Kids on the Rise by Feed the Hunger

KIDS on the

RISE stories of life Change

Copyright © 2021 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in mechanical or electronic form without express permission of the copyright holder. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Table of Contents Rozina Lal Misca Mehedi Moses Wensheila Huy Jasmin Waqas

5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21

Dennis Rasika and Gnapala Tawfiq Kakoli Eric Dipa Frankline Samna

23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37

The Rohingya are an ethnic group from the Asian country of Myanmar (formerly called Burma). This is a Buddhist country, but the Rohingya are Muslims, and the government began to persecute them. The people fled by the hundreds of thousands to the neighboring Muslim country of Bangladesh, where Feed the Hunger has a Christian partner who is reaching out to them in the refugee camps. Think of it: Christians helping Muslims who were persecuted by Buddhists! Rozina is a six-year-old girl who escaped Myanmar with her family during the army’s genocide. She witnessed people being murdered, saw her house being burnt to the ground, and lost her younger brother. Rozina shared: “I saw people screaming. A baby lost her mother, and I lost my little brother while running with my father. Later, my mother found my little brother’s body by a river. We cried a lot and decided to leave the place forever. We walked 13 days to come here.” Life in the refugee camp in Bangladesh is not easy. Rozina realized the scarcity of food, water, and shel-

ter. She often cried for food, not realizing how much her parents were struggling to provide for her. Rozina’s mother attempted to take her own life, but her father remained strong and gave the family hope. The family was recently blessed with Feed the Hunger food. Being able to feed her children made Rozina’s mother happy. Rozina was glad to see her mother happy again. The food has brought temporary happiness, but their problems are not solved. Like so many families, Rozina’s lives day-to-day, and the future is uncertain. This overwhelming need is why we must produce and ship as much food as possible to help as many families as possible. God has blessed us with so much in America. We should pass along this blessing to those in need.

Life can seem unfair. We live in a fallen world after all. Ever since Adam and Eve messed up in the Garden of Eden, the whole creation has been groaning (Romans 8:22). It hurts us to see children hurting, and we long for God to make things right. A good example of this is Lal. Lal became an orphan after his father died while in India working small jobs. Nothing is known about his mother. He spent his days in the streets of Nepal begging for food and looking for shelter. Some relatives were located and were willing to care for him. However, Lal was distressed and missed his parents, so he decided to run from the village. At the young age of five, Lal became a street child. One day, a concerned man saw Lal wearing rags and playing with dogs in the street. He remembered there was a local pastor and his wife who cared for abandoned children. Thankfully, Lal was admitted into this children’s home. At such a young age, Lal was used to smoking and drinking alcohol. He appeared to have never had a

bath and all his clothes were torn. He had a difficult time adjusting to the home and to the other children, but after three months, he settled in. Now, after four years in the home, Lal is very happy to be living there. His faith is growing too. He’s learning Bible stories, how to pray, and how to have good manners. He has his own Bible sent from Feed the Hunger. One of the lines from the famous hymn “Amazing Grace” is, “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.” Christ came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). This pastor followed Jesus’ example and sought after a lost and troubled young Lal. It should be our goal to seek lost people and point them to Him as well.

No one begins the day really knowing what is going to happen. Sure, we have plans and tasks that we think we’ll accomplish, but these can change in an instant. Our lives can quickly be altered forever due to an unforeseen event. For little Misca, who lives in the Caribbean country of Haiti, this event happened on a Tuesday at 4:53 p.m. At that moment, there was a massive and catastrophic earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced many more, and changed the country forever. While Misca survived, her parents did not. They were killed like so many others by crumbling buildings and homes. In a matter of seconds, Misca had become an orphan. Can you imagine the panic on the streets and the feelings of utter hopelessness for many like Misca? What would she do now? By God’s grace, Misca was brought to a home for girls. To see her today, you wouldn’t know the tragedy in her past. She is in school, loves to sing, and loves Jesus. If you ask Misca what her favorite verse is, she

will tell you Psalm 27:10: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” You can see the unbridled joy written all over her face. It is a blessing to help joyful children like Misca and to come alongside a Christian children’s home like hers. She and the other girls there receive the spiritual, physical, and educational resources they need to go forward in life with joy. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah once encouraged the people of his day: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:10). Indeed, the joy of the Lord can be our strength too, just as it was for Nehemiah and is for Misca. Like many things in life, having joy is a choice, and we can experience it going forward, even after tragedy.

