Humbled by Hunger - Florida Baptist Witness

Humbled by Hunger

Jun 30, 2009
BARBARA DENMAN
Florida Baptist Convention

Florida Baptists gave $348,234 to alleviate world hunger in 2008; $200,074 was distributed to 160 Florida Baptist churches and associations to feed 123,000 hungry persons in their communities. As a result, 2,904 persons came to know Jesus Christ as Savior from these ministries; 607 were baptized. One hundred percent of all money received as distributed through Southern Baptist channels.
25% to Florida Baptist Convention for Florida hunger needs through local churches and associations.
15 % to North American Mission Board to fight hunger in the United States
60% to International Mission Board for worldwide hunger relief
*A Cooperative Program Ministry of the Florida Baptist Convention

WINTER HAVEN (FBC)—Danielle Petit knows what it’s like to be humbled by hunger. When she and her four children were abandoned by her husband, “We lost everything. If it was not for God, I would have been on the street,” she recalled.

In her darkest hour of despair, she was given a helping hand from “The Mission” a daily feeding ministry and food pantry sponsored by Calvary Baptist Church in Winter Haven.

Through the church’s ministry, Petit found Christ and a call to service at The Mission. Now as she makes her way around the tables of homeless and working poor who daily eat at The Mission, she stops to give hugs and listen with an open heart. “These people are people just like you and me,” she said.

Church member Florence Johnson is one of those working poor, doing her best to keep a roof over her head. After volunteering at The Mission, she found herself in need and soon became a recipient of the ministry’s kindness.

“I had heard about The Mission at church but thought it was just for homeless people,” Johnson said. “I was shocked to see people like me in line getting food. They were people just trying to get their life back on track.”

The Mission is supported, in part, by Florida Baptists’ contributions to the Florida Baptist Hunger Awareness Offering. The annual offering provides the Winter Haven church with $300 a month, which is used to purchase food for daily meals and the food pantry.

Through the offering, Florida Baptists fight hunger in the state, nation and world. For each dollar given, 25 cents remains in Florida; 15 cents is sent to fight hunger in the United States; and 60 cents is distributed through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Many Florida Baptist churches participate during the state’s offering emphasis in July. Other congregations give to the offering in October, during the SBC-recognized World Hunger Day.

This year’s theme, “Humbled by Hunger” is based on Paul’s admonition to the Church at Corinth found in 2 Corinthians 8:13-14..

“Perhaps nothing is more humbling than being hungry and having to ask for food,” said Marc Johnston, director of the Church and Community Ministries Department of the Florida Baptist Convention which administers hunger funds to Florida Baptist churches.

“Being hungry knocks self-sufficiency and self esteem right off the block. Being hungry creates an insatiable gnawing sensation that grips every thought. Being hungry tramples every ounce of self worth.”

In this time of economic crisis, more and more people in Florida do not know where their next meal will come from, Johnston added. “Their hearts have been humbled by hunger. Perhaps they are our neighbors; fellow church members or others in our everyday walk.”

More than two million Floridians or 12 percent live below the poverty level and suffer hunger on a regular basis, a group that increasingly includes working families, senior adults and children. In Florida, 770,000 children live in poverty; nearly one in five is at risk of hunger with limited access to nutritious food.

New census data shows that 37.3 million Americans—12 percent or one out of eight Americans lived in poverty in 2007. Children continued to be the poorest age group in the country.

More than 800 million people all over the world go to bed hungry every night. One in 12 persons worldwide is malnourished, including 60 million children under the age of 5. Every 3.6 seconds someone in the world dies of hunger.

In 2008, Florida Baptist gave $348,234 to fight world hunger. All of the money given through the offering is distributed through Baptist channels to subsidize the cost of food and ministries to fight hunger.

Overseas, gifts from Florida Baptists when added to the World Hunger Fund underwrote more than 222 hunger and relief projects in 62 countries. These evangelistically oriented ministries included emergency food aid, well drilling, agricultural and vocational training and nutritional-related health care.

In Florida, $200,074 in hunger funds was distributed to 160 Florida Baptist churches and associations to feed 123,000 hungry persons in their communities. As a result, 2,904 persons came to know Jesus Christ as Savior from these ministries; 607 were baptized.

By giving to the Hunger Awareness Offering, “Florida Baptists are helping those hearts humbled by hunger to find the true Bread of Life in Jesus Christ,” Johnston said.

Undated promotional materials for the emphasis, including a new four-minute video, are available through the Church and Community Department, 800-226-8584, ext. 3113, or at www.flbaptist.org/ Hunger.

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