On Monday I ate oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I had black beans and rice and I only drank tap water.
On Tuesday I ate oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I had black beans and rice and rice and I only drank tap water.
On Wednesday I ate oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I had black beans and rice and rice and I only drank tap water.
On Thursday I ate oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I had black beans and rice and rice and I only drank tap water.
It’s Friday today. It’s breakfast time. Guess what I’m eating?
What could make my wife and I endure such monotony this week? I assure you it’s not a fad diet. I’m eating a diet that resembles what half the population of the earth eats every single day – and for them it’s not a choice. This is my third time observing Willow Creek Community Church’s 5 day food and water challenge as part of our yearly Celebration of Hope series focused on global issues.
So the point is to eat like the developing world for five days – and five days is pretty challenging. But the fact of the matter is that 925 million people do not have enough to eat. That’s more than the population of the United States, Canada, and the European Union combined. They don’t know where there next meal is coming from. It’s unthinkable for us, but it’s a harsh reality for much of the world. Three billion people today (almost half the world’s population) live on $2.50 or less a day. (See stats on global poverty and hunger)
The unfortunate truth is that it’s so easy to forget. How can I remember all the hungry in the world when nearly everyone in my life is devoid of the experience of truly being hungry? We don’t know the fear and uncertainty that come from not knowing where our next meal is coming from. From a global perspective 98% of the world’s hungry live in the developing world.
The past 5 days have broken me in a new way. The hunger pain pales in comparison to the pain that comes from realizing this is an everyday reality for so many people – for so many children. I try to reach my full potential by continuing my education while others try to reach their full potential by finding enough food. On the other side of the world is a man who was born the same hour I was and our lives are black and white based solely on where we were born.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)
I’ve had just a small glimpse into a life that is completely foreign to me – but here’s what I’m taking from the week: They matter every bit as much as I do to God. We can’t let others matter less to us. I guarantee that if your son, daughter, niece, or nephew was literally starving to death you would go to great ends to alleviate their suffering. Someone else’s son or daughter is starving right now as you read this.
There’s more than enough food produced in the world today. Inequality is the killer. It’s no one’s fault in particular, but it’s everyone’s responsibility to take action. The very fact that you’re able to read this (on a computer no less) shows that you’re in the richest world demographic. Let’s make a change.
These are some of the humanitarian organizations my wife and I support that focus on global poverty and hunger. Consider checking them out:
I just found out (slow, I know) that Feed My Starving Children now has a location in Schaumburg … guess where I am going to volunteer? While there are things that are out of our control, this is one area we all can help with. If you have a garden (I’m planning a huge one for when we are in a new abode), plant more than you need and donate fresh produce to your local food bank. When planning dinner, make enough to take some to the elderly in your area or to a neighbor. Just these ideas take so little time but can make a difference. Can you imagine what it would be like if many of us banded together and did it? Love, love, love your blog and how it opens my heart and makes me want to be better. Love you too!