It is a most unfortunate reality that women around the world must resort to prostitution to make a living. Some are forced into sex slavery, while others don’t see another way to provide for themselves. For many, this practice begins in their early teens and carries on for years. They may have children along the way, but continue in prostitution. The sex trade is legal in Bangladesh if properly licensed, and many are indeed licensed through the corrupt process. In the village of Daulatdia in the central part of the country lies one of the world’s largest brothels. Two thousand women and girls are engaged in prostitution both willingly and unwillingly. Three thousand men visit there daily. It truly is a dark place. Mehedi is only a year and a half old. His mother is one of the prostitutes. It is not surprising that she doesn’t know who the father is. Mehedi is underweight and is in desperate need of nutritious food. Our ministry partners were granted permission to enter the brothel and have been providing the women with Feed the Hunger meals. The meal packets that

Mehedi’s mother receives are a blessing. As the food packets are distributed, our partners have also been sharing about Jesus with the women and providing them with Bibles. These meals will help Mehedi and his brother become strong and healthy. Freedom from this dark place is needed even more than food. The men, women, and children who live in or visit this brothel are “living in darkness” and need to see the “great light” that is Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:16). So, pray as our partners reach out to Mehedi and so many others. Not every story has a positive ending, but we must do all we can to help.

The street children living in the slums surrounding Nairobi, Kenya, don’t have much help or hope. They resort to begging, stealing scraps, or sniffing cheap industrial glue to numb the hunger pains and cold nights. Some of the more industrious children collect plastic and scrap metal from the trash heaps and sell it to recycling dealers. Moses is one such child. He dropped out of school during the first grade after his father died. His mother couldn’t afford the school fees or uniforms required by public schools in Kenya. She had no job and survived merely on favors from friends. Moses resorted to collecting and selling plastic just to buy something to eat. Paying for school was not an option. One day, a teacher at a local Christian school spotted Moses next to the school gate picking up old plastic. He talked to Moses, and Moses shared his story. The teacher held his hand and took him to the kitchen where he ate, and he was given some food to take to his siblings. The teacher told him to come to school the following day, which he did. Not only did he receive

food, but he was admitted into the school and was given a uniform and other clothes. Moses is now happy at school and doing quite well in class. Outside the classroom, Moses is a very talented footballer (soccer player) and would like to play professionally one day. All children have big dreams, no matter where they live. But so many like Moses are trapped in poverty and hopelessness. By investing in them for the longterm and providing practical resources, we’re helping them break free and succeed. We want to see them change their world for Christ!

While our hearts always go out to true orphans (children who have lost both parents), there is another large group of needy kids often referred to as semi-orphans. As you might guess, these are children who have lost at least one parent. Because of the realities of living in poorer countries, the surviving parent is often unable to properly care for their children. So, they seek out other living arrangements for them. This is the case for Wensheila. Wensheila’s mother passed away when she was only three months old. She then spent six months with her grandmother, who couldn’t properly care for her. Her father searched for a home for Wensheila because he thought this would give her the best chance at a better upbringing. Our partner in Haiti was introduced to the family and learned about their history and circumstances. He welcomed Wensheila into his girls’ home. At first, she was malnourished and very sick, but she eventually got better. After three years, she was enrolled in kindergarten at a nearby mission school.

Wensheila is a joyful and funny girl who loves eating the Feed the Hunger meals she has been receiving since she came into the home. She has been equipped with an Edu-Pack full of school supplies, which will prepare her for primary school, and a New Testament, which will assist her spiritual growth. When she grows up, Wensheila dreams of becoming a teacher. She still gets to visit her father at various times throughout the year, and her life is on a stronger and more hopeful path. Whether a child lives with a poor family or is an orphan or semi-orphan, God loves them all and so do we. They deserve a better life in order to fulfill their dreams.

