Resolution?

The New Year always brings thoughts of resolutions. In thinking about this I wonder if we focus on “resolutions” as conclusions/endings to a problem OR do we focus more on the “resolve” aspect? Either of the ways of looking at resolutions is okay but we need to be clear what it is that we are resolving or bringing to an end as well as how we are doing so.

I am hopeful that you, as I, are once again thinking of ways that we can resolve, individually and together, to work so that there will no longer be people in the world who have to live with hunger. We have made considerable progress in the last few years but by no means has the problem of hunger been resolved. Many, many things work together to force people into hunger - forces of nature (some caused by humans), sickness and disease, unemployment or underemployment, cost of other necessities (housing, for example), corrupt governments, and of course, poverty. The list seems to be endless.

This is a NEW year and an opportunity for new resolve on our part to work to bring an end to hunger. That will mean working locally as well as globally. It will mean “hands on” work in our own communities as well as through the ELCA World Hunger program. It will also mean working with our elected officials to protect, preserve, and augment existing programs that keep people in our own communities from living with hunger, programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), WIC (Women, Infants and Children), and free school lunch, breakfast, and summer meals.

Be strongly resolved for action in some new way in this new year of our Lord 2017.

Vernita Kennen

Weaving Together an End to Hunger Work Group