Almost every week somebody invites me out for a meal.
Some weeks this can grow to two, three or more such occasions. Not only is it a time for good fellowship, but it means talking over old times and recalling happy incidents of the past.
It occurred to me one day that there arethousands of people who go to bed hungry every night so I hit on the idea ofputting a dollar each time on the dresser and giving to world hunger each week. I’m told that even a dollar provides a meal of rice for four people somewhere in the world.
The following contrasts are interesting:
Between 700 million and 1 billion people live in poverty. To contrast, there are 157 billionaires in the world.
One hundred million people are homeless;
2 million people are millionaires in the world.
Four hundred million people are undernourished. Americans spend $5 billion on diets each year so that they can lose weight.
Two billion people bathe or drink in contaminated water, and Americans spend $15 million on bottled water annually.
This is not so much a guilt trip but an awareness of the situation worldwide. Since we are on the wealthy side of the equation we seldom complain, but it bothers me that before the sun goes down today, 16,000 children will die of hunger-related causes ... that is one child every five seconds. Even the tips we leave would greatly relieve many.
I take pleasure inknowing that when I enjoy a lovely meal, somebody out there is also enjoying one. And likely theirs does not include dessert.
THE REV. ANDREW HALL RECENTLY CELEBRATED 70 YEARS AS AN ORDAINED PASTOR. HE SERVED FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF FAYETTEVILLE FROM 1952 TO 1970. HE NOW PREACHES AT ELKINS COMMUNITY CHURCH ON THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH.
Religion, Pages 8 on 02/19/2011