Thursday, October 29, 2009

A Blessing to Bless; 368 Kids Will Now Eat!

Wooohooo!

I cannot WAIT for Turkey Day ya'all! I making a ton of yummy food, all my faves just the way I want them, then I am stuffing my face, stretching my elastic waistband beyond its limit, then I'll be sitting around with my family and friends, all sleepy and satisfied. And then, the days after that I will be feasting on fantastic left-overs that, after sitting overnight actually become more savory and satisfying. And don't forget the pumpkin pie w/ coffee breakfast, and the late-nite home-made cranberry relish fix w/ plenty of whipped cream...It is a week of utter and unabashed indulgence!

So, remember a while back I was expressing some slight frustration 'cause the oldest child was being picky about his food; ya know, when it's too hot/cold/different color/not enough salt/"looks weird"/etc/etc/etc claw my eyes out!!!!

And maybe you remember too how my frustrations led into talking about people in Africa not having any food to eat, and starving children, and how I sent my son into a mental breakdown (well, not quite that bad, but he was sobbing in my lap) which made him ask me, "why is no one helping them?"

It was of course a very obvious and good question, and one that in many ways I didn't have much of an answer to, sad to say, except that there were people out there helping. I just didn't know of any, and I myself had never thought to try, because really, what could I do about it?

Then that Sunday we learned that our church would be hosting an event to prepare 1,000,000 (yes, one million) meals for people in Africa, through an organization called, Feed My Starving Children! What Divine timing! Do you know how excited I was to tell Jacob this?? Our church would have the opportunity to volunteer time and money and prayers that would feed 4000 children everyday for a year. He.was.thrilled!

So, that was a month ago, and last night we went to the church auditorium, put on our hair-nets, washed our hands, and we got to work. But not before we learned a couple of things that hit home:

1. Many of these people we are providing meals to try to survive on "dirt cakes" which are a few ingredients, like salt, butter and water, mixed with dirt and baked into a cake shape. Children eat this to make their belly swell so they feel "full" and can sleep without the excruciating hunger pangs haunting them all night long. However, in the morning those dirt cakes are destroying their little systems; it's a vicious cycle.

2. Feed My Starving Children started by providing 3 million meals. This year, with the help of people in organizations and churches, they will provide 93 million meals. Those people no longer have to eat dirt cakes!

3. I was really able to wrap my head around this concept: "One man in one country asks for his daily bread and gets nothing. Another man in another country prays for his daily bread and gets two loaves. God answered both prayers, it's just about the distribution." We just have to make sure we give that extra loaf to those who don't have it in their hands! 17 cents is one meal. Think of how many kids we could feed just by dropping a few dollars their way! Amazing.

My kids worked so hard. Seriously! They never complained and didn't stop until the last box was filled. They were touched and upset over the stories of children not eating for days, and the images they say while hearing the stories. They had no idea, as did I had no idea, that children were eating dirt to stay alive. Audrey prayed that the children would not die in the night so they could get the food we made for them. I know I'm her mom, but that made me cry ya'all. This event has been life-changing for us, and for the people who will get the food.

We're all working in shifts this week; our shift of 600 people prepared and packed 141,000 meals, which will feed 386 children in Africa for a year. Remember, this program sends 93 million meals a year now. And in all this time, in all these years, only two shipments have been hijacked or stopped. We are praying that number stays right where it's at!

It's a good lesson for us to learn; saying "I'm hungry" takes on a whole new meaning. Getting grumpy when I haven't eaten in a few hours, or if I have to wait for my dinner at a restaurant longer than I wanted, really doesn't make sense. I grew up watching commercials of children staring at me, with those big tearful eyes, through the TV, and the pleas to "call the number on your screen" but never actually thought about it. I have been humbled by this opportunity, and how it all came together with a question from my son and an answer just a few days later. I feel so blessed to have the time, energy and monetary resources to give to others who are without, and to have my children share in that as well, and to help them realize they are truly able to make a difference if they just try! Check out their website ya'all...I hope you're inspired like we have been inspired! And if you could, say a prayer to protect those food shipments, and that they get into those precious little hands and fill those bellies, allowing for blissful sleep!

Peace and love ya'all,


4 comments:

w said...

nice. also. i feel kinda weird doing the name things on a "feel good" post. so. maybe i shouldn't.

but then again. it's not a sad sappy post. it's a happy one.

with that being sed, cullen't you imayergine how wonderful these kids will feel after they receive these meals? varnderful.

Maniacal Mommy said...

Thank you.

Kearsie said...

Wow. Your kids will never forget that. Awesome.

The Retired One said...

Bless you.
Seriously.
You and your family are awesome.

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