Millenium Development Goal #1

It is scary to realize 925 Million people worldwide do not have enough to eat (source: World Food Programme). In case you haven’t been paying much attention to international news in the past few years, the MONSTROUS project right now is the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). They are eight anti-poverty goals to be accomplished by 2015, and here is a list of them:

As you can see, hunger is the MDG#1. If we were all being honest, the MDGs are like a recipe. The results of each goal will affect the success of the others, and in effect, the success of the entire project. Here’s why hunger is so important. With a meal, someone can be healthier, thus have more energy to go to school, get a job, be empowered, educate others, and promote economic growth. Hunger is a foundation for the other MDGs...hence it being #1.What is so beautiful is that the goals don't stop there- they create a stable balance in all areas of growth and development.

Kenyan girl. Photo courtesy of World Food Programme

The World Food Programme has created a Hunger Map to show the impact of hunger in every country throughout the world. It is a well designed map (and I LOVE the colors!), but also terrifying when you realize how detrimental hunger is to our global community. Take the time to check out the map because it is vital to know what we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for in these next few years.

World Food Programme is an amazing organization doing amazing things with their resources. Check out the rest of their website, it is a fantastic resource for each and every one of us to stay on task and to see the progress to eliminate poverty...starting with hunger.

Today, I am thankful for organizations like the World Food Programme who are an example of living grace to those in need of a simple meal. Enjoy the pictures, and check out their website to know how to get more involved. Also... here are a few pictures of hunger projects the World Food Programme is conducting around the world. All photos are courtesy of World Food Programme.

Children in Colombia awaiting their meal.

Beautiful Haitian girl with her meal. LOVE the smile!

Pakistani children sharing a meal. Gastronomy at it's best!

In Pakistan, a pile of food is created for flood victims.

~Linbrooke

Free Rice

World Food Programme has a non-profit website, freerice.com, that is both interactive and conclusive. By taking a very easy and enjoyable vocabulary quiz, you can donate rice with every correct answer. It is truly a revolutionary idea, and for people like myself, a fun way to create small change.

According to their website, FreeRice has two goals:

• Provide education to everyone for free.

• Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

 You can sign into the website through your Twitter or Facebook account, and from there, you can track totals, join groups, and find other ways to fight hunger.

I LOVE THIS WEBSITE. Perhaps you’re unemployed, perhaps you’re bored, perhaps you’re schedule doesn’t allow you to do more for the poor….or maybe you are getting ready to take the SAT. J Regardless, check out this website! Help your vocabulary and help the hungry! 

Click here to begin feeding the world

~Linbrooke

Freedom from Hunger

A healthful hunger for a great idea is the

beauty and blessedness of life. 

-Jean Ingelow

Freedom from Hunger(FFH) is a wonderful organization doing amazing things worldwide to alleviate poverty and hunger. As a four star charity, FFH started as Meals for Millions which developed a high-protein powdered food still used in today's aid efforts. Here is a rundown of the organization, then we'll get into the meat of their greatness:

Where They Work: Asia, Africa, Americas

What They Do: Taken from their website, they "bring poor women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America a powerful combination of microfinance, education, and health protection to help them achieve a sustainable, self-help end to world hunger." To do so, they partner with local organizations to educate these women in hopes that they will be self-sufficient at some point. It is not simply through feeding, but also through health, financial and other daily skills needed to empower them.

A Few Projects to Note (according to me): 

1. Consumer Protection: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities is a program to educate microfinance clients and their lenders to make sure the clients are getting the information they need and are asking the right questions. In light of the the recent controversy over microfinance institutions allegedly taking advantage of those they are supposed to be helping, I love this transparency. It provides resources for both ends to be sure intentions are still good, and clients can discern for themselves what they should expect in a microlender.

2. Mexico City: They are providing a combination of financial services, life-skills training and health education to those in rural areas through a training center in Mexico City. In their own words,

"By collaborating with existing organizations, we double the effect of our technical knowledge and donor support by leveraging the contributions of local, highly committed and knowledgeable people. Our objective is to transfer our skills, knowledge and capacity to local organizations so they provide services for the long term and, ultimately, without our assistance."

