Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Cost of Food

A month ago I was in Honduras interviewing sponsored and non-sponsored children and their families. Amidst the stories and memories, one theme kept coming up: the struggle to feed their children. Countless families mentioned “the crisis” and one family even lamented that they go hungry two or three days a week.

The food crisis is causing the country’s citizens to react. In fact, while we were there, a nation-wide strike shut down San Pedro Sula and other main cities in Honduras for seven hours. We were left stranded in the hotel, unable to cross the angry picket line to get to the families we serve. Burning tires and protesters blocked the main entrances and exits of the city. People were throwing rocks, water bottles and even bags of human waste. Police responded with tear gas. One of the main reasons of the march was the high price of basic food items.

I watched it all unfold on TV, but the anger and desperation of the protestors was palpable. When your children are hungry, instinct takes over.
Just last night I spent $75 on groceries that might last me for two weeks. I couldn’t help but think what a blessing it would be for those families in Honduras to have $75 dollars to buy the food they need. Many scarcely earn that much a month.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press.

1 comment:

evergreen3 said...

As much as Americans are feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices, higher food costs and lowered housing values, the desparately poor families in CI countries are struggling just to put food on the table. For many, rice is a staple of their diets, and the cost has risen by 1/3 since last year. I've been providing extra money to help my sponsored children with food costs. Is there a program thru CI Community Centers to buy staples for these families using CI's purchasing power or economies of scale?