Bulletin Statement

Has Not God Chosen the Poor?

My close relationship with God and a calling to compassion have moved in me a desire to ease the hurt of hunger worldwide. Yet it has always been hard to wrap my mind around the concept of world hunger. What is there for me to do about it? Then, a particular experience brought me to a deeper understanding of the ideas that were too big for me to grasp before.

I was traveling with the WorldService Corps in Africa. My assignment was in a small, rural village of northern Zambia where food is scarce and people are poor. When we arrived in the village, the chief explained to us, "Times are not good. There has been a drought. The food crops have dried up. The river is low, so there are few fish. Still, we are blessed to have a well and a community of people who share with one another." We learned later how accurate the chief's words really were, these people were blessed many times over.

The Kombe family hosted my partner and me. There were eight of us living regularly under their small thatched roof, and occasional passers-by. The custom in this village is that whenever there is food, it is shared. The Kombes had very little, and even less with the drought, but food was passed beyond the members of the household. It was given to neighbors and strangers, to visitors and to beggars. The best of relationships were built on a gift of precious food.

The Kombe family was hungry, but their sacrifice was to ease the hurt of hunger for those who had less than they. The lesson for me was in their all-encompassing compassion for the people around them. The importance of my contribution became greater because I have what can be shared. I began to understand that the concept of world hunger is not so hard to wrap my mind around after all. What I can do is the simplest and most important thing that needs doing--I can give the gift of precious food.

Andrea Smith
WorldService Corps volunteer
Independence, Missouri

September 7, 2003