Thanksgiving has returned for another season. Families will be gathering around a table filled with plenty of delicious eats and saying prayers of gratitude for all that they have to be thankful for. Many of us can be thankful for the food on our table, and for never having to know the experience of being food insecure, not knowing where our next meal will come from.
It’s not often talked about around the Thanksgiving dinner table, but I’d like to take a moment during this week’s weekend word to explore what we’re truly thankful for – not having to live through a famine.
fam·ine
ˈfamən/
noun
1. extreme scarcity of food.
Food insecurity is a problem many people face all around the globe. The problem magnifies when you add a nationwide famine, which is what our friends in Uganda are facing right now.
One-third of the population in South Sudan is food insecure, partially as a result of militant armed groups taking over throughout the country. Many people are forced to flee their homes as refugees, leaving behind crops that help sustain the population and adding to the current food shortage. As a result, food prices are skyrocketing, and it’s hard for humanitarian aids to get enough food supply in to feed everyone.
While many of us show our gratitude around the Thanksgiving table, I know many will also show their gratitude through charitable donations such as volunteering at soup kitchens and donating canned goods to food pantries. I urge you to also think about supporting the global community by making a donation to Hope for Hearts this holiday season.
The children of Uganda are not immune to this famine. At Hope for Hearts we are able to provide food, basic necessities and an education for as many orphaned children as possible. Father Mugagga, who takes care of the children in our schools, says the most immediate need is additional money to help cover the cost of food for our students during the famine. The rising cost of food is taking away money that would have otherwise been able to support additional students at our school.
While we take the time to count our blessings and show our gratitude by supporting our local community, please consider making a donation to help those less fortunate in other parts of the world as well.
You can be a part of the solution. Support Hope for Hearts on Giving Tuesday, November 29. Donate here and we have a matching grant for the first $250 – that underwrites two children. Every dollar donated will help us continue to provide food and education to more children in Uganda, helping them through the country’s current crisis.
With Love and Gratitude,
Cristen
