We packaged up boxes of food for the people of Haiti at Kids against Hunger. The organization packages a nutrient-dense meal of rice, vegetables, soy, and chicken flavor. In less than an hour, we were able to prepare enough food to feed over 1700 people. The food that they send provides essential nutrients that the people often lack in their diet. Malnutrition and starvation are common occurrences in Haiti but are more widespread than ever since the earthquake. Food is often so scarce that people resort to eating cookies made out of dirt. Read this article to learn a little bit more about "mud cookies" and food shortages in Haiti:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22902512 (Sorry that the link doesn't work. Just copy and paste it into your address bar.)
We were also able to box up shipments of clothes at Orphan Grain Train:
We all wish to extend our prayers to the family and friends of Ben Larson, a seminarian at Wartburg Theological Seminary, who was killed in the deadly quake. We’ve been receiving email updates for the last couple of days detailing the unfolding situation in Haiti, and while we rejoice for the many people who have survived the earthquake, our hearts grieve for the families and friends of Ben and the countless others who have perished. Merciful Creator, your Holy Spirit intercedes for us even when we do not know how to pray. Send your Spirit now to comfort us in these days of need and loss, and help us to commend all who have died to your merciful care; through Jesus Christ, our savior and Lord. Amen.
We ended the day with a delightful supper with the bishop of the Nebraska Synod, the Rev. Dr. David defreese. We heard about different opportunities for ministry in the Nebraska Synod, and Bishop deFreese was kind enough to field our anxious questions about candidacy and the assignment process. Hey, it’s not every day that you have an audience with a bishop. All in all, it was a fitting end to a very meaningful day.
Bishop deFreese kindly shared a personal greeting with our little team of Nebraska adventurers and all those who are following our travels online.
5 comments:
These activities, preparing food packets and clothing donations, were some of the most powerful things I felt I was part of during the Nebraska trip.
We heard over and again what the various churches and organizations in the area were doing with their time and resources and it felt really good to be a part of it, even for a small while. While we were learning so much about the area, it was really great to get a chance to actually do something to help out within the environment.
Knowing that in a matter of an hour-hour and a half we were able to prepare food for over 1700 servings was an amazing thing. It was also great to hear that several churches bring their youth in to do the same service we were able to do.
I agree with David. It was so meaningful for me to be able to help out with the effort to help Haiti in their time of need. In fact, I was almost in tears the night before, watching the news and hearing all of the tragedies that had been occuring. All along I had been wondering what I could do to help and then the next day we helped to pack clothing and food for the people in Haiti.
One comment I found interesting at the Rescue Mission was that many people in the area felt as though they did not need a rescue mission, because they said there were no homeless people in the town. As the director of the mission told us, there are people in need in this small town and in the area surrounding it. It's just not as visible as it is in the city.
The work that we took part in at Kids Against Hunger and the Orphan Grain Train provided a nice break in the week. For a couple of hours, I felt as though I was able to refresh myself. We had been incredibly stimulated over the past several days with experiences and stories. To really get to work with our hands and do something tangible really helped provide a feeling of accomplishment and also to reinforce what ministry is all about, love and service.
Through the experiences of the day, I was able to reflect upon the beauty of this theme of love and service and its fluidity among differing traditions. While we may not have shared the same theological ideas with some of the organizations that we visited, that proved insignificant as we all held in common the passion to help and to serve our neighbor.
All 3 of those organizations were doing some great ministries, but Kids Against Hunger will stick in my mind the most. Common sense isn't all that common, but it exists in the Kids Against Hunger Program.
How often do we hear stories about international aid programs that send food people don't know how to cook or supplies that people can't use? This program has identified one of the most basic needs that many developing areas of the world have, and it is giving local people a chance to help with that need in a simple, tangible way. I'll be paying attention for a Kids Against Hunger branch wherever I end up for first call!
I too was thrilled to be able to package the food at Kids Against Hunger. First of all, I agree with Chris in that it was a wonderful way to refresh and recharge after moving around so much earlier in the week. I found it to be therapeutic as well as being relevant. When I first heard about the earthquake in Haiti I immediately started brainstorming asking, “what can I do when I get home?” Then a couple of days later learned that I didn’t have to wait until I got home; we were thrilled to know that the food that we would be packaging would be going to Haiti.
I was very excited to learn about Kids Against Hunger. It is a wonderful social ministry. When you consider that every six seconds a child dies because of hunger and related causes (Source: State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2004), it provides some perspective on a problem that is not only occurring in other countries, but also in the Unites States. Kids Against Hunger has put together relatively simple way to help meet peoples basic need for food, in a practical way.
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