As a nation, America is very much like the rich man. The economy is skyrocketing but (like the rich fool of another parable) politicians and businesses continue to consider how to build bigger barns to contain it all- all the while there are hungry people at our doorsteps. Perhaps God is also saying to us, "Fool!"
When the topic of hunger is brought up, there inevitably is also that sqeamish feeling brought about by those guilt inducing commercials with a a crying spokesperson. They beg for 20 or 24 dollars a month- but where does the money go? There are many valid questions one must ask about any charity or non-profit group. Some of these are addressed in a previous article. But the fact remains that there are people in the world who go to bed hungry, while we live in the land of plenty.
One denomination has devised a unique response to this pressing human need. The Southern Baptist Convention has established a World Hunger Fund whereby 100% of all donations go directly to hunger relief, with nothing taken out for promotion or administration. But what makes it different from the TV ads that seem to flood cable TV? Two things stand out- first, it is Christ centered and secondly, it is cost effective.
All of the food aid is distributed through local churches and/or missionaries in the land in which they are serving. Missionaries are able to use these funds to meet the physical, as well as spiritual, needs of the people among whom they minister. A couple of examples are Calvin Fox, a misisonary in India, who used World Hunger Funds to teach new agricultural methods to farmers. "As a result of this, thousands of families have a healthy diet and nearly 600 new churches have been established." (from Hunger magazine)
Local churches in America use World Hunger Funds to meet the food needs of the homeless and poor in their communities. The Central Baptist Church in Miami regularly feeds 150-200 people every Sunday with food provided through the World Hunger Fund.
The booming economy hasn't benefited everybody. There are millions of working poor in America who need assistance just to get the food that they need for their children. Through the World Hunger Fund, and dedicated volunteers, churches are able to lend credibility to the gospel and a God of Love. They can't see God but they can see us. Our actions should be a mirror of God's love.
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