Is your pillow a luxury?

I'm afraid it is, but I'm so spoiled it feels like a necessity...
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World Vision Act:s has a Lent program that we have signed up to do. Well, it isn't exactly a traditional lent program, but it is during the season leading up to Easter. They send daily e-mails with ideas of how to identify with “the least of these” in the world so that we can pray more and find ways to care for them. We will adjust the ideas given to make them fit our family as we go on this adventure. This week we will be learning/talking/praying about those who feel and may be seen by others as “worthless”.

Today we talked about luxuries we take for granted:
Pillows
Beds
Blankets
TV
Video games
Computers
Minty toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Chairs
Ceiling fans
Refrigerator
Washer/dryer
Dishwasher
Soccer
Dance
Gymnastics
Piano
School
Coffee
Eating out
Too many to name...

(How many things do we consider necessities that others would consider luxuries?)

There are so many adults and children in the world whose lives consist of working many hours day after day doing menial jobs or hard labor just to make enough money for food and rent. Literally nothing else. They work so they can live another day and do it all over again. No hope. Nothing but working to exist. They often go unnoticed and are considered worthless by most.

Millions of the world’s poor live on less than $2 per day. Many on less than $1 per day.

We have decided that our family will be eating on $2 per day per person for the next week and living without a few selected luxuries that we will be deciding on as a family. $2 per day is nothing. The smallest burger and small fries at a fast food restaurant may be possible - only if you choose the right restaurant - and that would have to be your food for the entire day.

With 8 people in the family, we have $16 per day to feed our family this week. Grocery shopping for a family of 8 using less than $112 for a week was interesting. Very eye-opening - there are not many choices on that budget. The menu so far has included cereal, PB&J sandwiches and chips, grilled cheese sandwiches. Tomorrow will be cereal, ramen, and beans and rice. Tuesday will be cereal, sandwiches, and rice and beans. (See the subtle difference? Monday is beans and rice. Tuesday is rice and beans. Yep. I’m creative like that.) Wednesday will be cereal again, ? for lunch, and something at church that will be provided by friends. Dinner Thursday and Friday will be spaghetti noodles with meatless sauce. Beyond that I don’t know yet. I have $39 left to spend for things I need during the week.

Hmmm... We are so blessed.

I'll have to post the "lost luxury" list later - it's still being "debated".