by Lokemun Magar

Created on: April 14, 2008   Last Updated: July 17, 2009

What concrete actions can be taken to help the third world? Lots of actions have been taken. Have they not been concrete enough?

The Bible tells us that a house built on shifting sand will not last. To build a house on shifting sand seems madness. Consider what has been done across continents to help the third world. Reflect on the actions taken to help the third world. Are they concrete like the concrete foundation needed to keep a house afloat? Are they just temporary actions like shifting sand that will not keep the outcomes of the help permanent?

What then are the concrete actions to be taken to help the third world? Quick fix methods such as pouring millions of dollars into food aid can help some to steer from starvation for a few days but will not solve long term drought problems. Financial aid may land in the wrong hands as episodes in history have shown, even in some developing countries. These are but temporary measures, as shifting grains of sand along the beach are.

It is best to explore approaches to ensure more permanent long term benefits. There are clear evidences around the world that there are workable solutions to help a nation stabilize and grow economically strong to ensure the survival of the weakest. Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives are but a few examples of nations born out of nothingness but determination of their peoples to survive. From these few examples, we can draw out some principles to work along in order to help the third world.

Political stability: All families experience disagreements. Spouses may fight in the closet of their bedrooms but on the outside remain loving and united. This is because they have learned to work around their differences and come to compromises that ensure a win-win or happy-happy situation. Likewise a nation needs political stability to ensure that external help is forthcoming and welcomed and that helpers are not threatened in any unreasonable manner.

Partners can have opposing views which can work for the overall good of the household. Opposition which works for the common good can similarly benefit a nation. Opposing parties in parliament represent diverse needs of people groups within the nation. Put simply, if all parties work towards common basic needs, the nation will be united regardless of race, language, religion or political party.

It is on common goals that a nation's stable infrastructure can be built.

Infrastructure: The infrastructure of a nation refers to its

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