"It's that simple."

When Steve Vizard described how simple it was to do something about helping the poor, I was struck by his sincerity.
It really is simple, isn't it?
Because we know so much about it, we can easily make it sound complicated. It is complicated sometimes. But in many ways it is very simple too.
Denis Green has recently completed a report on Africa. Such a report is very complex. Many countries. Many issues. Big numbers.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the emerging disaster in Africa.
27,000,000 people may be close to starvation. Millions of tons of food are required. Billions of dollars will be needed. Even if we get the food it will have to be transported in some of the most difficult countries on earth.
All too hard? All too complicated?
Not at all.
It's really quite simple.
Any big task can be accomplished if it is broken down into human size bits. That's how World Vision runs. And that's how we will tackle famine in Africa.
It can be done, because the basic task of getting resources from point A to point B is a basically simple idea.
OK, so you can do it. But it'll cost millions!
Billions, actually. Denis estimates that it will cost $1 billion (a thousand million dollars) to buy the food to feed all those at risk this year. And a further half a billion to transport it.
$1.5 billion.
Is it a lot of money?
No. You have to put it into perspective.
The truth is that we could wipe this problem away instantly if the world only cared.
This amount is less than Australia alone spends on cigarettes in one year. It is about the cost of a dozen YF-22 US fighter aircraft. Last month the US Air Force ordered another 648. The total bill for fighter aeroplanes alone would feed the starving in Africa for generations!
The simple truth is we live in a world of upside down morality.
World Vision needs to become better at playing the role of prophet. We must draw attention to the stupidity of people who say we cannot afford to help the starving in Africa.
I look forward to the day when the Air Force needs to run a cake stall to raise money for a fighter bomber, and when there is plenty of money to feed the starving.