Photo: 100people.org
A number of
years ago I came across an interesting slant on world statistics in a small
newspaper clipping. By compacting the global population into a village of 100
people, one was astonished to become aware - through this manageable scale - of
how privileged we are. We, meaning those who have a house and running water among
other things. A very large proportion of the inhabitants in the 100 Village
didn’t have that.
The clipping
didn’t state the source of the information. I, although being somewhat
sceptical about the ways statistics can be applied in conveying over emotional
messages, nevertheless suspected that overall there was a huge amount of truth
in these numbers.
Since my first
encounter with the Village people (no, not the band!) there was the information
explosion through the internet. Which is why it’s certainly no surprise that I
once again met our 100 Villagers recently. But surprisingly enough they were
now part of a wonderful project, 100
People: A world portrait (see http://www.100people.org/onehundred_history.php?section=whoweare)
We can become so
focused on and absorbed in our own lives that we somehow lose sight of the
bigger picture. And a bigger picture indeed there is. As a Christian I should
open up to this world that I’m living in and not be so living scared. I must
try to get to know those who share this earth space with me a little better.
Although I might think they are totally different from me. Or even strange, or
odd. They might have the same thoughts about me. Communication and
understanding must be promoted, a shared responsibility for our planet must be
expanded. That is exactly the aim of 100
People: A world portrait.
Somehow these
statistics have a humbling effect. Perspective tends to do that. That, and
knowing that 78 people in my village don’t have a computer or access to one. And
even if they did, 17 won’t be able to read this.
If the World were 100 PEOPLE:
50 would be female
50 would be male
26 would be children
There would be 74 adults,
8 of whom would be 65 and older
There would be:
60 Asians
15 Africans
14 people from the Americas
11 Europeans
33 Christians
22 Muslims
14 Hindus
7 Buddhists
12 people who practice other religions
12 people who would not be aligned with a religion
12 would speak Chinese
5 would speak Spanish
5 would speak English
3 would speak Arabic
3 would speak Hindi
3 would speak Bengali
3 would speak Portuguese
2 would speak Russian
2 would speak Japanese
62 would speak other languages
83 would be able to read and write; 17 would not
7 would have a college degree
22 would own or share a computer
77 people would have a place to shelter them
from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not
1 would be dying of starvation
15 would be undernourished
21 would be overweight
87 would have access to safe drinking water
13 people would have no clean, safe water to drink
26 would be children
There would be 74 adults,
8 of whom would be 65 and older
There would be:
60 Asians
15 Africans
14 people from the Americas
11 Europeans
33 Christians
22 Muslims
14 Hindus
7 Buddhists
12 people who practice other religions
12 people who would not be aligned with a religion
12 would speak Chinese
5 would speak Spanish
5 would speak English
3 would speak Arabic
3 would speak Hindi
3 would speak Bengali
3 would speak Portuguese
2 would speak Russian
2 would speak Japanese
62 would speak other languages
83 would be able to read and write; 17 would not
7 would have a college degree
22 would own or share a computer
77 people would have a place to shelter them
from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not
1 would be dying of starvation
15 would be undernourished
21 would be overweight
87 would have access to safe drinking water
13 people would have no clean, safe water to drink
George
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