$4.19 A Day...Could You?

WARNING!

Telling the cold, hard facts. If it sounds tough, please forgive me!
But sometimes we just need to hear. . .and to understand.

The average SNAP (known as food stamps until 2008) allocation per adult in the state of Kentucky is $4.19 a day.  Think about when you go out to lunch or dinner, how much do you spend on your meal, just for yourself.  And think about what you spend if you're paying for your family.  I know, we do it too.

But my mind goes to my friends out there on the streets.  Many of them eat because of SNAP.  Do you think they feel hunger pains?  Do you think they get to have treats like we give ourselves?  If they do have the treats, then they are not getting a good meal.  And a good meal for them would be a bologne sandwich and maybe an apple.  This doesn't sound too bad, but if that's all you got to eat, how would you feel?  Would you get cranky over time?  Would you start to feel bad physically?  Would you be prone to falling into depression?  I know I would just start to really crave a good juicy steak, potato, salad, and bread and tea after awhile.

But most people I befriend out there do not complain.  I have heard a few complaints about the food at the one shelter in town but other than that, only one complaint came from the bridge when we ran out of food and that man apologized later. He was taken care of.  I hear people who have MUCH complain about such silly things, things that do not hurt their comfort, and yet complain, complain, complain.  And then I hear ones who complain about the ones out on the street. . . "if they would just get up and get a job, they wouldn't have it so hard". . .if they would just and on and on and on.

I would like to challenge those abundant complainers to walk in the others shoes for one week and see how they feel. With no shelter, little food, feeling unloved, everything we take for granted stripped away. On top of that, imagine if you had been beaten the years you grew up by people who should have loved you, raped by men who thought only of themselves, parents who thought more about there booze than their child, or parents who didn't even care for you and left you in the foster care system, taking your chances on who got you, having to drop out of school, never graduating because your parents needed you to make money, or you needed money because they weren't taking care of you.  Your self esteem might just be stripped down to the bare bones.  If you had a sense of humor, it just might have fled. If you were considered friendly, you just might change after awhile in these conditions. They pay a pretty high cost for their upbringing.

And yet, these people are resilient.  Some have kept their sense of humor in spite of the former beatings and rapes and other abuses.  They have a toughness about them and a fighting spirit that keeps them going.  Yes, some fell into addictions.  They fell into something they thought would take them away from it all.  Most of them now, after years of this kind of abuse, have gotten away from that or are trying to. If you ask them, how do you do it, more times than not, they will tell you Jesus or point up to Him and smile.  Jesus paid the ultimate cost.  Some of them are starting to believe this. Some who believed as a child and ran away are coming back.  Some still need time. They all need love. And they all go on eating on $4.19 a day and they all still smile at me when I come around and give me hugs.

Could you live for months, years on $4.19 a day?  

Some of our workers have taken the 4.19 challenge. They multiplied 4.19 x 7 and that is all they are eating on for one week. That means they have had to cut out soda, coffee, and tea. They are eating P&J sandwiches, lots of eggs, drinking water. They have been getting headaches, cravings, and are missing the things they like to have on a daily basis. I bet after awhile, they just might get cranky. But after a week, they can go back to their regular way of eating.

Next time you go out for a meal, give thanks, and then please, pray for the homeless and hungry. And if you would like to take it a step further, please donate food to the food banks in your community.  In ours, two of those places would be HOTEL INC and Hope House. A little compassion goes a long way.

Thank you!

 

When I was hungry, you gave me food. . .
Matthew 25:35

Written by one who had the church bring her food when she was a little girl. Written by one who had a glimpse long, long ago.
Now she sees others and shares their stories.