Plates of Plenty
It was one of the most significant meals our family has ever shared.
Part of my duty as a Christian parent in a first world country is to educate my children that their abundance is a gift from God not meant exclusively for them but to be shared.
There are multitudes of ways to convey this message to them: mission trips, books, and child sponsorship, to name but a few. As I reflected, I found a growing desire to facilitate a memorable evening for our family as a teaching tool on the Gospel’s exhortation to social mercy.
In God’s economy, our plenty is meant to alleviate the poverty of another.
Together, we selected a night last week during which we would all fast from our dinner. The world’s poorest often go days without food, so sacrificing a meal seemed a fitting way to unite our hearts to their plight.
We set the table with empty plates and glasses filled with cold, clean water (a luxury in and of itself). We drew up our chairs and encircled the table. We talked about the reason for which we were not eating that night and watched several videos from Children’s Hunger Fund that explain their ministry in Zimbabwe, along with one in which a woman expressed the impact having regular meals has had on her life and that of her family. Tears glistened in all of our eyes as she closed by sending her prayers for us… who reclined comfortably watching her story on a machine that cost enough to feed her entire village for a year.
How desperately we need those prayers. Our lack of want for anything has left us equally devoid of dependence on God.
After estimating the cost of an inexpensive family dinner out at a local sandwich eatery, we sent those dollars to Children’s Hunger Fund. At their price of merely $0.16 per meal, by each of us missing one dinner, more than one hundred and fifty were sent to Zimbabwe.
My kids scratched out the math on the table and realized that five people in Africa were now guaranteed at least one meal per day for a month.
For at least a moment, and I hope much more, they got it. They really got it. Seeing the need, and recognizing the ease with which they could skip a meal, they queried how much we’d need to give (up) to feed those same people for a year.
We bowed our heads as we normally do, but this time we thanked God for the food we weren’t eating and prayed it might nourish another body.
Instead of a cursory ‘grace’ — words uttered as much out of habit as gratitude — we each spilled forth our hopes for both those who would eat it, and the hands that would pack and deliver it. We prayed it would minister to physical hunger, dampening it sufficiently that the spiritual hunger might cry out and be similarly met.
And then, taking our cue from Ann Voskamp, as our meal, we read together. We were nourished by the account of lives changed by the Gospel of Christ and the ministry of those committed to laboring for Him.
Water glasses drained and tears spilled. Our bellies were empty.
But our hearts were full.
What are you having for dinner tonight?
Can you plan a similar evening for your family?
I can’t write now, but a simple like doesn’t do Justice! Great blog
I can’t write now, but a simple like doesn’t do Justice! Great blog
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Beautiful!
Thanks for this timely challenge – I can’t wait to do the same in my family!
Thanks for this timely challenge – I can’t wait to do the same in my family!
Thanks for this timely challenge – I can’t wait to do the same in my family!
Thank you Kirsten for sharing this personal testimony – I appreciate your example. God bless your family.
Love, Hester
Thank you Kirsten for sharing this personal testimony – I appreciate your example. God bless your family.
Love, Hester
Thank you Kirsten for sharing this personal testimony – I appreciate your example. God bless your family.
Love, Hester
You are an encouragement to me, Hester! Thank you!
Kirsten-
I work at Children’s Hunger Fund! Your blog entry today made me teary-eyed!
Thank you for making an effort to teach your children what it means to have compassion for those who are less fortunate. You are making a difference. I can’t even tell you how encouraging it was to read this! THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!
Kirsten-
I work at Children’s Hunger Fund! Your blog entry today made me teary-eyed!
Thank you for making an effort to teach your children what it means to have compassion for those who are less fortunate. You are making a difference. I can’t even tell you how encouraging it was to read this! THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!
What a thrill to receive your comment, Janea! Thank YOU, and your team, for your efforts to make Him known through compassion ministry. I’m so proud to stand alongside you.
Kirsten-
I work at Children’s Hunger Fund! Your blog entry today made me teary-eyed!
Thank you for making an effort to teach your children what it means to have compassion for those who are less fortunate. You are making a difference. I can’t even tell you how encouraging it was to read this! THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!
What a thrill to receive your comment, Janea! Thank YOU, and your team, for your efforts to make Him known through compassion ministry. I’m so proud to stand alongside you.
Next time we’re together I’ll have to share my connection with CHF with you. Wonderful, challenging blog!
Next time we’re together I’ll have to share my connection with CHF with you. Wonderful, challenging blog!
You are an encouragement to me, Hester! Thank you!
What a thrill to receive your comment, Janea! Thank YOU, and your team, for your efforts to make Him known through compassion ministry. I’m so proud to stand alongside you.
What a thrill to receive your comment, Janea! Thank YOU, and your team, for your efforts to make Him known through compassion ministry. I’m so proud to stand alongside you.
Challenging thoughts, Kirsten. It’s hard to think of ways to help our kids appreciate and understand such large issues when we live in a place of … more than plenty. Great way to bring the point home. I doubt this lesson will be lost on your children – and am sure they’ll remember it for many years to come.
Challenging thoughts, Kirsten. It’s hard to think of ways to help our kids appreciate and understand such large issues when we live in a place of … more than plenty. Great way to bring the point home. I doubt this lesson will be lost on your children – and am sure they’ll remember it for many years to come.
Challenging thoughts, Kirsten. It’s hard to think of ways to help our kids appreciate and understand such large issues when we live in a place of … more than plenty. Great way to bring the point home. I doubt this lesson will be lost on your children – and am sure they’ll remember it for many years to come.
Convicting thoughts, Kirsten, and what a practical “object” lesson for your family. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your faithfulness, Susan.
Convicting thoughts, Kirsten, and what a practical “object” lesson for your family. Thanks for sharing.
Convicting thoughts, Kirsten, and what a practical “object” lesson for your family. Thanks for sharing.
Convicting thoughts, Kirsten, and what a practical “object” lesson for your family. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your faithfulness, Susan.
In God’s economy, our plenty is meant to alleviate the poverty of another-so true and takes His transformation of us to live out. Thanks for sharing an intentional way to cooperate with the Spirit in that process!
In God’s economy, our plenty is meant to alleviate the poverty of another-so true and takes His transformation of us to live out. Thanks for sharing an intentional way to cooperate with the Spirit in that process!
Well, said, Jeanette! Thanks for stopping by. Here’s to intentional living – today!
Well, said, Jeanette! Thanks for stopping by. Here’s to intentional living – today!
Well, said, Jeanette! Thanks for stopping by. Here’s to intentional living – today!
[…] out some of my other posts on this topic: Plates of Plenty Let the Children Come Being Boaz: Our Role as the Kinsman […]
[…] out some of my other posts on this topic: Plates of Plenty Let the Children Come Being Boaz: Our Role as the Kinsman […]
[…] out some of my other posts on this topic: Plates of Plenty Let the Children Come Being Boaz: Our Role as the Kinsman […]
[…] out some of my other posts on this topic: Plates of Plenty Let the Children Come Being Boaz: Our Role as the Kinsman […]
[…] Children’s Hunger Fund supplies meals to the hungry the world over for just $0.16. The cost of my three daily squares would supply more than 62 meals. Sixty-two. One of the favorite meals I’ve ever shared with my family was over nothing more than empty plates and ice water. Read that story here. […]
[…] Children’s Hunger Fund supplies meals to the hungry the world over for just $0.16. The cost of my three daily squares would supply more than 62 meals. Sixty-two. One of the favorite meals I’ve ever shared with my family was over nothing more than empty plates and ice water. Read that story here. […]