On May 8th, 2016 my team and I left our home in Montrouis, Haiti around 9:00 in the morning. One of the houses we were asked to visit was along the river’s edge where three single mothers work together to raise and care for their three infants less than a year old. As we met with the mothers, my teammates and I noticed that all three children seemed extremely tired…almost lethargic. I thought, maybe they just ate and are ready for a nap. I asked when the babies had last eaten. One mother responded, “They haven’t eaten yet.” By now it was 11:00a.m. She went on to explain that they are unable to produce enough breast milk in order to feed the babies as often as they needed to. On an average day, they typically breastfeed once, maybe twice a day; a sharp contrast to the 4-5 feedings per day recommended by American pediatricians.
Immediately, my heart sank. I looked down at this 7 month old asleep in my arms. How many babies have I held with stomachs filled with their mother’s milk or specially prepared formula that created a nice, round belly like hers? But hers was completely empty. The problem is more than a missed feeding. You see, the infant couldn’t eat because her mother couldn’t eat. Out of all the countries I’ve visited on the race, the food here is most scarce due to natural disasters that have destroyed farms. Restoration is a barely-moving process since the billions of dollars donated in relief funds were never seen by the Haitian people as a result of internal corruption.
So what do the Haitians do? Survive as best they can…a concept unfamiliar to most Americans.
My eyes flood with tears as I think of my pantry at home stocked with food whenever I’m ready to eat. On any given day in Haiti, for many people it’s not WHEN they get to eat, but IF.
This is one of many stories I’ve encountered along my 11 month journey. Likewise, of the stories and people I’ve encountered along the way, these are just a small percentage of the heart wrenching stories taking place around the world. They don’t get any easier to hear, but the problem becomes more pressing on my heart. So what happens next?
In 2016 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated 795 million people of 7.3 billion people (or 1 in 9) on our planet are suffering from chronic malnourishment. What these statistics don’t include is WHY so many people experience malnourishment… poverty, disease, conflicts within the government, lack of safe drinking water, etc.
When you read these statistics, what image do you see? For me it was the overwhelmingly large number…and then secondly, that the large number represents people, too many for me to help. It’s easier to stomach that way. It’s easier to read, feel sad for a moment and hope that someone (someone younger, someone older, someone more financially secure, someone with more time, someone with more strength, or someone with more energy) might help them, so that you’re able to continue on with your day, so that you can continue to live comfortably. That’s what I did. For the longest time I underplayed the urgency and weight of this reality, most likely because I didn’t want to believe that our global neighbors are suffering, that children are literally starving to death. I didn’t want to hear the cries of the hungry because they haven’t eaten in days, I didn’t want to see skin over bones children with bloated, protruding bellies because then I would know they don’t have enough food. It seems like too much to bare. Overwhelmingly, the statistics shout, “MILLIONS of people need help!”
My prayers used to consist of things like “Why is this happening? God can you please bring restoration to these people or to this place? Can you fill their stomachs?” Instead of passively asking God to fix everything, now I ask for God to give me the strength and courage to take action. “God, how can you use me to help others in the place that you have me now?” What can I do to help? What can WE do to help?
Of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 2.3 billion proclaim to be Christians according to worldstopmost.com. Christian author and humanitarian, Katie Davis states, “The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians would care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left.” Only 8%! Are you part of the 92% ? Would you be willing to be part of the 8%? Would you be willing to hear the call if I pointed you towards reliable, honest ministries guaranteed to bring hope and improve the lives of people in Africa, Asia, Central America or the Caribbean?
Today my prayer is that through my blogs and stories I share, it will inspire others to take action. I pray that your eyes would be opened too…that these large numbers would become more to you than just statistics, but people who need our help. I believe God’s intentions for us were never to sit idly on the side lines watching, but to “put some skin in the game.” He wants us to be willing to put ourselves in the middle of pain and struggle in order to bring about restoration to His people.
Please take some time to visit each of these ministries’ websites. Learn about the communities they serve and how we can help. Each website link is followed by a brief description of that ministries’ outreach purpose.
Lovestory.co.za
“It’s a blessing for us to be able to share Love Story with you. The organization was founded in October 2012. It started as a small group of people who shared the same vision – to see those who are destitute across our city be reconciled with the love of our father, Jesus Christ. We’ve grown from a little idea birthed out of the hearts of a few, to a multi-faceted organization that runs a great variety of community upliftment projects, education programs, and feeding schemes.”
Supplyandmultiply.com
“Supply and Multiply started as a kind of family project to make a difference in Haiti and now it is a growing ministry with several staff and ministries in Haiti and a network of partners in the U.S. After Christina went to Haiti she brought all of us to Haiti. We all fell in love with Haiti’s beautiful people and wanted to help alleviate her terrible burden. We lived there for the year of 2015 as a family and now we are back in the United States; very much changed by the experience. We now speak Creole in our home and have Haiti in our hearts. We are a family with a foot in two worlds. We invite you to join us on this great adventure of faith!”?
Pastor Chris
“Supply and Multiply builds houses for homeless people, and does home improvement projects for increased health and safety.
Pastor Chris & Christina, along with mission teams and partners visiting Haiti conduct family seminars, pastoral training seminars, revivals, and evangelistic crusades.”
Unbound.org
•”Provides personal attention and direct benefits to children, youth, aging and their families so they may live with dignity, achieve their desired potential and participate fully in society.
• Invite people of good will to live in daily solidarity with the world’s poor through one-to-one sponsorship.
• Build community by fostering relationships of mutual respect, understanding and support that are culturally diverse, empowering and without religious or other prejudice.”
Fmsc.org
“Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to our distribution partners. FMSC meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world in our history.
Feed My Starving Children established the international FMSC MarketPlace to support self-sufficiency and sustainability. For a fair wage, we purchase handmade goods from hard-working artisans in the communities that receive FMSC meals. The items are then sold in our MarketPlace at FMSC packing sites, MobilePack events and online. MarketPlace purchases build communities and profits go back into our feeding programs.”
Hopechest.org
“Children’s HopeChest engages churches and other Christian communities in long-term partnerships that:
• Empower local leaders to share the Gospel, reduce poverty, and create self-sufficiency for every child.
• Equip partnering communities to directly engage as a community in healthy international development practices.
• Address the complex causes of poverty, including material, spiritual, emotional, social, economic, and educational needs.
• Tend to the child’s holistic needs for survival, community, education, and employment.
• Transform the lives of children through a focus on sustainability, independence, and long-term self-sufficiency.
• Transform the lives of the partnering community members through exposure, education, relationship, and service.”
“And the king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, whatever you’ve done to the least of these, you did to me.’” -Matthew 25:40
