The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that nearly 870 million people of the 7.1 billion people in the world, or one in eight, suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2010-2012. Children are the most visible victims of undernourishment. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year--five million deaths. Undernourishment magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. The world produces enough food to provide everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day. The principal problem is that many people in the world do not have sufficient land to grow, or income to purchase, enough food.*
Who cares for the poor? From earliest times, God has seen and cared about the poor. God prepared a way for the poor to be provided food. He instructed land owners to leave food for the poor to freely pick and gather. “‘Suppose you are harvesting your crops. Then do not harvest all the way to the edges of your field. And do not pick up the grain you missed. Do not go over your vineyard a second time. Do not pick up the grapes that have fallen to the ground. Leave them for poor people and outsiders. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:9-10 (NIRV)
Whether it is food for hungry stomachs or comfort for lonely hearts, God wants us to reach out and bless others. God's promise is that if we will share generously from what God has given to us, He will bless us. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:6,8, 10 (NIV)
As we trust God and share with others, God provides. Will we hoard what we have, work and gather all we can for ourselves, or will we trust God's generosity and precious promises, that as we share with others, we will continue to have bread to eat and seed to sow?
*(Quoted from: http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm)
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