It’s A Small World

I came across this today on another blog. Helps get things in perspective a little. 

If we could reduce the world’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this:

60 Asians
12 Europeans
5 US Americans and Canadians
8 Latin Americans
14 Africans
49 would be female
51 would be male
82 would be non-white
18 white
89 heterosexual
11 homosexual
33 would be Christian
67 would be non-Christian
5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth, and all of them would be US citizens
80 would live in sub standard housing
24 would not have any electricity
(And of the 76% that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night.)
67 would be unable to read
1 (only one) would have a college education.
50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation
33 would be without access to a safe water supply
1 would have HIV
1 near death
2 would be near birth
7 people would have access to the Internet

If you have a bank account,
money in your purse
and there is some trifle in your coin box,
you belong to 8% of well-provided people in this world.

If there is a meal in your refrigerator,
if you are dressed and have got shoes,
if you have a bed and a roof above your head,
you are better off, than 75% of people in this world.

If you have never experienced a war,
the loneliness of an imprisonment,
an agony of tortures, or a famine,
You are happier, than 500 million persons in this world.

If you woke up this morning with more health than sickness,
you are luckier than the million that will not survive this week.

If you are able to go to church, mosque or synagogue
without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death,
you are happier, than 3 billion persons in this world.

If you take a look at the world from this condensed perspective,
the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes evident.

Communion Today

Today was a communion service in our church. Unlike a lot of our sister churches, we Presbyterians only celebrate the Lord's Supper four times a year. Personally, I think it makes it more meaningful. To remember in a special service, the Lord's death for our salvation.

One of the hymns especially struck me:

"My Lord, my master, at thy feet adoring,

I see thee bowed beneath thy load of woe;

For me a sinner is thy life-blood pouring;

For thee, my saviour scarce my tears will flow.

Thine own disciple to the Jews has sold thee;

With friendships kiss and loyal word he came;

How oft of faithful love my lips have told thee,

While thou has seen my falsehood and my shame!

With taunts and scoffs they mock what seems thy weakness.

With blows and outrage adding pain to pain;

Thou are unmoved and steadfast in thy meekness;

When I am wronged how quickly I complain!

My lord my saviour, when I see thee wearing

Upon thy bleeding brow the crown of thorns

Shall I for pleasure, live or shrink from bearing

Whate'er my lot may be of pain or scorn?

O victim of thy love! O pangs most healing!

O saving death! O fruitful agonies!

I pray thee Christ, before thee humbly kneeling,

For ever keep thy cross before my eyes.

(You had to be there really).