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Friday, April 27, 2012

Hungry Children

One thing which haunts me more then hungry animals, is hungry children.
 I knew what it was like to be hungry as a child.
Don't get me wrong, my mother worked hard to feed and cloth us.
Yet she wasn't always there to cook healthy meals.
Going to a two teacher country school, there was no shop close by, in my first few years to buy lunches.
There was no money either, to do so. We took sandwiches from home. These were made from the previous days, bread. It was kept in a bread safe, not the fridge or freezer. We mostly had home made butter and some kind of spread. The sandwich was wrapped in greaseproof paper. This kept it clean, but the outside of the bread hardened as it dried out and wasn't the most palpable to eat. Our drink was water from the outside school taps, cold in winter and warm in summer. We children ate and drank what we had with no complaint, we all, in those days, just accepted that this was the way life was. Very few children who attended our school had it much better.

How different it was for my children, and now my grandchild, and yet sometimes they throw their lunches away. Good healthy food, thrown into the dustbin with no appreciation.
 Not all children have it so good. There are many today who's parents spend the household money unwisely leaving the children to suffer hunger. Some Australian children are sent to school without a breakfast and often no lunch. In my opinion, this is evil, and yet, these parents spend on drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and gambling. In other words, on their own pleasures and pursuits, instead of on nourishing food for their offspring.

Whenever I am anywhere, be it MacDonald's or the supermarket, if I see a child or an adult, who looks hungry or poor, I buy them food.  How amazed they always are. High school kids flock into MacDonalds to buy themselves something after school. Often one child will hang back as they don't have the money, these are the ones I approach and say. You look just like my grandson, or granddaughter. Here take this money and buy yourself something.
One child of a family of three children that I treated to chips and chocolate in a supermarket one day looked at me in adoration. "You must be a very kind lady," she said.
I was so taken aback that I failed to tell her, that Jesus loved her. I couldn't speak for the lump in my throat.
But then perhaps I wasn't meant to say a thing?  God works in mysterious ways.  
I am not writing this to build myself up, but to demonstrate how aware we need to be, of the less fortunate.
We can't take anything with us when we depart this world. Sharing is the best policy.

"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 
 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, 
I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:42-45

19 comments:

  1. Ah bless your heart! What a wonderful idea to do, give money to the kids that cannot go into the McDonalds! I will keep my eye open for situations like this.

    I usually offer to buy a homeless person food sometimes they are so grateful and other times they just want the money and they grumble when I give them food instead. One guy replied to me I can get food at

    What a hard time you had growing up. I love how God has formed you. Your heart is precious.

    Blessings and hugs,
    <><

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  2. YIKES! Part of my comment is missing. :(

    I was going to say...One guy replied to me I can get food at the mission, what I really want is money. I ended up giving him some honey covered nuts and told him that he couldn't get these at the mission.

    <><

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    1. You gave him honey covered nuts, that was good, and special to him. So important to give like that.

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  3. It seems like hard times in childhood gives folks either a hard heart, or a soft and caring one. I know both types; I'm glad that you're the latter. God bless you for caring.

    P.S. I responded to the comment that you left on my post.

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    Replies
    1. I believe when life has been hard you see things in a different light. I love having hot running water. So many beautiful blessing.

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  4. This is such a moving post, and a call to action. We all need to be sensitive to how the Lord is directing us. He will always put someone in our paths who needs something. We just need to be quick to see and act.

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  5. I LOVE it that we work together to accomplish so much.
    Used to produce local concerts - to attend, people brought food -
    eventually it got enough attention that people brought personal dramas for the attention, which slowed, then closed the project. of course, there are countless ways to bless - and we find 'em.

    Thank you for "representing" the One We Love.
    -g-

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  6. Amen! I too grew up without money and there were times we lacked food. I learned to appreciate and not take things for granted. God bless you for feeding the hungry ones and showing the love of our Father.

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  7. This is so precious!! For years I thought about giving in terms of money....but a sweet friend told me that even when we give our "stuff" away for a worthy cause, it's considering "tithing" in God's eyes!!! Great words of wisdom, my sweet friend!

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  8. You are a real blessing to the hungry children you come across. May the Lord bless you abundantly for your kindness in Jesus' name.

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  9. A wonderful way to spend a few bucks. So many of us pay lip service, but hesitate when the gig calls for us to reach into our pockets for the gold.

    Years ago I asked a priest about 'giving money' to a guy on the street, who "would probably just spend it on booze or coke." He said to me, "Why don't you let God be in charge of the money after you give it to the beggar?"

    Thanks, Crystal Mary!

    PEACE!

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  10. Oh, my precious lady, Crystal!!...
    You have indeed, a heart of gold, my dear friend.
    You know, I agree with you. It certainly breaks my heart
    to see hungry children, especially when there are still many rich
    folks worldwide. Unfortunately, many of them are selfish, and they
    only care for themselves and their folks.
    I had also hard times in growing up. Poverty was a daily thing back then.
    When I became an adult, I left my mom's nest for better opportunities
    in my young life. Then, I got good paying jobs. So, I began to help the ones in need in any way possible. I helped orphan children, homeless, disabled, blind, and whoever came into my way who needed help, and I was
    able to help in some way.I've helped people and animals as well. I felt as if I was some kind of God's instrument in this world.
    I thought God was using me to do His deed in the world.
    Maybe, you also feel good to help the ones in need, so that you may feel good with your inner spiritual self. I am not selfish, I am a generous lady. You see, we do not take our material goods to Heaven.
    Thank you so much, sweet Crystal for sharing this awesome post with the world!! You've got lots of followers in your wonderful and inpirational blog, Crystal Mary. God keeps blessing you, sweetheart!!
    All the best,
    Poet & Song-Writer Starry Dawn.

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