What in the World Are We Doing...from Linny

I came across this yesterday on Linny's blog at aplacecalledsimplicity.  It is too good to not share...so many truths.  This Friday we will be having a beans and rice supper at our home and will be inviting friends.  Can't wait!

 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

What in the World Are We Doing?

This morning as I was praying, the Lord made it clear what I needed to share today. It's comforting to my soul when He does that. He whispers and that to me, is the most unfathomable thing in my life. So here's what He said:

Do you know what today is?

Besides being Tuesday,
October 16th, 2012

it is:

World Food Day

A day where we are given the opportunity to think about millions of hungry people around the world.
Since He whispered it to me,
I have been praying most of the day about it and so many thoughts are whirling around....
but here's the bottom line:

What are we each doing today {myself included} that will change the number of people hungry
around the world tomorrow?

See, knowing there are hungry people around the world, doesn't change anything.
Feeling bad that there are hungry people around the world doesn't change anything either.
Praying for the hungry people around the world is also not enough.

Remember this verse:

"To whom much is given, much will be required."
Luke 12:48

Being 'given' much means we need to 'give' much out of what we've been given!

It is the very essence of the scriptures: caring for the orphan, feeding the poor, giving to the needy.

Can you imagine if that verse had said, "To whom much is given, be sure to pray that somebody else will feel compelled to give out of their excess."

Not quite, right?

Think about it with me, will you?

We don't like what's in our fridge...so we head to the store for something more appetizing.
We don't like the flavors of ice cream in the freezer so we buy more flavors....
We don't like the temperature of our food, so we whine....

We don't like the portions...so we 'supersize' it next time...
We don't want "that" today, because we just had it 'yesterday'.

We don't like the taste so we try to perfect it...

And while we are focusing on food, over 15,000 young treasures,
made in the image of Almighty God, will die a painful death of starvation today alone.

Like this little girl and her friend that I met on the streets of Kampala last year.

They were propped against a building.

Sitting alone.

On one of the busiest streets in Kampala.

Her lifeless eyes are forever etched in my mind.

She and her little friend didn't speak English.

But they understood that we had brought them some

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

{Do you notice her friend's arm? Just bones.}

He kept giggling when I gave them the food and water.

She was too weak to eat. I helped her put the sandwich to her mouth.

Then I helped her sip from my bottle of water.

She was so weak. So frail. But eventually she smiled a tad.

Her face, her need, her lifeless eyes are why

I am so passionate about our Frontlines+ Feeding program!

She is the face that compels me to do more!

And yet, while they sit starving on a street on the other side of the world,

we can't find something that we like in our fridge.

Or there aren't any restaurants that "sound good" for dinner.

Or we don't 'feel' like leftovers...

What in the world are we doing?

Seriously....

if you are a chef or a gourmet cook or your favorite television shows

are all on the Food Channel,

this is not about that.

You can be all of those and do all of that,

it's okay,

the bottom line is still:

What are we each doing today for the over 15,000 children that are starving to death today alone?

What are we doing tomorrow for the over 15,000 children that will starve to death tomorrow?

and

What are we doing the day after tomorrow for the starving children that will die that day?

"Whoooa, Linny" you might say.

You're right friends, I'm passionate about it all.

I have looked into the eyes of starving children.

I have held starving babies.

I have witnessed the panic of kids who have come to a feeding program

and the program is running out of supplies...

and

I can't pretend I didn't see it.

Almighty God is watching.

He sees it all.

He knows I saw it

and yes, He knows we know.

His love compels me to challenge those around me.

We have to do more!

I will never forget sitting next to a youngster at a gathering of moms and kids a few years back.
The little boy sitting next to me was about five years old and he went on and on
pitching a hissy fit because he didn't want the ham and cheese sandwich his mom had brought him for lunch. I had to get up and move. I couldn't take it anymore.

Shame on us western world!!

"To whom much has been given, much will be required."
Luke 12:48

But no doubt, many wonder:
What can we do?
Can we really make a difference from our little corner of the world?

You betcha
and
Together we can make a BIG DIFFERENCE

Here's one idea:

Today, for lunch, all of us ate with our hands our beans and rice. We talked about kids {just like our little treasures} around the world who have nothing to eat today.

Several of our kids remember being very hungry. One remembers eating dirt outside the orphanage because he was so hungry. Several of them remember older kids at their orphanages taking their food from them. It was actually a very emotional, teary discussion.

Then the money that we would've spent to eat something more "American" we donate to the Frontlines+ Feeding program, which feeds street orphans in Kampala. {No doubt, there are many other reputable feeding programs run by many different organizations - pick one!}

Can we really make a difference?

We can!!!

Each from our little corner of the world -

Think about it -

For instance, since January 2012, Frontlines Feeding+ program has fed approximately 14,960 meals to street kids in Kampala - and we are have just been getting going!

These orphaned street treasures are being fed because normal, everyday people around the world donate a bit here, a bit there...and now, 10 months later we have fed 14,960 meals!

All praise to Almighty God!

As we promised at the inception of International Voice of the Orphan -
100% of the Frontlines+ Feeding program donation proceeds goes directly to feed the kids.

But what else can we do?

Talk to your friends.

Have a dinner, invite your friends and serve a meal of beans and rice and then eat with your hands.

{We are going to do this!}

Talk about the hunger around the world.

Ask your friends if they would want to help feed a child for a year?

{IVO Frontlines+ Feeding Program spends approximately $1.00/ for every three meals fed.}

Decide today to change the way you look at food.

Make a decision to eat beans and rice regularly

{with the money saved going to feed a child for a week or a month or a year.}

Can we really make a difference?

Together - we can!

{more ideas soon!}

"To whom much has been given much will be required."

Luke 12:48

And I was thinking....

if you are interested....

invite some friends or family...

have a beans and rice meal and donate the money to a Frontlines+ Feeding program

and send a picture to:

office@internationalvoiceoftheorphan.com

we will post it to the IVO blog in an upcoming blog post...

We can't pretend we don't know about the 15,000 kids today or tomorrow or the next day.

We have to do something.

Starting today.

Together we can make a difference!