The poor are always among us.  This was a letter I wrote to a friend of mine who was doing surveys for the department of welfare and he said how could we let people live like that:

There is something important you can do about the people you visit and interview.  You can pray for them–each person and their circumstances.  You said, ‘People should not live in such poverty.’  The poor have always been among us.
Pray for each person you meet.  If you have to, make a list of the households and people you meet.  People are poor for different reasons.  Sometimes alcohol or drug abuse is involved.  Sometimes it is mental illness.  Other times it is just plain bad luck.  Someone lost a job, ran out of unemployment or a bad illness was involved and they did not have health insurance or it did not take care of their needs.
There are all kinds of reasons people live in poverty.  Pray for each person, the children or their parents you meet.  Never stop praying.
Everything is by grace.  Praise the Lord for your health, your living quarters, everything.  Everything is by grace.  Continue to pray.  Prayer can move mountains.

Your friend