This BBC piece says that due to the global financial crisis, poverty may soar in Latin America by as much as 15% this year, according to a senior UN official.

That's pretty huge. 2.4 million Latin Americans could lose their jobs.

The smallest and medium sized governments and economies may suffer the most, without the means to inject needed funds into their economies. There's a possibility of widespread unemployment in countries like Panama and the Dominican Republic. Even major oil exporting countries like Ecuador and Venezuela feel the pinch of the big drop in the price of oil. Brazil feels the pinch too.

On the one hand, a person could perhaps sit in some safe place over a latte and analyze the causes of the global financial crisis. Much of the cause is human greed and abuse of power. Some of the cause is malpractice, by citizens and experts and leaders alike.

On the other hand, when there are poor people, whether the number of poor people expands or contracts, what are those who follow Jesus called to do? Serve the poor, in season and out of season; in the boom and in the bust. It doesn't matter why they are poor, or how recently they fell into poverty.

What can be difficult for me as a midwesterner American is how do I help to serve the growing number of people living in poverty in Latin America during this crisis? One way is through my church's partnership with a congregation in Mexico. Another way is through giving to an organization like LAM.org or World Vision who have established, experienced workers on the ground, extending the reach of the global church.

Another way is through fervent prayer, which (I'm confounded to explain why or how but it) makes a difference. Another way is through listening, learning, and being not only informed but trying to become educated so that when I vote, when I write letters to the editor, when I talk to friends, when I form opinions, there can be some wisdom and understanding in the mix.

God, please help the almost 600 million people in Latin America, too many of whom live in poverty. Things are going to be worse for a while before they get better. Help the church in Latin America to rise to this occasion. Help the church in the rest of the world also rise to this occasion.