Most Americans don’t think much about HIV/AIDS anymore. Effective and readily available treatments that prolong life have made it possible for this virus to become more of a footnote in modern America. Sadly, this is not the case in poorer countries around the world. One of these countries is Vietnam. Huy is a ten-year-old boy whose life has been turned upside down by HIV. His mother died from AIDS when he was young. His father also contracted it and was an alcoholic on top of that. Huy’s dad was a terrible parent and would randomly leave Huy in public places such as the local market. You can imagine how this would make a young boy feel, losing his mom and being neglected by his dad. Huy’s dad eventually passed away from AIDS as well. Thankfully, Huy was welcomed into a Christian orphanage. When he arrived, Huy was badly hurt and had numerous bad habits resulting from his highly dysfunctional upbringing. It took him a while to adapt to his new life in the children’s home. Over time, however, Huy started to recover from his

past and began to stabilize. He now prays to God on his own and is attending school. While he still struggles from time to time, we believe by faith that Huy has turned the corner and will grow in his walk with Christ. In one way or another, life has damaged all of us. Whether caused by unfair circumstances or poor personal decisions, sin is rampant in the world and in our hearts. This reality is why we are in such desperate need of a Savior. Jesus gives us hope in this life and in the life to come. We just need to keep leaning on Him through our struggles. And we need to remember these words: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).

Refugee camps often have poor, cramped living conditions. People are jockeying for every square inch of available space. There are no jobs available, food is rationed, and the days are long with little to do. To make matters worse, the sanitation “facilities” are hopelessly inadequate for the number of refugees. There is only a vague hope that someday they will have a better life. One of the children being helped in a refugee camp in Bangladesh is Jasmin, who was just three and a half years old when we learned of her story. A fire had broken out in the camp and, due to the crowded living conditions, had destroyed virtually every structure and any belongings that weren’t carried out as people fled for safety. Jasmin still remembers the fire and now fears nighttime. Her family was forced to live in a simple shed, and they were extremely hungry. They might eat once a day with what her parents were able to find, but this wasn’t enough for the family of five. Thankfully, Jasmin’s family received a full box of Feed the Hunger food. She was the most excited, as she had never tasted anything so delicious. Her mother gives encouragement by telling her that when she eats her meals, she will 19

become strong and can fight off anything that scares her. We need to pray for children like Jasmin who receive physical food, but who also need the spiritual food that is God’s Word. It is like milk (1 Peter 2:2), and we are to treasure it even more than physical food (Job 23:12) because it is sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103). As we meet the physical hunger in children, let’s look to feed their spiritual hunger as well.

Shazia was a housekeeper in Pakistan, making her living washing clothes and cleaning people’s homes. She has four children and adopted a fifth, a boy named Waqas who was abandoned by his mother. As a result of being forsaken by his mom, Waqas had anger issues. This manifested itself against those in his second-grade class. Unfortunately, Shazia was in an accident and lost her right leg. Our partners there have helped with food, and Waqas received a children’s Bible. Shazia explains the impact the Bible has had on him: “We are so thankful for the Bible you gave to our son. He reads and tells us about the Word of God since we cannot read. He read in the Bible that you are to respect your parents, so now he does that.” The change in character and behavior has also been noticed by Waqas’ siblings, especially his sister. “We are very thankful. Waqas never read the Word of God before, but now he reads and follows it. Before, he had anger and would fight with others. But thank God, he is changed now. He doesn’t fight with other children.”

Waqas is a living, breathing example of 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” He demonstrates the heart change that God’s Word brings to children all over the world. They just need someone to give them a copy. This is not an easy task, with over 7,000 languages, countries that are hostile to Christianity, lack of financial resources, and so on. But stories like Waqas’ remind us that it is worth the effort!

It is our goal with each child we help to see them finish school. It’s even more rewarding to watch them come full circle and give back to their community. Such is the case with Dennis. Dennis was living with his alcoholic parents in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. This brought a lot of problems to the family, and his parents could not take care of their children. They were often violent, which led to an unsafe home, and they eventually divorced. In such an environment, Dennis was unable to go to school. He used to stand outside the school gate, watching other children play games with the teachers and having a good time. The head teacher noticed the boy and learned his story. He then convinced some neighbors to take Dennis in and pay for school. Dennis enrolled in school and worked very hard throughout his time there. After passing his examinations, he attended a technical college to earn a certificate in electrical engineering. He then enrolled in the same college for a degree in electrical engineering, which he is currently pursuing.

