The family sat around their small table and hungrily ate the meal that Mummy and sister Christy had prepared. Fish that Dad caught in the local seas, and potatoes and spinach grown by local folks; which they gulped down. It was dry season, so two meals a day was the local norm. People on this third-world island were not rich. Every home had a small portion of land which many used, but agricultural skills were limited.
“No one is overweight here” someone observed. Things began to change when a group of European missionaries came to the island. They camped out in the back of the Baptist church building and held Gospel lessons for the children, they also brought canned and dry foods, which they distributed.
“We are here to help. We’re not tourists” was a frequent phrase.
The island government was also given relief foods from a rich American doner so they were able to distribute food to the villagers.
Some of the local men, despite their hunger, were angry and felt it was charity.
“We don’t want these white folks’ charity!” they said. “It’s your pride,” Mummy would say to them. “The missionaries and the doner are being good neighbors, as Jesus said” {Matthew 22:39}.
That Sunday, Christy asked her Sunday School teacher, “Mrs. Grinty, why are there so many hungry people on our island and why shouldn’t we take charity?”
“Well”, she said, “Hunger is a problem all over the world, but based on history, with knowledgeable local leadership, there could be progress, and locals could be successful at providing for themselves and take pride in their achievement, and pass on the skills to others and, to their children. As for charity, Paul said, ”Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God”. {Hebrews 13:16}.
That night at home, she said to Dad, “Why don’t we start growing more food on our land, Dad? Maybe that might stir up our neighbors; not to steal, but to be entrepreneurs and grow vegetables again?”
Later that week, Mrs. Grinty’s husband Phil spoke to her.
“Little Christy, your question to my wife has started me thinking. So, a few of the men and I talked and we have a plan. When the rainy season starts, we will prepare the soil and plant seeds, vegetables, and potato slips. God willing, we should have food in six months…and persevere in doing so, instead of depending on charity”.
Neighbor Jim was standing nearby and he piped up “I have lots of donkeys’ waste, we can use it as manure!”. ….. So instead of depending on charity, the village stood on its own two feet and there was success.