Bread as the face of God

How many times in your life have you been truly hungry? I don’t mean normal hunger that comes from skipping a meal or two, I mean the kind of hunger that causes a literal pain and gnawing in your belly. We may get reminded of global hunger by late night info-mercials with children who look like walking skeletons, or if we interact with homeless people at all, we may see hints of it. You might have been scolded as a child to “finish your food because there are kids starving in Africa!” Some of us may even know people who struggle to put food on the table for their families. But chances are, you’ve never had to deal with the kind of hunger and malnutrition that can kill you.

Lent season is coming up and that leads many to think about fasting. That, in turn, can remind us of hunger, and how many people there are in the world who are always hungry. Lent is also a time when people give up vices, and spend that money that they would have spent on their vice on charity, instead. I think helping out someone who is hungry is an excellent substitute.

Some sobering facts for you:

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that nearly 870 million people of the 7.1 billion people in the world, or one in eight, were suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2010-2012. ~ Source
The world produces enough food to feed all 7 billion people, but those who go hungry either do not have land to grow food or money to purchase it. ~ Source
Nearly 98% of worldwide hunger exists in underdeveloped countries. ~ Source
Almost 1 in every 15 children in developing countries dies from hunger. ~ Source

The good news is that overall, world hunger has actually decreased, thanks in large part to awareness campaigns, global government programs and more people pitching in to help. There is still a long, long way to go.

What can you do to help? I’m glad you asked! 🙂

Locally:

Click to give (Greater Good Network)

Globally:

GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative)

Here’s a really good video that addresses global hunger, the reasons behind it and what can be done to help:

About dragonkatet

Regarding the blog name, Dragon’s Dreams ~ The name comes from my love-affairs with both Dragons and Dreams (capital Ds). It’s another extension of who I am, a facet for expression; a place and way to reach other like-minded, creative individuals. I post poetry and images that fascinate or move me, because that’s my favorite way to view the world. I post about things important to me and the world in which we live, try to champion extra important political, societal and environmental issues, etc. Sometimes I wax philosophical, because it’s also a place where I always seem to learn about myself, too, by interacting with some of the brightest minds, souls and hearts out there. It’s all about ‘connection(s)’ and I don’t mean “net-working” with people for personal gain, but rather, the expansion of the 4 L’s: Light, Love, Laughter, Learning.

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2 Responses to Bread as the face of God

Jo Bryant says:

February 27, 2015 at 6:08 pm

It amazes me that in this world of plenty so many still hunger. I read once that if we got rid of the intensive farming methods [and especially factory farmed meat for which there is too much demand for extensive crop farming to feed these poor animals] then enough land would be released that people would never have to starve. The world is a scary place these days.

- dragonkatet says:
  
  March 3, 2015 at 11:00 pm
  
  I agree, Jo. The saddest thing to me is that we could END world hunger if some countries would just get their priorities straight (i.e. feed people instead of making war on everyone else). There are many angles and solutions to this problem, what you mentioned being one of them…but it’s hard to get people to change their lifestyles, especially when it doesn’t affect them directly (that they can or are willing to see).