Going Hungry This Christmas

Christmas for many is a time of excess, for example did you know that most people gain around 5lbs over Christmas, having consumed 6,000 calories on Christmas Day alone? But whilst many will be gorging themselves on food and drink, there will be many in our community who will be going hungry this Christmas.

The Archbishop of Canterbury revealed this week how he was left more shocked by the plight of Britain’s hunger-striken poor than by suffering in African refugee camps, not because the suffering is worse, but because it was so unexpected. Britain is one of the world’s wealthiest countries in the world, yet 4.7 million people are facing food poverty. Here in Walsall there are at least five food banks, and according to The Trussell Trust three new food banks are opening every week across the country.

Redundancy, illness, low income, benefit delay, domestic violence, debt, family breakdown, financial pressures caused by rising food and fuel prices are just some of the many reasons why people are having to rely on food banks. People are going to food banks not out of choice, but out of need. Of the 913,138 people who were given emergency food and support between 2013-14, 333,205 were children. Tragically the need is only going to increase, as the financial challenges facing the country deepen.

At Christmas we recall how Jesus was born in poor and humble circumstances, and how Mary and Joseph were dependent upon the support that others gave them. We have a moral duty to support the hunger striken-poor.

There are a number of practical things you can do. You can donate food to one of the food banks here in Walsall – for details about your nearest food bank visit www.blackcountryfoodbank.org.uk or phone 01384 671250, or alternatively bring donations of food to the church for The Glebe Centre, which supports the homeless in Walsall. You can also support the work of The Big Feed, held at Midland Road Baptist Church in Walsall, which feeds up to 100 people every Sunday. They require donations of food, people to help cook meals at home (which are then frozen & collected during the week), or volunteering to go down to Midland Road Church to talk to the guests (contact Mandi on 01922 643946 for more information).

Despite the huge number of people facing food poverty, we can do something about it, and in serving others, we serve Christ.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:35-36, 40               

Orang Asli

Today I visited an Orang Asli village on Pulau Lumut, an island not far from Klang.  The Orang Asli are the indigenous people of Malaysia.  There are 18 Orang Asli tribes in Malaysia, each with their own different language and customs.  

Many of the Orang Asli have been displaced from their traditional settlements.  The villagers on Pulau Lumut have had much of their land confiscated from them to allow for redevelopment.  The Orang Asli are a very much marginalised in Malaysia.  

The Orang Asli fishing boats

The Orang Asli on Pulau Lumut earn their livelihood from fishing, although I get the impression it is a fairly subsistence way of life, living hand to mouth.  The village itself is very poor, with people living in extremely basic dwellings.  

Two of the very basic dwellings in the village

A small group of people from St Barnabas visit this village each week to provide extra maths and English tuition to the children, at the request from the village elders.  Although the children do attend school, this extra support they get is really important, as it gives them a better chance to succeed in life, and build a better life for themselves.  It also gives the children much needed hope.  The villagers have also turned to the church to help them with some of the land issues they are facing - and how the development of the island is impacting on their traditional way of life.

Some of the children who attend the tuition classes

One of the boys who attends this study group is physically disabled - because of this he has not been given the opportunities the other children have, although there is absolutely nothing with his brain, in fact he's a very bright boy.  

Aunty, one of the volunteers from St Barnabas, helping one of the children read

It was genuinely moving to see the care and compassion the people from St Barnabas have for these children.  They not only help with tuition, but also provide clothes and toys for the children, and really care for them.  It was very moving to see, and lovely to be able to spend time with the children in the village, who despite the poverty were so full of life.

Harvest - Counting Your Blessings

Walsall Advertiser Living Faith Column: Thursday 4 October 2012

It is the time of year when churches across the country are holding special harvest festival services.  When people grew all their own food, a good harvest meant that they were not going to starve during the winter, and this was something to celebrate.  Nowadays most of us get our food from the supermarket, but it is still important to thank God for all the good things we enjoy.  Harvest is also traditionally a time when we remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Farmer walking through waterlogged field

2012 has been a particularly difficult year for farmers.  The wet summer in the UK and drought in the USA has resulted in poor harvests and has pushed up the price of food. This is having a real impact on many people within our own community.  

