On Thanksgiving Sunday I invited prayer requests and expressions of gratitude from the congregation. One visitor expressed thanks for living in a country in which she never had to consider where her next meal would come from. I agreed whole-heartedly and I'm sure everyone present felt the same way as I prayed.
Yesterday on World Food Day I thought of her comment, knowing that this isn't true for approximately a billion people on the planet who are hungry or undernourished. We are told regularly that there is enough food for everyone, but scarcity in some regions and the challenges of distribution mean that one out of seven humans doesn't get enough to eat each day. http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/10/16/worldwide-food-focus-Wednesday
I am also aware that we don't have to go to developing nations to find examples of malnutrition or hunger. At Bridge St. we have an active meal program which includes Inn From the Cold sit-down meals during January and February. The dedicated team also provides frozen TGIF meals one day a week, and there are many grateful recipients.
We heard as well this week that a United Nations team visited First Nations communities across the country and admonished our wealthy nation for the disparity which is evident in the poverty in so many places. The availability of nutritious food at reasonable prices is a huge issue in most northern communities, including First Nations.
The bible has a lot to say about the fair distribution of food as a spiritual and practical issue. God doesn't seem to have much patience with those who are well fed when others go hungry. The apostle Paul admonished some of the wealthier first Christians who joined with others for common meals but kept the best for themselves.
As I sit here almost within sight of the abundance of the local farmers' market there is so much to ponder. What are your thoughts about all this?
2 comments:
Before coming to Bridge Street and actually coming to Bancroft we lived in Ricmond Hill and attended Richmond Hill Untied Church it was there my passion for work with Food issue was born. A small group of us decied that child hunger issues need to be addressed and the Ricchmond hill United Church Breakfast Club was born At it hayday we were in 7 schools feeding 400 kids every morning the program still exists and is still n 2 school with seniors and other volunteers from the Church working in these schools feeding kids every morning this program then developed into a reading recovery group and a Sr mentoring program
i was pleased to be director of this program from its inception and really feel they still make a difference in those people lives
fast forward and now i read that over 14000 children in rural Ontario are regular user of food banks this is wrong and we need food security in our lives.This is a topic i cold go on and on but the long way to answer a question is yes I am thankful for he food in my life but i fret for those who hunger
Like John, I too am thankful for easy access to healthy food.
It is disturbing and upsetting to realize that so many people go hungry - not only in third world countries but in North America too.
I find it even more disturbing that trillions can be spent on wars. Can you imagine if every cent of those trillions went to ensuring every child was well fed?
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