Here's why I like them...

• First of all, they ONLY work with women. I find this really interesting, and in their own words, "We don't exclude men: we focus on women." They understand that in many cultures, the mother is responsible for feeding the household, and thus, they are targeting these women and empowering them. They have a wonderful part of their website which documents the stories of women all over the world: click here

• I really admire their comprehensive approach to poverty and hunger. They do not use one avenue to solve one goal, but blend many development issues to address not only hunger, but the needs beyond that. Their website is incredibly informative, I could have a heyday on there! 

• They have an awesome FAQ page

• They do not stand alone, but rather collaborate with as many organizations as possible to achieve their goals to truly diminish hunger, and hopefully, poverty. 

If you have never heard about this organization, truly take the time to browse their web page and find out ways you can GET INVOLVED. They are truly worth watching as they courageously take on incredibly difficult global issues. Know that FFH neither endorses nor sponsors this post. All thoughts are my own unless otherwise stated.

I just think this is a pretty fantastic organization, and so should you!!!

-Linbrooke

Where it all started...

Pancho, Ava, Gloria, Megan and I at the site

 In 1997, my family and I took a trip to Tijuana, Mexico to build homes for a less fortunate family. This was the trip that changed my perspective, and thus, changed my life. 

Amor Ministries  is an amazing organization that provides an alternative to a traditional family vacation. We slept in tents at a campground with other families, we took bucket showers, and we spent our entire days at the worksite in downtown Tijuana. It wasn't glamorous, for sure, but it was a blast. 

That's me, handing out meals to local families

 Let's be honest. Growing up in the Midwest, we didn't learn very much about our global neighbors. We loved God, sports, and our family. When I went to Mexico, it was as if the great secret had been kept from me for years. I loved serving, I loved learning the culture, and of course....I LOVED the food!!

Ernestine, Megan, Gloria

 Ernestine was the mother, and she was an inspiration! Such a beautiful smile and incredible children. Though they lived in a rundown shack, it felt like a home. Her cheerfulness in spite of their hardship was awe-inspiring, and we returned to their home just a year later after the difference they made in our lives. 

Pancho, our little apprentice

 This is Pancho. What a beautiful boy!! He would not sit around and watch us construct his home. No, he insisted on helping every step of the way. Isn't that the way it should be? He wanted dignity, and not just charity, and I'm sure he is an incredible young man today. His work ethic far surpassed children born into the best of circumstances. 

Ava, Pancho, and other neighborhood children

 I could not wait to get to the worksite each and everyday. There was laughter, there was pain, there was pity, there was hope. Every emotion you can think of was experienced at one time or another. But, it was a rude awakening. They didn't need pity. They didn't need money. They needed dignity and an opportunity to change their own lives. We hopefully provided the first step among many. 

Me swinging beautiful Ava

For all the memories we had here, I will never forget the faces of the families. I have never seen gratitude like I have the beautiful raw smiles of Gloria, Pancho, and Ava. Despite the fact that they had nothing to give, they gave! They gave their love, they gave a prized possession, and they gave me a life-altering experience. Building a house is nothing in comparison to what these people gave me.

If you have children, do whatever you can to show them a glimpse of poverty. I can tell you I came away from it with more love, and an enormous amount of gratitude to my parents, and a spark to be a part of something much bigger than I found in a small Midwestern town. 

Be blessed! 

~Linbrooke

The Purpose of my Blog

First and foremost, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

It was over dinner today that several people suggested I start a cooking show. Talk about dreaming big! But...it did get me thinking, as so many things do, and I realized that there is a way I can show my love of food, my love for the poor and broken, and my love for bringing those broken places to the love of my family and friends. And now, as you are reading this, I will consider you in one of those 3 categories (except for food I hope?). 

I want to share my favorite recipes, whether hailing from the great Midwest or Latin America or China. At the same time, I want to share with you some fantastic organizations doing wonderful things to alleviate poverty and bring hope to the many devastated areas in our world. It is amazing how food can bring so many people together. While I would love to share everything in this first blog, please join me on my journey to understand how to eat well and love well, and hopefully at the same time! 

Be blessed!

~Linbrooke