Thoughts from a Parishioner:

I think its great that Grace Church has finally been able to get involved with various hunger projects. I think many of us want to help but are not always sure where to start. Hunger is such a big problem but I sometimes wonder why that is. In a country as large as this , with the resources we have , why is there still so much hunger and poverty? Why does the problem get bigger instead of improving?

I see it more and more among the patients I take care of in their homes. Most are over 70 but they are people who worked and contributed to society but do not have enough to live on now. There are programs to help like SNAP, meals on wheels, free and reduced price lunches in schools, food pantries and meal sites but these are not really solutions to the problem. What is wrong with our society when so many people are in need? The disparity between rich and poor is ever expanding. Our government priorities are often misguided. People should have enough to purchase their own food not have to depend on government programs to get enough to eat.

I guess part of the problem is trying to figure out what the causes of hunger and poverty are and what do we need to change in our society and our government to improve this. Hunger seems to be the symptom of bigger problems. Do we as a church, as Christians, as moral, just people need to examine this and start to get more involved in the advocacy /social justice aspect of this problem? Do we get involved with a larger program like the UN's Millennium Development Goals or do we start smaller; more locally?

What do you think?