Where Does Hunger Exist?

Where Does Hunger Exist? (adapted from Bread for the World)

822 million people experience hunger every day. Hunger exists in the U.S. just as it does in other countries.

In developing countries, hunger is related to poverty and to under-developed agriculture. Where there is bad health, weather changes, and natural disasters, hunger can also be found. Hunger results from war and displacement, unstable or unavailable markets, and from waste.

In the U.S., where there is poverty, hunger is often there also. Hidden hunger is a term used to describe what happens when vitamins and minerals are not part of the diet.

In the last few decades, the world as a whole, and developing countries in particular, have seen steady but slow progress against hunger. That progress, however, is uneven across regions. To learn more about various regions’ struggles with hunger, see https://www.bread.org/where-does-hunger-exist

Questions about Hunger

  • Have you ever been in a situation when you weren’t sure if you’d have enough food? Do you know anyone who has had that experience? 
  • Where did you (/they) find the food you (/they) needed? 
  • What do you think we can learn from those experiences?

 

Reflecting on Our Faith

  • Jesus says the two most important things in life are to love God and to love our neighbors like ourselves. What do you think these two commands have in common? 
  • How can we love God and love our neighbors when we know some of our neighbors are hungry and without enough food to be full? Why is it important that we help each other? 

 

Eating Mindfully 

“Your Body Belongs to the Earth” (from How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh)

 In modern life, people tend to think their bodies belong to them, that they can do anything they want to themselves. But your body is not only yours. Your body belongs to your ancestors, your parents, and future generations. It also belongs to society and to all the other living beings. The trees, the clouds, the soil, and every living thing brought about the presence of your body. We can eat with care, knowing we are caretakers of our bodies, rather than their owners.