Despite this positive journey, life has not been easy. Dennis still lives with the neighbor. His father is still an alcoholic, and his mother disappeared after the divorce. However, his education transformed him and made him a responsible member of society. And most encouraging of all, whenever Dennis is free, he comes back to the school to mentor other pupils from poor backgrounds and give them hope. May God’s promise to the exiled Jewish people in Jeremiah 29:11 also be true for the many children like Dennis who need hope. It says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ”

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a major disruption in all of our lives. While it certainly has affected America in various ways, the impact has been even greater in other parts of the world with fewer resources. Lockdowns last longer, food is less available, healthcare systems are less equipped, and so on. The island nation of Sri Lanka (just south of India) is one of the countries hit hard by the coronavirus. Rasika and Gnapala come from two different families but live in the same small village. Both of their fathers are laborers who could find no work during the pandemic. Neither child could attend school, because schools were shut down along with everything else. As you can imagine, in a poorer country like Sri Lanka there is little to no technology available to do school from home. So, there was no school and no work. And there was no food. With no income, life is reduced to the simple pursuit of food. Some days there wasn’t any to be found for Rasika’s and Gnapala’s families. They often went hungry. While encouraged by the government to stay home, 25

our ministry partner in Sri Lanka received special permission to travel the country and provide food in certain areas. Rasika’s and Gnapala’s families were fortunate enough to be recipients of the food. The genuine smiles of these two children receiving nutritious meal packets from Feed the Hunger is incredibly rewarding. When a disaster strikes, there is a greater urgency to help. We should also provide assistance to those stuck in poverty. Jesus encourages us to carry out simple acts of kindness, like giving food to those who need it (Matthew 25:35–40). Let’s continue to look for opportunities to do so.

Tawfiq is seven years old and lives in Israel. He was taught by his Arab parents to only accept scientific explanations of why and how things happened. When he started attending Sunday School at a local church, however, he began learning about the miracles Jesus performed. Tawfiq was curious about the source of these stories and asked the teachers how they knew that the stories were real. They explained that all the stories came from the Bible. He was given a children’s Bible that has 365 stories. The teachers found the story they had recently taught and showed it to him in his new Bible. The next week, Tawfiq’s mother came to the church, saying that he could not stop reading his new Bible. In just that short week, Tawfiq had almost finished reading all the stories. She reported that teachers in his non-Christian school were asking questions about the Bible and Tawfiq was able to answer them correctly. When they questioned how Tawfiq already knew so much about the Bible, he explained that he now attends Sunday School and has his own Bible to read and learn from. 27

Jesus’ greatness attracted Tawfiq’s attention, and now Jesus is showing him how much he is loved. Through changing Tawfiq’s life, we believe the Lord will also change his parent’s lives. In the book of Romans, Paul asks several questions: “How, then, can they [non-Christians] call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (10:14). The answer is obvious—Christians are to share about Jesus with others. They did with Tawfiq. We should do the same.

Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country in Asia. While Christianity is growing, it still constitutes only a half percent of the population. So, you can imagine how hard it is for a child—much less an adult—to learn more about Jesus. Kakoli, a nine-year-old girl, lives in Bangladesh with her family. Her mother, Rumana, is a Christian who finds strength as she hears the Word of God through believers sharing the Gospel in secret. She then spends time encouraging her family with the knowledge she receives. Although Rumana is learning a lot and growing every day in her relationship with Jesus Christ, she finds Kakoli’s questions about the Bible difficult. Through our partners, we were able to provide Kakoli with her very own children’s Bible. Now Rumana can share the Word with her daughter in a way that is easy for her to understand. Kakoli is also able to read the Bible on her own and see the pictures that go along with each story. They can grow in their faith together and share it with their family. The Bible is an invaluable resource for Christians. Likewise, we have found that a children’s Bible is a 29

great spiritual tool for kids. As they get older, they will need the full version, but for now, the stories in the children’s Bible start them learning in the right direction. Proverbs 22:6 states, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Children’s Bibles do just this, helping to establish a firm foundation in the hearts of children that will be there for the rest of their lives.

