Did you have dinner and breakfast?

The Children’s Pastor at my church this past Sunday asked a group of 3 – 8 year olds “How many of you had dinner last night and breakfast this morning?” It was interesting to see their reactions. Was it a trick question? What in the world did that have to do with church? Of course they had supper last night and breakfast this morning, doesn’t everyone?

I remember clearly taking my sons to Washington, D. C. when they were both in Elementary School. They saw a homeless man on the National Mall sorting through a trash can. They watched in horror as he ate and drank food pulled out from the garbage. Although I thought because of my work with Friendship Trays, and later Loaves & Fishes, they had grown up knowing that not everyone has a kitchen full of food for their convenience – they had never really gotten it before.

The Children’s Pastor went on to talk about how everyone can help the hungry – even small children can remember to take a can to a food drive – and that church is definitely a place to think about hungry people. Our hope for the future is in the minds of the children of today – may the word they heard on Sunday take root and bear fruit.