Unimaginable Hunger {and hope}.

I live here in my comfortable home in America, saying “no” to many of the crazy, unhealthy foods that I know will damage my body and quality of life. But the fact of the matter is, I still have so many wonderful, wholesome foods in my frig and pantry that can be whipped up into a beautiful meal or snack at any time. So many options, in fact, that as someone who is still trying to “lose a few pounds”, I have to be careful to not overindulge in the whole foods that are on my plate!

I am fully aware of this abundance. I am grateful for it! I am so thankful that I can feed my children well and never have to hear them cry themselves to sleep because they are hungry.

{photo credit: gfa}

But I would be foolish to live in my happy little bubble of abundance and think that “it’s all about me”. Because around the world people are hungry and starving. I think today in particular of children in India. Did you know that 2 million children die of hunger in this country each year? That’s 6,000 children every day~and that’s just India! My mind can hardly grasp the number~much less the agony of the unimaginable hunger that drives the starving child to eat toxin-filled dirt, leading to sickness, and eventually death!

Together we can bring hope to those who are still alive! Would you join with me in this? If you’ve never sponsored a child, would you please consider it and take action? And maybe you already do sponsor one or more . . . thank you! And yet, is there room in your budget for another? That’s a question that I find so agonizing! I can’t help them all, but could I help just *one* more? {My man knows by now that this question will come up in our household every once in a while! }

We sponsor children {all but one are from India} through three wonderful organizations {Compassion, Bibles for the World, and Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope} who send 100% of our gift directly to the need, taking nothing out for overhead expenses. When you sponsor a child, you are giving them the wonderful gift of a hot meal, education, love, and most of all, the hope of Jesus Christ!

As sponsors, our family has been abundantly blessed as well! We pray for “our children” almost daily: it warms my heart to hear my own small children reminding Phil or I to pray for our children in India (and one in Thailand) by name. And they in turn pray for us and send us beautiful letters and drawings or pictures they have colored. I have also received a personal note from GFA staff telling us that they are praying for us! Isn’t it beautiful how the need of one child across a huge ocean can bring the body of Christ together as we work together to meet the need?

So, today as we eat our salad, nourishing soup, and drink down that awesome green smoothie {or even if it’s a Big Mac & milkshake! }, let’s pray for more sponsors, more funds to give??, and hearts willing to give what we do have! I know the Lord is pleased when we love the ones that He loves.

For more information on sponsoring a child through Bridge of Hope, please click HERE. If you already are a sponsor, I would love to hear about how this has worked out for you!

Blessings today!