This past week, the famed Powerball lottery climbed to a $1.5 Billion jackpot. I just wrote "billion" because the number of zeros was too daunting for my worn eyes. Just about everyone I knew either went out and bought a ticket or was involved in a ticket pool in hopes of winning big. We all shared how we would divvy the spoils should we be granted the immense gift. I mean, it had to happen to SOMEONE, right?! Might be you.

And, of course we all awoke Thursday morning to our most current problems and circumstances with the slightest twinge of disappointment. We all put our pants on and pushed through the day's chores. We didn't win $1.5 BILLION and someone, somewhere DID. Curses...

But, we did win something... we won the world's lottery.

According to dosomething.org, nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day.

Now, I'm not saying that if you live in the United States or any first-world country, you or someone you know isn't low income or even living in poverty. I'm not saying that you don't have struggles or impossible heart-breaking circumstances. I am saying that those who live in first-world countries more-than-likely have access to basic necessities like clean water, food assistance programs, low-income housing, opportunities, education, employment, and hope.

I read through the other statistics listed on the website and it made me thankful and grateful for all I have. I have been blessed with amazing parents who didn't abuse me and love me unconditionally. I have been blessed with a college education and employment that I love. I have been blessed that my family has access to state-of-the-art healthcare. I have been blessed that I can run to the grocery store and buy whatever fresh foods I want. I have been blessed with INDOOR plumbing which means clean drinking water and waste products are swooshed away never to be seen again. The list goes on and on.

And, growing up in the tri-state, sometimes I forget how blessed I am because I don't see poverty, crime, extreme hunger, and outright abuse around me. So, here's a video that will give you some insight to what families and children around the world face from Compassion International, a highly rated faith-based charity.

So dear friends, I leave you with this... If you have hit the world's lottery, what will you do with your winnings?

More from dosomething.org:

  1. Nearly 1/2 of the world’s population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day.
  2. 1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty.
  3. 805 million people worldwide do not have enough food to eat. Food banks are especially important in providing food for people that can’t afford it themselves. Run a food drive outside your local grocery store so people in your community have enough to eat. Sign up for Supermarket Stakeout.
  4. More than 750 million people lack adequate access to clean drinking water. Diarrhea caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene kills an estimated 842,000 people every year globally, or approximately 2,300 people per day.
  5. In 2011, 165 million children under the age 5 were stunted (reduced rate of growth and development) due to chronic malnutrition.
  1. Preventable diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia take the lives of 2 million children a year who are too poor to afford proper treatment.
  2. As of 2013, 21.8 million children under 1 year of age worldwide had not received the three recommended doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
  3. 1/4 of all humans live without electricity — approximately 1.6 billion people.
  4. 80% of the world population lives on less than $10 a day.
  5. Oxfam estimates that it would take $60 billion annually to end extreme global poverty--that's less than 1/4 the income of the top 100 richest billionaires.
  6. The World Food Programme says, “The poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty.” Hunger is the number one cause of death in the world, killing more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

More From WGBFAM