyed the project is inspiring and exciting.  It makes me remember the feeling I had during and after my first time in India.

2/  I received an email from Vignesh, and ex-Boys Town boy, wishing a team member happy birthday and generally filling us in on his education and exploits!

3/  One of the young people on team for 2011 came back from India and immediately decided that they wanted to something more useful with their spare time.  As a result they started doing some volunteer work with children.

4/  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the smiles on the boys faces on the way to Yellagiri and at the campfire are amazing and brilliant.

5/  The number of people who have applied for a second time is really exciting. So here’s to another amazing project – 2012!!

So there we are…what is the point?  Well no matter how much we grow I think the point will always be the relationships and developments that occur at a personal level as a result of the project.   I can’t wait to see what happens with this year’s project.