I've been hungry this year.

It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged. Honestly, I don’t have a good excuse. Yeah, I’ve been busy. But so has everyone else. I was in the midst of my student teaching and that kept me going with a pretty dagone tight schedule amongst other things. So that’s the lame excuse I will attempt to use. Anyways, this post isn’t about Ethiopia even though I still have much to say on that topic. I’ve had some other thoughts on my mind that seemed pretty relevant so here goes…

We have this reindeer in our house that holds up a chalkboard sign that says, “I’ve been ______________ this year.” It’s a decoration that our family has gotten a lot of laughter from as we often fill in the blank with something funny. Some years it seems that the word has changed every time I walk past it. This year the reindeer was not as visible to people walking by it. But I spotted it on the second day I was home from school for break. No word had been written on it yet so I was excited to come up with something and beat everyone else to the punch. My mom’s side of the family was supposed to gather at our house that day for an early Christmas celebration, which meant whatever I wrote needed to be good. As most people know, the Witt family loves to eat. I know I sure do whenever there is a smorgasbord before me. So the word I chose to write was “hungry.” Put the whole thing together and the reindeer’s sign read as, “I’ve been hungry this year.” I smirked as I stood back to look at it. Our family eats a lot, Presbyterians eat a lot, and whenever there is some sort of gathering there is most definitely food present. I thought the sign was a little funny since we would surely be chowing down on that day and the many ahead. One of the things I look forward to the most about returning home is the scrumptious food we eat. My parents are good cooks, but I most certainly am not. If anyone out there would like to teach me, then be my guest!

Anyways, I’m not sure if anyone saw the sign or not. And I had sorta forgotten about it. But then I spotted it a few days after our family gathering. At first, I smiled and chuckled a little inside. I thought about all the delicious meals we had been partaking in. But those thoughts escaped me quite quickly as I looked at the sign again. This time, I was not smiling. My whole perspective had shifted as I read the sign again in a more serious way. It took me back. I had been laughing at that simple phrase that I had personally written down and now I realized it may not be something to find humor in. I was even a little disappointed in myself.

I’m not sure how many of you out there have been hungry. And I’m not talking the occasional tummy growl when it gets close to meal time. I’m not talking about after we have filled up our stomachs yet continue to say, “I’m still hungry.” I’m not talking about those times you didn’t have time to eat because you were too busy. I’m not even talking about when you decided to fast or try to see what it felt like to be hungry by participating in a hunger meal. No, that isn’t real hunger. I’ve done those things and I don’t think I’ve even been close to feeling that true state of hunger.

When I was little I remember saying, “I’m starving,” before dinner was ready. I threw those words around like it was my job. But then I also remember my parents snapping me out of it by asking, “Are you really starving?” It’s something I’ll never forget and I’m so glad they asked me that question. Because I wasn’t starving. I was being dramatic about my feelings…surprise, surprise. Sure, I’ve wanted food because my body was telling me it was time to eat again, but I haven’t felt those pangs of hunger that so many in our world feel. There are people in every community who are longing for even just a little bit of food.

I went to a conference one year with JMU’s InterVaristy Christian Fellowship group. I’m not sure what the exact theme was but it may have been Biblical Justice or something similar. Either way, there was a man there that was talking about hunger and how it can be a very strong metaphor. Well, I’m gonna keep it basic and not go deep because I’m not super good at those metaphors. One thing that man said that has stuck with me throughout my college years was, “Is it hunger or appetite?” There are many times when I have continued to eat even when I’m full. I love to eat. Food is great! However, when I ask those mashed potatoes to be passed down my way for another go round, do I really need more of them? The majority of the time I’m not still hungry, I just have an appetite for more. It’s okay to have an appetite. I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’ve just continued to keep that in mind and it makes me think about all those that feel real hunger rather than appetite. And yes, if you want to get deep…it also makes me reflect upon what I need in life rather than what I want. There’s a huge difference between needs and wants, which has been put into perspective for me in various ways. One was at that conference, another being at the homeless shelter, and then of course there was my trip to Ethiopia. All these experiences plus more have shaped my understanding of hunger, metaphorically and physically.

As this week begins, I’m thinking of that reindeer sign. It is still there with the same phrase. I haven’t changed it yet and I don’t think anybody will. But I now look at it differently when I pass by. That sign is keeping me in check. This week I will get to interact with some people who may have experienced real hunger along with a multitude of other challenges. Opequon Presbyterian Church is hosting the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS). This is the seventh year that the shelter has been making the rounds to different churches in the

Winchester area. Homelessness is something that can often fly under the radar as we continue about our daily lives. I know that in Harrisonburg this population of people can easily go unnoticed by the college community that I’m a part of. In college we tend to live in our own little bubble of campus that provides everything we need. The same goes for many other places as well. Fortunately, Harrisonburg also has a shelter, Open Doors, that rotates to a number of churches. If you would like to donate to either of these places, then please let me know. That could mean

dedicating your time to serving in a variety of ways, donating money, giving some type of supplies that are needed, or even simply offering your prayers. Everything goes a long way. I’d love to see and hear about more people helping out! Thanks for reading and I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Enough ramblin’ for one day…

Peace out, ya’ll!