The face of hunger and poverty is right next door to us

Guest post by Rebecca Monhollon, author of Mischief on the Mountain

World hunger and poverty, these words evoke powerful images to the mind. We imagine starving children in other countries. Little boys and girls with big eyes and their bones sticking out. We see them cry and insects buzzing around them. We feel sorry for them and our heart aches for a moment. The moment passes quickly and we go on with our lives.

The truth is, the face of hunger and poverty is right next door to us. Our neighbors who have lost their job or have experienced a medical disaster and every penny they have now goes to hospital care. These people put on a smile and go about their every day life, too proud to let us know the disaster that has befallen them. They are grateful for the school lunch program, at least they know that their children eat once a day. They cry at night and get up to face dire circumstances in the morning but they go on.

And then there are the homeless people, many of them our own veterans. How can that happen we ask ourselves. We see them begging on the corner and we hope the light changes so we don’t have to sit waiting to get on with our busy schedule while we are forced to notice them.

When we actually stop and think about it, we feel overwhelmed. We say to ourselves that we are only one person and what can we do? I am the same way. Every year during the holidays I say to myself that I should help in some way. But I tell myself the situation is too big for me to make any difference and happily go on with my life. I hope to change that this year because I think if we all do something, even if its small like buying a meal and donating that to a shelter, just think what collectively we could do.

These truths force us to be grateful for the things we have been given. Especially this time of year. The holidays are fast approaching and we are busy planning dinners and get together parties with family and friends.

Stopping hunger here in America starts with me. If I do one thing to help then maybe we can see a change for the better. I wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas.

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Books by Rebecca Monhollon

Mischief on the Mountain ~ View on Bookshelves | Amazon link unavailable.

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