Black Country Food Bank

The Black Country Food Bank which provides free food to vulnerable people has seen a 45% increase in demand since last year, as more and more people struggle to make ends meet.

Compared to many people in the world, we are incredibly wealthy

But whilst things are tough for many people here in the UK, things are even harder for people living in the poorest countries of the world.  Nearly half the world’s population live on less than $2.50 a day, and each day 16,000 children die from hunger related conditions.

In the Bible we are reminded about what matters most to God. In Psalm 82 we are called to: ‘Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed rescue the weak and needy."  And the prophet Micah writes: ‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’  Jesus summed these commands up when he said we are to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Churches donate food & other goods to help support people who would otherwise struggle

It is for this reason that throughout the year, and not only at harvest churches donate food, clothes and other essential items to organisations helping to support people who are struggling financially.  It is also why many churches give financial support to aid agencies working in some of the poorest countries of the world to eradicate hunger and poverty.

This harvest, let us take time to count our blessings and to thank God for them, and also commit ourselves to pray and support people at home and abroad who are not as fortunate as we are.  

The Importance of Supporting International Aid

Today Chancellor George Osborne in his spending review announced that there is going to be an INCREASE in spending on international aid of £11.5bn. 

In a time of great austerity, when the Government is having to make some very tough choices (that I don't all agree with), I think that the news that Britain is going to increase spending on international aid is wonderful! 

However what has disturbed me is the way that one newspaper in particular (the Daily Mail) has reported this news.  Rather than welcoming it, it has attacked this decision to increase spending on aid.

I posted the following message on the Daily Mail message board: 

I think it is very important that Britain continues to meet its obligations in providing aid for developing nations, and welcome the increase in the amount Britain will be giving away in international aid.

Whilst times are difficult in the UK, we must remember that compared to many people in the world we are incredibly well off. I acknowledge times are going to be tough in this country over the next decade, but what we are going through is nothing when compared to the 1.7 billion people around the world who live in absolute poverty - those people who have no access to clean water, or the 25 thousand people who die every day because of hunger. There are 3 billion people in the world who live on less than $2.50 a day.

We live in one of the most affluent countries in the world, we need to recognise how lucky we are, and use our wealth to help the neediest in our world.

I have been surprised to discover that my comment has been rated as one of the worst by the Daily Mail readers.  Why?  Because I defend the importance of Britain taking a lead and spending money on international aid.

In contrast to my comment, the most popular comment is posted by Linda from South Yorkshire.
For God's sake an increase in overseas aid is totally inappropriate. What about us? If we carry on like this we'll be the recipients of overseas aid from current 3rd world countries. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.
As a Christian I find this attitude incredibly sad.  The Bible makes it clear that we have a duty to care for the most vulnerable and needy not only in our own society, but across the world.  We cannot ignore the suffering of others around the world, we have a duty of care for the poor and destitute where ever they may be.

Whilst we in Britain face some hard times ahead of us, we have to recognise that we do live in one of the most affluent nations in the world, and our current economic woes are not going to change this fact. 

At the harvest service at St Martin's in September, I got children in church to cut out of magazines pictures of things we might buy, and to decide which column to put the images in - either things we need or things we would like.  It was an interesting exercise, because hair driers and flat screen TVs went into the column of 'things we need'.  The truth is that we don't need these things, they are nice to have, but they are not essentials of life.  In fact we only need a few essential items, food, water and shelter, everything else you could argue is essentially a luxury. 

As a nation I think we forget how fortunate and blessed we are, and it we need to remember that even in these difficult financial times, we have a duty to care for the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.

Whilst I am not a huge fan of George Osborne, I applaud both him and our Government for making the brave decision to increase spending on aid.