“I’m starving to death!”
It’s 11:30 a.m., and I’m leaning over the side of my cubicle to complain to a co-worker. It’s been three hours since I’ve eaten breakfast, and I’m already anticipating lunch.
I whine as if I’m powerless to stop my stomach from growling. But in reality, I can go to the vending machine or take an early lunch break. Food is never far from my grasp, and I’ve never had to go too long without it.
I have no idea what it feels like to starve to death. But for countless people around the world, the problem is all too real.
Countries including Haiti, Nigeria, Uganda, Syria, Iraq, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are in the throes of a hunger crisis. The main reasons? Crop failure, drought, violence, and extreme poverty.
It’s challenging to put myself in the shoes of a woman living in Haiti who must watch her children slowly waste away from malnutrition. It’s hard to imagine myself as a refugee in Syria who fled her work in the fields because of the constant violence.
But even though I have no idea what it’s like to go to bed hungry, I’m still called to action. As Christians, we are commanded to look after the needs of others.
In Matthew 25, Jesus describes the day when we’ll all give an account of our actions — good and bad:
[The King will say,] “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Whenever we help an orphan, a widow, or an impoverished individual, we are shining the light of Jesus Christ in a dark situation.
Those of us who have been blessed with the Light need to shine it.
Mother Teresa, one of the greatest humanitarians of our time, put it this way: “Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received, and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”
So, what can you do to help?
You can help save a child from starving to death; $40 is all it takes to provide food for one child for an entire year!
Is God calling you to be the missing piece in solving the famine puzzle for one hungry child?
You won’t be filling just a physical need, but you also will be feeding someone who is spiritually starving.
When World Help’s Christian partners and volunteers distribute critical supplies including food, they have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus to people who have experienced immeasurable pain. That means your gift of food can open the door for someone to discover the hope of salvation!
You can change the life of one person who is trapped in the vicious cycle of sickness and pain due to the hunger crisis. For $40, you can feed a starving boy or girl for one year.