"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat."
— Jesus (Matthew 25: 35)
Activity: Food for thought
How much does your family know about global hunger? Answer these true/false trivia questions together, then click on them to read through the answers and learn more about the challenges that many kids and families face. Then, make a really simple dinner (like rice and beans) and use the devotional questions to start the conversation.
Hunger trivia questions: true or false?
1) The number of hungry people in the world is decreasing.
True! The total number of hungry people has been steadily dropping over the last few decades. However, since the global economic crisis of 2007-2008, progress in reducing hunger has slowed and isn’t happening equally everywhere in the world. There’s more work to be done!
2) Most of the world’s hungry children live in urban areas (crowded cities), not rural areas (the countryside).
False. About three of every four people affected by hunger live in low-income rural areas of developing countries. Most of them are farmers who grow barely enough to feed their own families. However, the share of hungry people in urban areas is rising.
3) Kids who are malnourished (don’t get enough nutrition) always have swollen bellies.
False. You can’t always see the signs of malnutrition. A child may get enough food to fill their stomach, but if it’s not a balanced diet, they can suffer serious, life-long effects. Symptoms of malnutrition range from the visible, such as a swollen stomach or severe weight loss, to the less visible, such as chronic diarrhea, poor brain development, and a weakened immune system that opens the door to infections and deadly disease.
4) Hunger can make it harder for children to focus in school, and can even stunt their growth.
True. Hunger affects many aspects of a child’s life and development. Not only can it stop them from growing tall enough, but it can also cause mental, social, and physical development issues such as brain damage and poor bone growth.
5) We have enough food in the world today for everyone.
True! There is enough food in the world today for everyone to get the nourishment necessary for a healthy and productive life. The problem is that it’s very unevenly distributed, and the people who need it the most can’t get it.
Bonus activity:
Watch this video to discover why nutrition is so important, especially for children, and how it impacts the whole body.
Dinner devotional questions:
- What did you eat today?
- What did you learn from the hunger trivia game we played earlier? Was there anything that surprised you?
- How does it feel to eat such a simple meal tonight?
- Can you remember a time when you felt REALLY hungry? How long did you have to wait to eat?
- How can we share our food with others or help make sure other people have food?
Ways to pray
- Ask God to give families what they need to grow their own food or have the money to buy it.
- Pray for all kids to get enough good food for their bodies to grow healthy and strong, and their minds to be focused so they can learn in school.
- Pray for organizations and people that help hungry families get the food they need.