It is an absurd world that we live in.

As we feed children suffering from hunger and malnutrition, I try to be on guard against a savior complex. My tendency is to only see myself meeting the needs of the hungry. The donor-receptor model we use is very one-sided. We save them. In a sense this dehumanizes them, as I fail to recognize the gifts, talents, and wisdom they bring to this world. I believe this mindset is one of the greatest obstacles in what we do, and it is our responsibility to shift the perspective from salvation to mutuality. We serve the hungry with food. They offer and teach us a great deal, if only we would take the time to listen and receive.

“I’m sure things are rough in Africa right now, but we have our own problems that we need to take care of here…. I’m for helping other people, but why do we keep giving to Africa when nothing changes?”