I can recall only one time that I have been without food. Like everyone else, I have fasted in preparation for tests at the doctor. I have been ill and have not felt much like eating for a day or two. And I have cut back on food when I would have liked to have more, in order to lose a few pounds. But only once have I been really hungry because I had no food available, and even that time was somewhat by choice.
In the summer after my second year of college, some friends and I took a trip deep into the Montana mountains. One of the friends was from Montana, and he knew where to go. We were going to a remote mountain lake which was beautiful, and (our friend assured us) full of fish. We would park the car, backpack in, and stay a few days, spending our time fishing and hiking. Our friend had been there before and knew how to catch the fish; so we packed a bit of food, but had figured into the menu plan several big meals of lake trout.
My friend was right. The lake was full of fish. They were jumping up out of the water all over the place. But for some reason, they were not biting on our hooks, and the four of us caught a grand total of one fish.
We were in no danger of starving to death. All we had to do was walk a half a day back to the car and drive 35 miles to the nearest store. But we did not want to do that. It had taken a long while to get there, it was a beautiful spot, and our camp was set up. We were having a great time, and once we left that campsite, we weren’t coming back. Besides, we were sure the fish would bite the next day, and then, maybe, the day after that. So, we stayed. But the fish never did bite and we did end up leaving early. By then, we were hungry—really hungry. I did not like being that hungry.
Hundreds of millions of people deal with ongoing, life-threatening hunger, every day. 150-200 million of these are children. Five million children die each year; that is, 14,000 every day. Jesus would want us to be concerned about that (see previous meditation). Is there anything we can do?
There are many organizations working to feed the hungry. Feed My Starving Children is the one I am most familiar with, and it is one of the best.
I like FMSC because everything they do is done in the name of Jesus. Recipients are not limited to Christian organizations, but all recipients know that FMSC is a Christian charity. It is Feed MY Starving Children. Read about their Christ-centered, Biblical beliefs and values HERE.
The people at FMSC are responsible stewards/managers of the donations they receive. One always wonders when giving to a charity if the money is well spent. There are watchdog organizations that monitor these organizations, and one of the most respected is Charity Navigator. Feed My Starving Children consistently receives their highest awards for integrity and trustworthiness, earning a 4-star rating (out of four) from Charity Navigator for the last 19 years.
I also like FMSC because they use volunteers in the packing of their meals, thus giving participants the opportunity to be directly involved in the work. FMSC also uses these packing events to educate participants on the problem of world hunger, how FMSC is working to help, and how participants can continue to help feed starving children.
Meals are developed by food science and nutrition professionals. The cost of each meal is just 29 cents. Imagine being able to alleviate a child’s hunger for 29 cents. If you were given the opportunity to see that hungry child right in front of you, and you knew you could take away that hunger by providing them with a meal, you would most certainly take 29 cents out of your pocket and give it away so that child could eat. You must realize that you can do that through FMSC. This is what FMSC does, and every 29 cents you give, feeds a hungry child, and in many cases, keeps them alive. (“Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” –Luke 3:11)
Think about that the next time you get your loose change after a purchase. The next time you spend a hundred dollars, think about how $106 could feed a child one meal a day for an entire year. FMSC does not operate any schools, orphanages, churches, or feeding centers. Rather, existing organizations, already doing good work, apply to FMSC to receive meals and feed the children in their care. FMSC then does what they can with what they have.
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Proverbs 21:13 — Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
Matthew 25:35 — “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”
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A prayer before eating:
Bless, O Lord, this food to our use and we to your service.
Keep us ever mindful of the needs of others and help us to live generous and compassionate lives. Amen.
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To learn more about FMSC and how you may donate or volunteer, go to:
THE STORY OF FMSC:
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