Monday, April 27, 2009

"THEY DO NOT NEED TO GO AWAY, YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT"


More than 500 million people are living in "absolute poverty"
and more than 15 million children die of hunger every year.

One-third of the population is underfed
and another third is starving.

In Africa, a child dies every three seconds
from AIDS and extreme poverty,
often before their fifth birthday.

Last year, the Philippines ranks No. 5 in the list of countries
with the biggest number of hungry population,
and the only one in Southeast Asia.

Hunger hit a new record high in September with some 3.3 million Filipino
families going hungry at least once according to SWS survey.

Rice used to be the staple food of Filipinos.
Now it is quickly being replaced by instant noodles.


"Jesus said:
They do not need to go away;
you give them something to eat.”
(Matthew 14:16)

The narratives of the bible, commonly known as the multiplication of loaves and fishes brings us to the events on where the apostles are confronted with a challenge on how to deal with five thousand hungry men and only a few pieces of food. Andrew’s evaluation of the situation is exactly what we might imagine ours to be; “What good are these few loaves and fishes for so many?" sending them to back to their villages will solve the problems and let us divide the few loaves and fishes with the Lord.

But on the part of Jesus, that was perhaps a good suggestion but it came too late, He already assessed the situation that there is imminent hunger, no immediate food, no means to secure for it and by sending the people to their own villages, they might simply faint on the way. So, something immediate must be done. The five loaves and two fish must MULTIPLY to feed the hungry crowd!

The bible draws us to the real miracle behind the story of Jesus of feeding the 5,000 people - it was an example of self sacrifice, His disciples shared the little they had. They inspired those who had brought food to share it. That greatest miracle was what happened in the heart and mind of those who had more than they needed. They shared the little they had with the hungry and all had enough.

It’s all about equal sharing. That we don’t have in the Philippines except among the poor. That’s how they survive; they share and help each other.

In a nation that claims 80 percent Christian, the extent of hunger and poverty is an evidence that the teaching of Jesus is not practiced, that the preachers and teachers have apparently failed to inspire the development of a society built on social justice. That’s the kind of miracle we need in the modern world and especially for the Philippine elite - to eradicate greed in the hearts of the rich and people in power, the greed that forms basic foundation for graft and corruption, and the exploitation of the poor.

Tonight as we take our dinner alone or with our family, let us pray and give thanks to our Heavenly Father for the food in our table and the abundant blessings that we are enjoying in life, and seek His divine mercy on our neglected "kababayans" who have been deprived of food and shelter, and may His spirit open our hearts, that we may find compassion , spread love and charity to the under privileged, to practice self sacrifice and equal sharing which He has taught us in the lessons of multiplication of loaves and fishes.


On April 29, BlogCatalog members and Heifer International are partnering to call for the end of world hunger and start of hope - let us bring into conciousness the sad reality of hunger in the Philippines and around the world in the 21st century.

"What I can do, you cannot
What you can do, I cannot
But together, we can do
Something Beautiful For God"

Mother Teresa, 1910-1997

12 comments:

  1. let us unite & join togther!

    ito ung harsh na realidad ng sanlibutan...it breaks my heart!

    another good post!

    kudos!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bhing, you really suprised me, ang bilis mong mag-post ng comment, and thank you so much for. God bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very inspiring bro, it need not to have a miracle to share our blessing. what ever we can give to our less fortunate brothers the better. have a blessed day!

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  4. It's a sad reality, na until now di ko rin matanggap bakit tayo naging no.5 na? Ano nang nangyari sa bansang Pilipinas?? Kahit sa mga kamag-anak ko ramdam na ramdam ko ang kahirapan. Lagi kong iniisip sa bawat pagsubo ko sana ay kumakain din sila at sa bawat pagtapon ko ng mga natirang pagkain na sana nabibigay ko ang mga ito sa ibang nangangailangan at nagugutom....kung pwede lang ipadala ito o ihagis sa kanila....hay buhay parang life....kaya nga until now I'm still sending money to my relatives that's the only thing that I can do right now. Share the blessings. Pope, nice post! Mabuhay ka!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have equal share for both positive and negative experiences with less fortunates but bottomline they need help... Personally, I prefer education that's why before I left college, I established a sholarship grant and until now it is still existing. Thanks to my org and to the people who continuously support my brainchild. jejejejejeje

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  6. together we stand....

    let's hope for the best...

    nice post pope.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So true!

    Share your blessings kesa naman itatapon lang...

    ReplyDelete
  8. isa ang kahirapan sa maraming nakakalungkot na katotohanan.

    salamat sa info tungkol sa event... ihahabol ko yan sa posts ko bilang suporta... baon na ko sa drafts grabe ^_^

    Ang Pumatol... Ulit!patol ka dito pag libre ang oras.

    salamat-salamat! ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is the reality. Sad to note that many lives in poverty - in just a dollar day.

    Great post, pope!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So heartwarming passages and narrative! Thank you. I pray that from tonight and onwards, may all Filipinos learn the gift of sharing especially to the poor and the hungry and the least of our brothers.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I want to share this site on hunger:

    www.thehungersite.com
    www.freerice.com

    Hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is really the sad reality of life!

    ReplyDelete

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