When we are blessed to live in a land of plenty, it is difficult to imagine the degree of suffering that exists elsewhere in the world. Like others, I certainly complain about the costs of grocery store visits. My Bluebell ice cream is nearly $10 for a half gallon! The cost of ground sirloin this week was significantly higher than what I paid for steak a couple of years ago. And yet, sweets and meats are readily available. How amazing that wherever we go in this country, we find an abundance of everything. In season or out, it is still available to us.
This is not the case for most people. My trips to Cuba revealed little more than beans and rice for most. I have no idea how the people living in the slums I have visited find any sustenance at all. What’s more, to eat and drink in much of the world takes significant effort and all of one’s income. Clean water does not flow freely from indoor taps. Food is not delivered via an app.
Did you know that in 2023, there were 875,613,260 undernourished people in the world? 5,531 people die daily from hunger and malnutrition, while in our country $34,187,497 will be spent today on weight loss programs and $120 million spent on obesity related diseases. The difference between the western world and the rest of the world is striking when it comes to food. But what about water? 18,871 people died last year from water related diseases. 767,003,408 people have no access to a safe drinking water source.
Surely the lack of these basic necessities place these people in the category of the “least of these” Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25. It is our intention to relieve these pressures, and others, for as many people as possible. It is our hope that we can raise the awareness of the world’s needs and encourage a response through our Foundation and any other means as we care for those for brothers and sisters in need. I hope you will join us.
Last modified: January 22, 2024
