Will We Feed Our Neighbors—Or Let Them Starve?
THROUGH world news sources, the faces of hungry people confront us with growing frequency. Hunger, of course, is not new. But the scope of today’s problem is. As an article in the New York Times says:
“Famine here and there is recorded as far back as the Bible. What is new is the potential for food shortages not confined to particular places and times: a permanent crisis threatening hundreds of millions in large sectors of the globe.”
Estimates are that some 500 million persons—most of them children—now near starvation. Surely the Bible prophecy, “there will be food shortages . . . in one place after another,” is seeing fulfillment.—Matt. 24:7.
Who among us can see pictures of hungry people without feeling a desire to aid them? But what can we do?
On a local scale, it is not difficult to help neighbors temporarily in need, as when some disaster hits. People often respond with acts of kindness and generosity. On a worldwide scale, however, the situation is quite different. Why?
For one thing, there is more to today’s situation than meets the eye. It would seem that the earth is just not producing enough food to go around. But this is not really the problem, yet. Grain crops now harvested would feed adequately every person living—if they were distributed equally and if the grain were eaten directly as cereal or bread or similar products.
But that is not the case. Much of the world’s harvest is used by wealthier nations to feed animals and produce meat, milk and eggs. It can take up to seven pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. That is one reason why so-called “advanced” nations with only one third of earth’s population consume more grain than the other, poorer, two thirds put together. So, too, with fuel and fertilizer, key production factors in modern agriculture.
But are not the “advanced” nations feeding much of the world? Yes, countries like the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina export millions of tons of grain annually. The problem is that the poorer nations find it ever harder to pay. Spiraling inflation devastates their ability to buy food, fuel and fertilizer. And their populations keep growing. Each year there are over 80 million more mouths to feed—most in already hungry lands.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
What is the solution? Contradictory claims are made. Leaders of “advanced” nations say that the poorer nations must make greater efforts to slow population growth. But in such lands many children die at an early age. So parents actually want large families, hoping that some children will survive to care for them in their old age. To the “advanced” nations the poorer nations say: ‘Why do you buy our raw materials at low prices and then sell us your products at high prices? Why don’t you live and eat more modestly so that your lands’ bounty can benefit more of mankind?’
Faced with this situation, what can an individual, yourself, for example, do to help? Obviously, just your eating less is not going to put food on people’s plates in another country. Can you confidently rely on national governments or other organizations to see that any efforts you make to contribute toward a greater food supply will bring relief for the world’s hungry?
Unfortunately, there is much to discourage people’s efforts. They see that, despite the vast amounts of financial aid given, conditions worsen. There are more hungry people now than ever before. Governments receiving aid may use it to buy costly military equipment rather than food. Corruption, black-market profiteering and waste cut deeply into food supplies sent, often reducing them to a mere trickle by the time they reach needy ones.
An article in BioScience magazine says:
“A wise and competent government saves out of the production of the good years in anticipation of bad years that are sure to come. This is not a new idea. The Bible tells us that Joseph taught this policy to Pharaoh in Egypt more than 2,000 years ago. Yet it is literally true that the vast majority of the governments of the world today have no such policy. They lack either the wisdom or the competence, or both.”
Evidence is that “advanced” nations often do not really want food to reach the point of abundance. Why not? Because then prices would drop and profits would be cut. Production is geared to keep prices high on the world market. Food is even used to gain political advantage.
On the one hand, then, we often hear world leaders claim that they view all men as brothers and they speak of the “brotherhood of man.” But when large areas of mankind come into need, time and again nationalistic and commercial interests are put first, ahead of the needs of fellow humans.
Long ago, the inspired apostle wrote: “I ask you, how can God’s love survive in a man who has enough of this world’s goods yet closes his heart to his brother when he sees him in need? . . . let us love in deed and in truth and not merely talk about it.” (1 John 3:17, 18, New American Bible) What is true of men is true of nations. Despite their religious claims, the nations of the world show that they lack love of God.
Clearly what is needed is an entirely new system for mankind, one that eliminates selfish nationalism and ruthless commercial competition, replacing these with systems that treat all persons as equals and that foster cooperation, unhypocritical generosity and love of neighbor. The book that foretold today’s food shortages, the Bible, also foretold the coming of that new system. It shows that God’s kingdom by his Son will soon take over full direction of earth’s affairs and rid the earth of all systems that now contribute to human suffering.—Matt. 6:9, 10; Dan. 2:44.
Individually we cannot change the present conditions. But this does not excuse any indifference on our part toward the suffering of others. Are we making use of what opportunities we do have to give aid to others? Proverbs 22:9 assures us: “A blessing awaits the man who is kindly, since he shares his bread with the poor.”—Jerusalem Bible.
Jehovah’s witnesses today endeavor to prove their love for God by helping their needy brothers in all lands, without concern for nationality, race, color or social standing. And, most importantly, they seek to aid all persons everywhere to gain the hope of the coming new order, free from hunger, that God’s Word promises.