Hunger

While having a breakfast (one burrito and coffee) at McDonald's the other morning, there were two people discussing problems in this Country. Both of them were Korean vets, one an ex tank officer and I did not get what the other did. Both still worked, one delivered newspapers and the other is a security guard at the courthouse. I did not listen too closely until I heard one say that there were millions in this Country that were starving. That caught my attention and I inquired to see if he really belived it. He was earnestly serious. When asked where they were, he replied: "Everywhere." He was asked to be more specific, like how many are in Jacksonville. There are ten thousand in Jacksonville, he said. "Where in Jacksonville?" he was asked. "All over the city." was the reply. Do you mean hungry or starving, because people on diets are hungry but I don;t believe that is a national problem. "Starving," he replied emphatically. The two of us could hardly believe it. But he was convinced of this as a fact in spite of the arguments we presented: 1) Why are there no people going to the hospital and being diagnosed with malnutrition? 2) Why are the many food pantries for the poor not seeing malnourished patrons? (Pat worked at one of these that gives out free food and she said most of the people that came in were fat.) 3) There are government programs that give out food for those that need it, why do they not apply? 4) If a person is old they have an opportunity to get "Meals On Wheels," a charity that is all over Jacksonville. 5) Children get even more attention with government programs for them. With all this, he fell silent but I realized he still held his belief. It crossed my mind that of all the churches in Jacksonville not a one would refuse a person who asked for food with the additional phrase' "I ask it in the name of Jesus." That is a very hard phrase for any Christian to ignore.