The New Year Will Be Full of Challenges

We look upon the beginning of a new year as a chance for a fresh start. Full of resolutions to look better, act better and be better. I recently came across a poll that CBS did that gave some great tips on how to live a better life. They interviewed 100 people over 100 years old to ask them their tips for leading a happy life. Many of their answers were simple yet, profound: stay close to family and friends, laugh, be spiritual and look forward to each new day.

I know in these turbulent economic times, it can be hard to look forward to each new day. But staying positive is the only way to help our nation begin to heal. And while you and I can’t solve all the problems our nation is facing right now, but there’s something we can do. We can continue to reach out to hurting American families with nourishing food and essentials supplies, giving them a reason to have hope for tomorrow.

I’m proud of the work Feed The Children does each year. And in 2009, I know we’ll be able to reach more hungry little boys and girls than ever before — all thanks to our caring friends and partners. People like you who support our mission and believe in making tomorrow a better day for struggling American families.

2008 – A Turbulent Year in America

It seems like every time I turn on the TV or read a news story, there’s another report on our flailing economy. In fact, MSNBC has a whole section of their site called Economy In Turmoil. These stories are full of statistics and analysis of the state of our country. But I don’t think in terms of numbers. I go by what I see.

I see the proud father having to come to a food bank for the first time in his life because he’s lost his job and his home. I see a single mother crying for help because she can no longer afford to feed her children. And I see more of this in America today than I have in the 30-years since I began Feed The Children.

But no matter how bad the news may be, I have hope. And that hope comes from the many supporters Feed The Children is blessed to have. These wonderful individuals, and even entire companies, rally with us when times are tough. They help us reach out to the hurting and hungry across our nation – and our world – with good food and real hope.

So while the nation is focusing on the high unemployment and foreclosure rates, I’m able to focus on another all-time high. This past year, Feed The Children shipped more than 135 million pounds of food and other essentials to children and families in all 50 states and in 32 foreign countries, supplementing almost 800,000 meals a day worldwide. And this was all made possible by caring people like you!

Making Miracles Happen

Often a miracle is something that starts ordinary and becomes extraordinary. Take for instance the day I met a young boy named Jerry. It was 1979 in Haiti. I had just finished preaching at a local church when a boy came up to me and asked me for a nickel to buy a roll. For three cents more he could put butter on it. I told him he better get a drink to wash it down too and I gave him 20 cents. That was the only meal Jerry would have that day. After that meeting, Jerry’s plight haunted me. I thought of the surplus wheat in my home state of Oklahoma and how many rolls it would provide to hungry children like Jerry. And from there Feed The Children was born.

Until I was 38 years old, I preached to people, telling them how to live. But after I met Jerry, I was compelled to focus more energy on living what I preached.

What a blessing it was for me to meet Jerry that day. Just look at what Feed The Children has accomplished today, feeding thousands of hungry children every day abroad and right here in the U.S. Thirty years ago, I never imagined in my wildest dreams we’d be able to help so many. To me, that is a miracle.

This holiday season, we are making more miracles happen. Our goal is to put 175 trucks full of food on the road all across America by Christmas. With the support of kind friends, I believe we can do it. Just imagine the look of joy that will spread across a hungry child’s face when he sees a big box of food for his family. It’s the same expression I saw on Jerry’s face when I handed him that 20 cents.

Nothing short of miraculous.