Our Monday night Bible study is focusing on poverty and justice, asking the important question of how one can help in a way that truly does help.

Poverty is not always easy to recognize. For instance, would you have guessed that the food pantry at Michigan State serves more than 4000 people per year? Inside Higher Ed recently published an article that explains further the challenges of poverty while in college: Backing into Aristotle.

Poverty affects every aspect of who one is: creating stress, affecting relationships, costing more time, exposing oneself to less safe situations, and more. In the midst of that, attending classes, writing papers, studying and finishing off a degree are all very difficult. Prayers and encouragement, as well as finding ways to work positively with those for whom the financial burdens of college (and life!) are overwhelming, are clearly needed.