Maps, Prayers and Action

I recently participated in an ELCA World Hunger webinar on “Hunger and Conflict.” The personal stories from people around the world who live among, relate to, and work with people hungry because of conflict were challenging. But, I was also amazed to realize that I needed to have a map to locate all the conflict areas mentioned!

How long ago was it when you studied “geography”? For me, it was longer than I care to admit and I haven’t kept up with the changing world as I should. The boundaries in our world have changed and names of countries have changed, too.

I am going to make a concerted effort to remedy that. I’m going to keep a world map on my breakfast table right along with the daily paper. Maybe you'd prefer to reference an online world map, such as https://www.mapsofworld.com/, which not only displays the country's location, but also provides information about its history, major cities, points of interest and other facts.  I’m going to locate the conflict area mentioned in the newspaper, be it in Africa (South Sudan), the Middle East (Yemen), or the Americas (Haiti). I’ll pay attention to the neighboring countries and to the distance and relationships with our United States of America.

I’ll pray for those who live in that country, for those in government and power as well as those who are living with hunger and fear. I’ll ask God to show me ways that I can be of help. Maybe it’s through contributions to ELCA World Hunger, which works with local agencies and organizations on the ground in many countries to make people’s lives better. Maybe it’s through advocacy with our U.S. government to support policies and programs that support global food programs and distribution. Maybe it’s a reminder to remember those who are hungry as I enjoy my morning coffee, fruit and toast. Maybe it requires more prayer for all of the above.

Join me with maps, prayers and action.

Vernita Kennen

Incarnation, Shoreview