Hunger never ends!

I was lucky enough to work at my local community Food Pantry. This was where the seed was planted so many years ago in my heart to reach out and help others who faced hunger! It had been several years since I had been there and as I walked through the doors, I remembered the people the faces and the stories.

I met the group I would be working with ~ a wonderful group of caring individuals! Things hadn't changed too much, and I was so pleased to see that the shelves were fairly well stocked! The "storage" area was also adequately stocked as well.

I was eager to begin to serve the people who had come to get their food. Knowing I was now not only serving my own community but villages and communities in Tanzania Africa too. There were some similarities but vast differences too. I greeted one lady who just needed a few staple items that her social security check would now afford her. She said she would not take anything she didn't really need that her heart remained steadfast with helping others by leaving what she didn't need. As we went through the local food pantry, I listened to her story of her life. She had a story to share and I don't think anyone took the time to ever listen to her. As we were finishing, we discovered that we were both cared for by the same doctor. We laughed and she thanked me for listening to her and not "rushing" her through. She reached out with a hug and it was the warmest hug I could have ever had! This is helping someone in more ways than just filling up her grocery bag. Another lady came through the food pantry and wanted to share her story with me as well. It was sad but a work injury that crippled her husband had also crippled their life as a family. They were left with little income and what they had could not afford them food on a daily basis. As we walked through the pantry, she kept talking and I kept reassuring her that God had a plan in her life. I asked that she just take baby steps and not look further than what was in front of her today. She promised me she would do that and gave me a big hug on her way out.

The food that we package here in the USA that gets shipped to Tanzania Africa, completely nourishes the bodies of hundreds of children who have nothing to eat. They have no government run food pantries in this country. The food that we are able to give them, truly saves lives. I have seen the children eat this food. They are completely quiet as they eat the rice, soy and vegetables. They are too weak to tell a story but I have seen by the looks on their faces as they are nourished by this food. They are not given a choice as to what they eat, they are just happy to have something TO eat!!

I will end with one thought for tonight, hunger is very real here and globally. We have the opportunity to change someones life for a day ~ take a leap of faith and reach out to help.....it will forever change you and the person you are helping.

Until next time~

Cheers!