We’d love for you to take a few minutes and watch this video.

I don’t know how you felt when it finished, but I am frustrated. It’s such a massively huge problem. The first thing to overcome are agricultural issues. It starts with education and ends with expensive farming equipment and tools that may not be easily available. Next is the issue of consumerism. It’s not only what they themselves are consuming, but what we and the rest of the world are consuming as well. We’re contributing to the problem, without even knowing we are, every time our stomachs growl. Lastly, is the issue of our philanthropy. It’s a good thing to be giving to those in need, but at the same time, our giving creates additional problems. The first is that it creates ongoing need, instead of providing means to provide for themselves. The second is that when we give them certain products it affects supply and demand.

Not mentioned in the videos are the issues of corrupt governments, who keep their citizens hungry as a means of control, or take what they produce rather than letting the farmers keep their produce and goods, or how in organic farming you run the risk of reduced yields, and therefore still have smaller crops.

It feels a little bit like we can’t win.  I tend toward the pessimistic side, so as my glass tipped over and emptied itself halfway, I struggle to see a workable solution, and obviously they did too, because they didn’t address any solutions whatsoever.  What do we do when even our philanthropy is a failure.

Jeff Shinabarger has a great quote: “It’s easy to critique culture, but influence is gained by doing something.”  I see the value in naming a problem, but it’s only helpful if it causes a solution to emerge.  I’d like to be part of the solution.  I know for myself, in my limited understanding of farming and ranching, I can’t offer much in terms of agricultural answers.  It’s just not an issue of poverty I can address.  I’m sure even my ramblings here are inaccurate. But there are some things I can do where I am to begin addressing the poverty of my neighbors right where I live. Andre’s starting a community garden.  We can engage our homeless neighbors in the process and give them opportunities to earn food that we grow.  I can help the tenants in the halfway house down the street earn some grocery money by having them work with me in my yard.  I can prepare a meal for the local woman’s shelter, etc.  There are a lot of things I can do where I am to address the issue of poverty.   I don’t want to focus on what I can’t do, I want to do what I can.  It’s easy to say I don’t understand the complexity of issues, or that it’s too big of an issue to address.  But my ignorance does not take away my responsibility.  I may not know how to solve the issues of farming in countries around the world, but I do know how to help my neighbor, so that’s a start.