Hunger...let's call it what it is!

One of my favorite food establisments here in the Eastside is the Wilde Rover in downtown Kirkland. I can usually be found there once a week enjoying their amazing nachos and conversing with their really cool servers. One reason I like going to the "Rover" as we regulars like to call it :) is that they provide free newspapers for patrons to read as they sit at the bar. Most days, I go for the Seattle Times but on this particular day in December all that was left was the New York Times. I enjoy the news and reading the papers, but the NY Times is an entirely different level of news...I mean you really have to like the news to find this paper interesting! Anyways, I went straight to the commentary page and found a very intersting article about hunger here in America and what our governement is doing about it. Before I go any farther you need to know that I am not in any way bashing our government or our current administration...I'm simply expressing concerns. Currently in America there are about 11 million americans who each month do not have the money to provide enough food for their families. The 23 largest cities in America have all recorded record increases in emergency food requests from citizens according to a recent US Conference of Mayors. In Fairfax County, Virginia the health department cracked down on the people who cook meals for the homeless from their homes and churches because they don't have commercial-grade kitchens! But maybe the most disturbing of all to me is the fact that our Dept. of Agriculture has taken the word "hungry" out of it's verbage and replaced it with "very low food security". Who are they kidding? Changing the language will never change the facts, and we as the church should not be convinced that these people who for whatever reason don't have enough food aren't sometimes hungry! Let's call hunger what it is...hunger! I have learned recently that the people of Fairfax County fought hard and the health department backed off and these kind people are back to cooking meals for the homeless. It's stories like this that makes it easy for me to pick on politics and it's leaders, and not see the good that's taking place in churches and shelters. I pray that we as a church can continue to be a voice in our community and continue to serve as many needs as possible. Remember what Mother Teresa once said..."small things done in great love can change the world". I believe we can change the world with Jesus...as long as we're not blinded to the real hurt and needs all around us.

Peace and Love to you.
Rex