World Hunger. Working together we can stamp out World Hunger. Hunger Banquet

Poverty and Hunger

Working to Fight World Hunger

Hungry African orphans in extreem poverty come to the gate of the orphanage hoping for food

African orphan suffering from absolute poverty and hunger

African orphan that has to care for sibling. African orphans caring for orphans.

World Hunger

World hunger is a problem that is to big for one group or organization to fix. But... working together we can give the poor and needy around us hope and the things that they need to help themselves.

Cooking corn meal over a fire

A Hunger Banquet is a great way to raise awareness of the problems of poverty and hunger and raise money to help at the same time. Here is an article on a hunger banquet held to raise money for African Orphans. The article was in the Nov. 2007 issue of Spotlight on Orphans Newsletter that can be found at www.hearthtohearth.org/SOON

You could smell the spices as you entered the room, but right away you knew this was not an ordinary event. The main tables (#1) were beautifully set with tablecloths, flowers and napkins. On the other side of the room, a table with only plastic cups, a few slices of bread, and bowls was set, with #2 on it. Off to the side were four blankets spread on the floor, with no dishes, marked #3.
As we entered and put our donation of five dollars into a basket, we each drew a number, with the fewest guests getting #1. We were served a meal corresponding with the number.
The main table enjoyed spaghetti, salad, garlic toast, grape juice, and even cheesecake. Lucky #1! Vicki’s mother, always the fund-raiser, exchanged her #1 for a donation of a hundred dollars and a spot on the floor, where she enjoyed the meal served #3… brown rice and water. Those with the #2 sat at a table but only had rice, bread and water. Although some didn’t get the same delicious meal as the most fortunate, the fellowship was wonderful. The purpose was to illustrate that ninety percent of the people in the world do not enjoy the blessings that we take for granted, many not even having the rice and water some in Group 3 grumbled about!
We thank all of the folks at the Traverse City SDA Church for their continued interest and support of Hearth to Hearth Minsitries. It was so much fun that the “gang” has decided to make it a yearly event. Hopefully, some of you will be interested in having a similar fun event at your church.

African orphan suffering from poverty and hunger is at the gate of the orphanage hoping to be let in.

Happy African orphan child at Good Samaritan Lwanda Children's Home Orphanage African orphan with an umbilical hernia

African orphans at the gate

Sleeping on mats on the floor

African orphans sleeping on mats on the floor

Absolute Poverty
Absolute Poverty is a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services. (According to a UN declaration from Copenhagen in 1995. Info in this section on absolute

poverty from Wikipedia)

World Poverty

In developing countries, poor and needy people spend up to 80 % of their disposable income on food. There is no buffer to modify their food costs. African Orphans eating bread. This is www.povertyandhunger.org icon. Those who always lived on the edge of starvation have been tipped over that edge by spiraling prices. Economic theory known as Engel’s Law notes that the proportion of a nation’s income spent on food is a good measure of the nation’s welfare.

This is part of an article from the July issue of Spotlight on Orphans newsletter. Read Spotlight on Orphans newsletters to see how Hearth to Hearth Ministries is fighting poverty in Africa by working to feed hungry children. The picture of the little African boy eating bread is the picture we have chosen for our icon.

Poverty in America
The official poverty rate in the US was 12.3% for 2006. (The last year stats available for.) The US is now in a depression and the poverty rate of poverty in America is probably much worse now.