Feeding

Feeding Ministry

Urgency to feed the hungry

Christians need to follow Jesus’ path in making an effort to provide some kind of food assistance to the most needy. Food PictureJames made this clear with the following illustration and question, “15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16, NIV). The reality is, starvation is a very serious humanitarian problem in both developing and developed countries that requires everybody’s attention.

Statistics about starvation in the world

The FAO reported in 2012 that an estimate of 870 million people was undernourished mostly in Africa. The World Health Organization estimates the daily adequate food rate at between 2,300 and 2,500 calories. The worst is that nearly 6 million children under the age of 5 years die of starvation each year (Oxford Atlas of the World, 104).

Statistics about starvation and poverty in the US

What about the US? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 47 million Americans lived in 2012 in households experiencing difficulties to put food on their tables (usda.gov). By the same token, US Census Bureau reported that 46.5 million people lived in poverty and 14.7 million in near poverty in 2012 in the U.S. (Hokaem and Heggeness, 60-248).

Call for Christians to help feed the hungry

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThese statistics show how difficult it is for many people in the world and even in the US to put food on their tables. We have to be very concerned and try to do what we can to help.

Of course, we clearly understand that a government has to create the condition for feeding its people. However, it’s not solely a government responsibility to assist the hungry. As both citizens and Christians, we have to play our role in helping feeding the hungry as Jesus used to do during his ministry in the world.

References

Hokayem, Charles and Heggeness. US Census Bureau: Current Population Reports, May 2014, 60-248.

Oxford Atlas of the World. 21st ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2013, 104.

usda.gov (USDA Accomplishments 2009-2012)