Feed the Hungry

My children have no idea what it means to go hungry.

No idea at all.  We have two freezers full of 50 chickens and a beef and we have an appointment made for two of our little piggies to be butchered to add to those freezers.  We have a huge bowl filled with apples, clementines, kiwi, and bananas sitting on the counter beside a yet-to-be-cut up pineapple and a small bowl of blueberries.  We have a pantry filled with nutritious ingredients for meals as well as snacks like peanut butter and crackers and granola bars and two refrigerators filled with more ingredients and snacks.

They don't personally experience hunger, but I want them to be aware that there are children around the world who do indeed.  There are children who get so hungry, they eat dirt just to "fill the hole" for a little while.

We recently had a wonderful opportunity for our family to learn about the needs of others and do a little something about it.  "Meals from the Heartland" provides nutritious meals for people all over the world.  Each meal is a mixture of soy, vitamins, dried vegetables and rice that can be shipped and stored until the recipients boil it in water.

Each assembly line was able to package four boxes of thirty six bagged meals (each meal containing four servings) in about 30 minutes for a mere $100.  We worked together with two other families to package these meals and had a good time while simultaneously serving others. 

When we first got there, we watched a short training video explaining what we were doing, but more poignant, why we were doing it.  I think the video showing starving children with sad, sad eyes had a pretty powerful impact on my children, especially Easton.  Easton has a tender heart and prays daily for Alex, a child in Indonesia we sponsor through Compassion International.  We've tried to explain what living conditions are like for others around the world and Alex is someone Easton can relate to as he is also a little boy soon turning seven.  He draws him pictures and sends them with the occasional small treat and I think this connection has made it a little more personal to him.  He asked me if some of the food we were packaging would go to help Alex and his family.  I have to admit the video made me blink tears away as well as I simply can't imagine being unable to feed my children and watching them suffer as a result.

After we recovered from the video, we were given a sample of the food to try.  I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted more than palatable. 

An assembly line was formed with each person having a station.  I was so impressed and pleased that children of all ages were encouraged to help (they just asked that each child under age 10 have an adult partner).  The first section was comprised of two people taking turns holding a bag under the funnel while one child measured and added each of the four ingredients.  Easton took his vitamin responsibility very seriously.

The next station was manned by the teenagers who carefully weighed the bag (adding more rice as needed) and then vacuum sealed each bag.

Kiana and her helper were responsible for affixing stickers to each bag explaining the contents and giving directions for preparation.  She also took her job quite seriously.

Tyrell and Alan worked together to pack the bags in the boxes and then seal them.  Of the food packaged that day, half was to be sent to people in third world countries, another fourth was distributed throughout the United States, and the final fourth was to be distributed right here in Iowa.

I'm very thankful we had this opportunity to serve together as a family, even as I find it hard to locate such family-oriented serving opportunities.  I think this is the best way for our children to learn selflessness and to develop a servant's heart--right alongside mom and dad.  What other ways do you know that families can serve together?