Food for Thought

By Andrea Cartwright

For a school project, my friend was assigned to perform an act of kindness. Rather than doing something quick or convenient, my friend wanted to serve those around her in a real, meaningful way. She organized a group of us to make hundreds of sack lunches and distribute them to the homeless.

We stayed in groups for safety and walked around downtown San Diego with armfuls of bags. Some people were so anxious for food that they’d run across the street to take a bag. Most people we found were out on the sidewalks, sitting on piles of dirty sleeping bags and pieces of cardboard—all they owned sitting under or around them.

Oftentimes there would be an empty sleeping bag next to someone, and they would take an extra bag for their friend. These people, in all their need, were still thinking of others. I’ll never forget the look in one lady’s eyes when she pleaded, “Pray for us.” This humble woman had not turned her back on the Lord. She recognized, in all her despair, that the Lord had not forgotten her.

That night, I thanked Heavenly Father for all I had and sincerely prayed for those people—children of God who are often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life. I realized that day that these were my spiritual brothers and sisters. And I was blessed to see others a little more as our Heavenly Father does.

I can’t change a world of hunger, but I can change myself. I made it a goal to pay more attention to others. Everyone around us needs nourishment—physical, spiritual, or otherwise. We can be instruments in the Lord’s hands to help fight that hunger, whether it’s with our food or with our love.