Hungry

"I'm starving!"  Do you say this?  I have.  I still catch myself saying it.  My kids have said it, too.  In fact, right before we ate Sunday dinner Hope said it to me.  We gathered at church for Sunday dinner this past week.  There was a special occasion that brought us there.  It was to break the fast that Taylor and her youth group had just got done participating in.  They went 30+ hours with no food.  I could tell by the look on Taylor's face that morning as we pulled up to church that she was maybe a little irritable.  I try not to push too many buttons when I can sense that she may be on edge, so we just went up and said hello and headed inside to find our seats.

Church began and pretty soon it was time for the kids to head up to hear their own children's message.  The youth group started to talk about how they had been fasting.  They asked the kids if anyone had ever gone without breakfast.  Many kids raised their hand.  They asked how many kids had gone without breakfast, lunch, supper, and breakfast again.  Judah raised his hand.  He was one of two.  I know it's been a couple of years since he really was in that situation, but it was reality for him.  I'm sure if you asked him about it today, he may even try and joke about it or say he doesn't remember.  And, there may be some truth to that.  He was a toddler.  It's hard to remember a past that you sometimes want to forget.  We have heard some stories from him.  Stories that are his so I will not share here, but stories that make me ache.  Tears began to form in my eyes.  Taylor went on to talk about how many children die each day from starvation.  The number is astonishing.  They held up a banner and announced that 19,000 children die each and every day from hunger.  As Taylor reminded us, each one has a name and a face.  The youth group had put 19,000 fingerprints on the banner to represent those children.  It's hard to comprehend that number, to wrap my mind around that reality.  But, it's there staring at me.  You see, before Judah, these were all just numbers to me.  Not children with faces.  Not reality for me because I'd never experienced it.  When I got on a plane and landed in Africa my eyes saw the need.  I looked into those big, beautiful brown eyes that were hungry and no longer saw numbers.

The service ended and a little while later we gathered with the youth group in the back of church for a time of reflection before we ate.  The kids were asked to write a word or phrase about what they are taking away from this weekend.  Taylor's was "make an impact."  I actually think that may be my motto for 2014.  Her point was it doesn't have to be big in order to make an impact.  Being kind to someone will leave an impact.  Forgiving someone will leave an impact.  Asking for forgiveness will leave an impact.  Offering to make someone food will leave an impact.  Watching someone's children for them will leave an impact.  The list can go on.

The more I strive to follow Jesus, the more I see how he can use little, ordinary offerings to make an impact on the world he created.

We sang the song "Hungry" in church on Sunday.  It reminds me to be hungry, to go to Jesus and offer all of who I am so He can fill me up.