Why are some people born in poor countries and some in rich countries?

Question

One thing I always appreciated to God is the fact that I am an American and never had to worry about food, clothing, roof over my head. I can only imagine what it would be like to born in Africa where hunger and war is rampant.
Why did God make certain parts of the world full of poverty and wars so its people die and suffer everyday? We never had control over where we were born. If every human had choice, almost all of them would choose to be born in Western countries instead of Africa.
Can any Christians help me understand how God decides who gets to be born in poor coutries and who gets be born in wealthy, stable countries?

Answer 1

I think people are born in the Country the mother are living in.

Answer 2

Because we all need to have different experiences that will help us develop and grow spiritually, intelectually and in any other way possible. We are here on this Earth with a purpose. To learn, become better and return to Heaven and live with God. So, everybody's experience is different according to whatever one needs to learn. I think that God does have something to say in where we're born, when we're born and the things that happen to us. However, we do have our free agency, that is the power to make our own choices, but we can't control the results of the choices. I was born in a pretty poor country and now I live in a well developped country. That was my choice to come here. That doesn't mean that my life is easier and that I don't have any more expereinces to help me grow. But I do know that my experience living in a poor country helped me understand the poor, want to perform service and be a better person. I am thankful for being born in a poor country.

Answer 3

Is it really better to be born in a wealthy country if you believe in God? The bible says it is easier for a Camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.In places like Iran,Iraq,Palestine,and many other places people are being judged and put to death for being the wrong religion.With Islam growing at a rate of over 200% annualy how long do you think it will be before every country on earth is facing that same fate.In the US Islam is the fastest growing religion,so you won't have to worry about your question for long.When over 50% of the people here are Muslim, the US will collapse,and so will the other western countries. Then we can all be poor together,murdering and raping in the name of a moon God named allah.If you wonder why I mentioned Islam in the answer it is because every major war,or conflict in the world today involves Islam.Don't believe me?Check it yourself.

Answer 4

I don't agree with most of the other people answering.

God does not put the people in poor countries to suffer. But
everyone has their own struggles...just because we don't live with extreme poverty and disease doesn't mean that we won't meet sadness-loved ones die, parents divorce, cancer attacks our bodies.

The difference between us and the poorest nations is that WE have the power to help them. THAT is why WE were born were we were. That's why you were born where you are. God wants us to share the wealth, literally, in money and in spirit.

And, sadly, all it would take is one terrible war to put us in the same position as the people of Africa. Or if we ran out of gasoline. That is why we should be even more driven to help-those people are in those horrible situations through no fault of their own. If the privileged won't help them, who will?

Answer 5

If you review your History, many Americans were born to live in the great recession of the 1920's and the 1930's. The U.S. has been rewarded by their faith and their great effort to maintain the balance of power in this world. The US Dollar is the only currency that bears the word God. I believe what we face now are the very forces we have set before (Karma). Many of our religions miss this point. That is how they alienate people from God. What we face is our own choice, at our own free-will now or in the past. I don't think God as good as He is would want to see anybody die or suffer of hunger.

Answer 6

First of all, just being an American does NOT mean that you don't have to worry about those things. Many people in this country die of starvation, poor nutrition, lack of health care, etc. etc.
But, I think the answer to your question is:

Think about this: if a person in a poor country is given two dollars, he thinks he's rich. If a person here earned two dollars AN HOUR he'd be pi**ed off.

So, it makes us think about relativity!!!
Also, it gives us all an opportunity to do some good in the world.

Jesus said it was harder for a rich man to enter Heaven than to pass a camel thru' the eye of a needle. Most, not all, Americans are "rich" compared to third worlders.

Think!

Answer 7

Babies are born all over the world to the poor, the rich and to the middle class --- every hour of the day there is new life entering our world.
You said you never had to worry about food,clothing. or a roof over your head because you were born in America.... well so was I - but my family was poor, we lived in a shack that had no electricity or indoor plumbing ... we knew hunger, racism and hardships..... just being born in America don't mean we ALL have things easy --- just remember, there's poverty here too. The thing I learnt is we don't have to stay poor and defeated... we came to know the Lord as our Savior and he provided better lives for us... we relied on His strength and before we knew it our circumstances had greatly improved.... I retired at 38! thanks to God! My brothers and our mom are in nicer homes and have many luxuries..... we came from nothing...knowing hunger, enduring racism and many other hardships, lived in a shack, we were made fun of .... instead of people helping us, they made jokes because we were poor and black.... this to happens in America....


God didn't make poverty - that too was brought on by mankind.

Answer 8

We need to accept that all questions will not be answered this side of heaven. However, concerning those in poor countries...we tend to feel sorry for them. Obviously they are living in poor conditions. However, I recently read about a preacher who told an African preacher that he and his church will pray for them in their poverty. The African preacher retorted with, "we will pray for you in your wealth." Materialism can tear apart your relationship with God or even make you think you don't need one.

A young woman that goes to my church just came back from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. She showed us pictures of people living in these tin homes. They looked as if they had nothing. However, every picture of the people showed women, children and men smiling. Beautiful smiles. Smiles without the stress of materialism or vanity. She said she would go to their homes and they would give her everything they had. They were share anything and everything. And some of us who have so much more are so selfish. She said those people made her a stronger Christian and taught her to be humble.

I am not saying the poor are better off....maybe in some ways. They are not spoiled brats, that is for sure. I agree no one wants to be poor, I know I don't. But there are blessings and lessonings in everything. The joy of Christ outweighs any situation.

Answer 9

It's just a circumstance of chance. We did not ask to be here, and if you believe in God, we did not ask him to makes us, yet Christians believe we are the ones responsible for who we are. It's absolutely ludicrous.

The idea that God is an over sized white male with a flowing beard who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by 'God' one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying...it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity.

Answer 10

Very simple, GOD didn't. To take your logic further, to you GOD makes all our decisions therefor if we screw up it's GOD'S fault not ours. We humans have caused the famines, wars and destitution's, not GOD. Most of the famine areas were caused a long time ago. To see a more modern version look to the rain forests being destroyed in Brazil because no-one is teaching them good farming practices. Slash and burn policies are destroying everything down there and we sit up here saying tisk, tisk.
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