Cry of the Hungry.

Meet sweet baby, Given.

He may look pathetic, and let's be honest... it's because he is.

But look at THAT FACE.

Given is two years old. He has a twin brother named Kevin, an older sister named Charity and a baby sister named Carabo. Their mom is 22 years old, and expecting another baby. 

During my trip, I spent a lot of time with Given's family. On Sunday's after church, their whole family would come over to the base that I was living at for Sunday lunch on the lawn. We'd go to their house to help bathe and dress them before church. We'd stop by just to share oranges and cookies. We'd spend time together as a family. Because really, they are family. I cared for them and loved them as if they were my own.

One Sunday at church, I had Given in my lap and his twin brother was sleeping in my friends lap, which is usually what he did the majority of the time. Sweet, lethargic baby. Given just kept squirming and whining, looking up at me with those sad, sad eyes. He wiggled his way down to the floor, turned and looked at me and just started crying the most pathetic cry ever. So, I took him outside to try and calm him down. We sat down on a bench, next to a half eaten banana that he desperately grabbed at. I picked the banana up and handed it to him and he scarfed it down. [Don't judge; poor baby was starving]. After eating his snack made from sloppy seconds, the tears dried up and we went back inside the church.

Who knows how long this sweet boy had gone without eating. He had gotten to the point where he couldn't hold his hunger pains in any longer. Thank you Jesus for someones leftovers filling that babies tummy long enough to make it to Sunday Lunch.

This situation, to me, is a great example of the struggle that is unseen. The pain and hunger that is unseen. The empty tummy's that are unseen. The sorrow that is unseen.

The people inside of that church did not see this baby's pain. They did not know the amount of emptiness in that tummy. They did not see the half eaten banana that I fed him, just to settle his stomach for long enough to get him through the rest of church. After the pain, emptiness and sadness was temporarily relieved, we returned to our seats as if nothing had happened. As if everything was okay. When in reality, it's not okay. It's not okay for these babies to be hungry. If by posting this blog, i'm bringing awareness of one, tiny empty tummy, i'm doing for one what I wish I could do for many. 

I invite you to open your eyes so that you can become more aware of what is going on around you. To become aware of those struggling to survive. Open your hearts to love those who have never felt loved. Open your hands to feed and care for those who have nothing. 

Become AWARE.