Do you know what the biggest humanitarian crisis is in the world today?
I didn’t. I assumed it was the refugee crisis, or maybe diseases or natural disasters. But I was wrong.
Right now, our greatest crisis is hunger.
According to the U.N., 815 million people suffer from hunger. That’s nearly 1 in 9 people worldwide who don’t have enough food.
Hunger isn’t just a critical situation now. It’s the largest disaster we’ve faced in decades. And it’s a crisis that targets the weakest among us. Children, refugees, the elderly, and the sick are all especially susceptible to malnutrition and starvation.
It’s easy to look at the countless people in need of food and feel hopeless. But as Christians, we know that our God is bigger than the hunger crisis. We can help those suffering in many ways, but one of the most important is through prayer.
With a predicament this overwhelming, it’s hard to know exactly what to pray for; here are a few prayer points to get you started.
1. Pray for sustainable solutions
The hunger crisis has been a problem for years, and it’s made worse by issues such as poverty, famine, and violence. This long-term crisis needs a long-term fix. Pray for solutions that give people food security they can rely on. Pray for peace in war-torn areas, since war prevents people from farming or storing up food. And pray that starvation and malnutrition will be things of the past.
2. Pray for people to receive proper nutrients
Wherever you find hunger, you’ll also find malnutrition. Without enough food, people also lack essential nutrients. This can lead to illness, organ failure, and even death. Pray for people to receive food full of nutrients and vitamins their bodies need to get strong and healthy. Pray they will be free from illness. And pray that malnutrition will not leave them with long-term issues.
3. Pray for the children
Hunger and malnutrition are terrible for all ages, but for children the effects can be devastating. Without proper food, children face problems with mental and physical development. Malnourished children often suffer from stunted growth, their brains and other organs don’t develop properly, and they are left with disabilities for the rest of their lives. Pray that children around the world will receive the food they need, and pray those already facing malnutrition will not have any long-term effects.
4. Pray that those facing this crisis will find hope in God
Many of the groups providing food and aid are Christians. That means that those facing hunger can find the physical help they need and the spiritual food they crave at the same time! God offers a hope that transcends every ordeal. Pray that when people receive food they also hear about Jesus. And pray that God will bring good out of this crisis and provide help and hope to the people affected.
Please remember those facing hunger in your prayers. And don’t stop with these prayer requests — come up with some of your own!
Thank you for your care and compassion for people living through this catastrophe. If you’d like to learn more about the hunger crisis and other ways you can help, click the link below.