40-40-40 ... Day 12: End 68 Hours of Hunger

Last week, my college friend Christina put out an appeal on her Facebook page. It included the above photo. She was asking her friends to purchase the items in the squares to provide for her community. Christina wrote:

End 68 Hours of Hunger Lake Co. is currently providing food to 350 students in Lake Co., and as always, they need our help to provide food donations!! This food drive gives you a great opportunity to do something small on your end, yet it makes a huge impact in the life of a child who goes hungry over the weekend (hence the 68 hours, give or take, between lunch on Friday and school breakfast on Monday) when food might not be available in their home.

My heart immediately stirred. Perhaps it is because I am in "giving mode" this month. Or the fact that I know my kids are luckier than many of their friends at school because my kids are guaranteed 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, 7 days a week. But the idea of a child having nothing to eat for a weekend is heartbreaking.

I wanted to do something, and yet Christina lives in Ohio and I live in Mexico. She was hoping to pick up all of these food items by the first weekend in March, and I can't exactly ask her to meet me halfway!

So I put it out of my head for a few days, assuring myself that an abundance of people would step up to fill this request for her. And then last night Christina posted an updated photo.

There were still so many squares to be filled!

I wondered, was everyone else thinking what I had thought that first day: "others will step up", "I'm too far away", "what a great idea but..."

How often is that our reaction when we see a need. We expect someone else to fill it. We make excuses why we aren't or can't be the one.

Yes, I live in Mexico. But people order food online ALL THE TIME now! I could order something at Christina's neighborhood Raley's or Kroger and she could go pick it up. I could "pop" her some money and she could go to Sam's Club for 10 jars of peanut butter. I could... I could... I could... be the one who provides 3 dinners, 2 breakfasts, and 2 lunches to a child who would otherwise go without.

And I did!

In the end I went the easiest route possible. I ordered on Amazon through "Prime Pantry." Within a few minutes, 112 packs of Pop Tarts were en route to Mentor, Ohio, and I had done my part to help end those 68 hours of hunger for the 350 students in Lake County who would otherwise go without. (Say what you want about Pop Tarts, but I speak from personal experience when I say there are only so many tuna sandwiches you can eat!)

My challenge for us this week is to not expect someone else to do what God is stirring us up to do. There are plenty of battles that won't be yours to fight, that won't be your cause to support, that won't be your donation to give. BUT, when you feel your heart stirred up to do good, find a way to do it!

ACTION STEPS

DON'T WAIT for someone else to do good. Set the example. Do it yourself!

LEARN more about End 68 Hours of Hunger and the food insecurity that affects an estimated 25% of children in the U.S. 

FOLLOW End 68 Hours of Hunger on Facebook or YouTube. 

FIND or START an End 68 Hours of Hunger program in your area. (This program started in New Hampshire, so most of the current programs are located there, but there is one in Vacaville for my Cali friends!)

DONATE food, money (each weekend bag of food costs about $10), or through Amazon Smile (where every time you buy on Amazon, a donation will be made to End 68 Hours of Hunger, at no extra cost to you).