‘I was hungry and you gave me food’ Matthew 25:35
Every day too many men and women across the globe struggle to feed their children a nutritious meal. In a world where we produce enough food to feed everyone, 690 million people still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Acute food insecurity affected 135 million people in 55 countries in 2019. Even more – one in three – suffer from some form of malnutrition.
Eradicating hunger and malnutrition is one of the great challenges of our time.
In 2019, the United Nations World Food Programme assisted 97 million people. It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, new restrictions and loss of income has increased food poverty among the most vulnerable in our societies. Conflicts and natural disasters also leave many people without food to sustain them. To find out how Federation women in Southern Africa are responding to hunger, read their latest report on our website.
Read
Matthew 25: 31-46
Pray
Creator God, who has from the beginning of time, provided for the needs of the world,
forgive us for our selfish greed that allows others to go hungry.
Forgive us for demanding that we are fed first.
Show us how to share what we have with those who are at the back of the line.
We thank you for those who are already working hard to ensure the most vulnerable in their communities are fed and given opportunities to lift themselves out of food poverty. We thank you for all those engaged in farming and fisheries who produce food for each one of us to eat. We thank you for those who prepare it for our use.
May we all experience your welcome at your banqueting table. Amen.
Respond
ShareTheMeal is an initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme that enables people to “share their meals” with children in need. It costs US$ 0.50 to feed one child for a day by means of an app.
Support food banks like those run by the Trussell Trust in the UK, and campaign for changes in society that will end the need for food banks.
To find out more about Goal 2 and other Sustainable Development Goals visit:
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment
The World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women supports the Sustainable Development Goals.
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