HUNGER

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I get daily news from the southern African countries in my inbox. I communicate on a daily basis with ministry partners in countries like Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eSwatini, South Africa, Malawi, Namibia, Kenya, and Madagascar. We discuss ministry things, prayer requests, thanksgivings for what God is doing in our lives, and news of families. Since I know these dear brothers and sisters and have cherished relationships with them, what happens in their part of the world is very important to me. My heart breaks when I see headlines such as the one this morning, “Catastrophic Hunger Descending On Southern Madagascar” because I also hear their personal stories about such real suffering.

https://allafrica.com/stories/202106230111.html?utm_campaign=daily-headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=aans-view-link 

Yet here I am in America, perhaps living frugally but still with more than enough to eat. We Americans focus intently on our bodies, our health, nutrition, and the like. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud efforts of my fellow Christians to keep their “temples” healthy, and I’m thankful for the bounty we are privileged to have here in this country. And, yet, the obsession with what we put in our mouths strikes me often as absurd. I cannot ever remember one of my African sisters, used to regular bouts of hunger all her life, turning down something to eat because it wasn’t on her diet. Food is food, and it fills the belly. They are thankful for whatever they can get.

And so, I continue to wrestle with this dichotomy that I encounter each day. In my work, I don’t have the luxury of compartmentalizing the suffering of the developing world in a small corner of my brain and pulling it out once in a while to appease my conscience with a quick prayer or donation. The juxtaposition of the “haves” and the “have nots” invades much of my waking moments. And so, I share my heart with you.

Father, forgive us of any vain self-focus. Help us ALL to be thankful for what we have, to have our priorities straight, and to focus on the treasures of Your Kingdom. May you glorify Yourself as the great provider for all who call upon your Name. May Your great compassion reign and rule in our hearts and our lives. May we hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Amen.



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