Later that night I was reading the amazing Richard Stearn’s book, The Hole in Our Gospel. The chapter I happened to be on was perfectly relevant to what I was thinking while the news was on. He says “One out of four children in developing countries is underweight, and some 350 to 400 million children are hungry. Worse, it is estimated that a child dies every five seconds from hunger-related causes.” He then goes on to write, “A hungry mind cannot focus. A child who hungers loses the ability to learn and even the desire to play. Undernourished women are more likely to die from childbirth or have underweight children that are malnourished from birth. It stunts physical growth as well and impairs the body’s immune system, making children and adults alike more vulnerable to the legion of diseases usually present among the poor: malaria, measles, worms, tuberculosis, cholera, and yellow fever, dengue fever, diarrhea, and dysentery. About 1 in 7 worldwide-854 million people-do not have enough food to sustain them. About 9 million people per year die of hunger.”
One horse was found malnourished? Sad? Yes. But compared to the reality around the world? Not so much. Most of us have never truly been hungry so it’s difficult to understand what hunger really means for the poor.
He then goes on to write about not only hunger, but a lack of access to clean water. I don’t want to bore you with a longer post, so maybe I’ll save it for another day. But if you have time this summer and want a changed perspective on the poor, please please read this book, whether you consider yourself a Christian or not. I’ve recommended to many friends but I don’t think they’ve actually read so let me know if you do! :)
“Don’t wait for the world to change, do it yourself.”
