杏MAP导航 to IFAD staff: Look for faces, not case studies
By Vatican News
Seventy-five percent of the world鈥檚 poor live in rural areas of developing countries. Addressing the 42nd annual Governing Council meeting of IFAD in Rome, on Thursday, 杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out how paradoxical it is that 鈥渁 good part of the more than 820 million people who suffer hunger and malnutrition in the world, live in rural areas, are dedicated to food production, and are farmers鈥�.
Going against the flow
Following that address, the 杏MAP导航 met with IFAD staff members and thanked them for their work 鈥渋n the service of such a noble cause as the fight against hunger and poverty in the world鈥�. He also thanked them 鈥渇or going against the flow鈥�.
鈥淭oday's trend sees a slowdown in the reduction of extreme poverty and an increase in the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few鈥�, he said. 鈥淔ew have too much and too many have too little鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 described what he called 鈥渢his perverse current of inequality鈥� as being 鈥渄isastrous for the future of humanity鈥�.
Competence and sensitivity
杏MAP导航 Francis acknowledged how 鈥渕any needy and disadvantaged people, who survive with so much suffering on the peripheries of the world, benefit from your work鈥�. These beneficiaries include disadvantaged children, women, and entire families.
The 杏MAP导航 went on to tell IFAD staff how, 鈥渋n order to perform this type of service well, it is necessary to combine competence with a particular human sensitivity鈥�. It is important to 鈥渃ultivate the inner life鈥�, he told them, 鈥渢he feelings that open the heart and ennoble others鈥�.
Putting God in everything
杏MAP导航 Francis encouraged everyone working at the International Fund for Agricultural Development, not to lose hope, not to give in to resignation, 鈥渢hinking that it is only a drop in the ocean鈥�. We can inject enthusiasm into everything we do, 鈥渄ay by day, even in small things鈥�, he said. This means "putting God in what we do", added 杏MAP导航 Francis: 鈥渂ecause God never tires of doing good, of starting again. He never tires of giving hope鈥�.
Looking for faces
Finally, the 杏MAP导航 urged IFAD staff always 鈥渢o look for a face鈥�, the faces of the people behind the case studies. 鈥淚t is important not to stay on the surface鈥�, he said, 鈥渂ut to enter into reality, to see the faces鈥�.
The question to be asked, suggested 杏MAP导航 Francis, is "how much love do I put into the things I do now"? Those who love, he concluded, use their imagination: they can see solutions 鈥渨here others see only problems鈥�.
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