Rescuing the millions of needy children in underdeveloped communities out of their present reality and putting them in a safe place is unrealistic. The best way to reach the most children is by giving them a little boost where they are. Eric is an eight-year-old boy who lives in the west African nation of Togo with his parents and three siblings. His father was a carpenter but is no longer able to work because he fell off a roof while on a job several years ago. His mother is a seasonal fruit seller, which means an unsteady income and food insecurity for the family. To help the family, Eric began wandering the streets in search of bottles, tins, and other items he could sell at the garbage dump. Out of desperation, he often searched for rats to eat. At one point last year, Eric had to drop out of school due to unpaid school fees. One day our ministry partner noticed Eric outside his home, introduced himself to Eric, and then visited Eric’s home. Through our partner’s influence, Eric has started attending church and no longer searches the streets for garbage to sell. He is going to a more affordable government school and participates in Friday 31

Bible club activities led by our partner. Our partner met Eric where he was and is giving him a little boost. Though his family is still in poverty and hasn’t joined him at church, Eric’s life is being transformed. Kids like Eric just need someone to show them a little compassion. A combination of food, an education, and biblical training gives children like Eric the best chance to break the cycle of poverty and despair and have a positive future. This is just the boost they need.

Perhaps you’re not aware of the difference between an adult Bible and a children’s Bible. The adult Bible includes every word of its 66 books, but a children’s Bible is more selective in its content and targets the child’s learning level. It is broken down into stories that are easy to understand. Each passage also has an illustration, which children enjoy seeing. Moyna was unable to attend church regularly due to the pandemic, as the government in Bangladesh restricted religious gatherings. She was concerned because she was unable to teach the Bible to her child, ten-year-old Dipa. Moyna shared, “I am unable to introduce my child to God, which she needs the most at this crisis time. The language of our Bible is a bit difficult for her age. Besides, I am also remaining busy managing our daily needs. She needs something where she can receive the Word of God simply and understandable of her age.” Our partners in Bangladesh value sharing the Good News with both adults and children. Moyna was pleased when Dipa received her own children’s Bible. She can read and study on her own while Moyna is busy. Dipa is happy to have her own Bible and promises to read it every day. 33

The Bible is sometimes referred to as the “Good News” because this term is used many times in the Old and New Testaments. It is used to describe the great message that salvation can be found through faith in Jesus Christ. This good news is hard to come by in places where children’s Bibles haven’t yet been produced. Thankfully, this has been done for children like Dipa in her country. It is why we must give out as many Bibles as we can for children who are hungry to learn about God.

When children must fend for themselves, whether by choice or circumstance, they will resort to anything to get their next meal. With influence from friends, Frankline made a choice to be on his own at only eight years old. His mother was unable to provide for him, as she did not have a job and was no longer with Frankline’s father. So, Frankline left home for good and would beg or steal food in the nearby outdoor market with his friends. One day as he was walking the streets of a large slum in Kenya, he saw children lining up with plates in their hands. They were students ready for lunchtime. Frankline went to get a closer look and decided to get in line. It was worth a try! He was given a meal right along with the students. After he finished eating, he asked the head teacher if he could come again the following day. The teacher allowed him, but the next day he had a chat with Frankline. The teacher promised Frankline regular meals and good clothes if he became a student at the Christian school. He was extremely happy and agreed to come and learn with the others. After his first day at school, 35

another teacher offered him shelter for the night. Frankline has been enrolled for three years now. He is very bright and is doing well inside and outside the classroom. He enjoys the meals, classwork, Bible study, and soccer, all of which are done on the school grounds. Children shouldn’t have to make the choice between living on the streets or living in whatever homes they come from. They also shouldn’t have to worry about food or school supplies, but the reality is that many do. The key is working with teachers and schools that can get these kids off the street and in the classroom.

Hinduism is a religion foreign to most Americans. We are used to Christianity, which is a monotheistic faith (belief in one God). Hinduism, on the other hand, has up to 330 million gods and goddesses! (The exact number of Hindu deities is a matter of debate.) It’s hard to fathom a number this large, but Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world thanks to India. Neighboring India to the north is Nepal, where the great majority of its population also adheres to Hinduism. Without getting into a long explanation, this religion is a set of many traditions and philosophies that teach things like reincarnation (the cycle of life, death, and rebirth) and karma (good and bad actions determine your future existence). This is the religious environment that Samna was born and raised in. Samna’s father died when she was young, and her mother is a field laborer for the landlords of their village. They live in a small shack with her older brother. On Christmas Day, Samna’s friend invited her to a local church. She enjoyed the service, and afterward the pastor gave her a Bible provided by Feed the Hunger. He sug37

gested she first read the stories of Jesus’ love for children (Matthew 18:1–5; 19:13–15). Samna felt loved by God, as if her father were still alive and loving her. It is hard for her to explain how powerful that moment was. When she shared this with the pastor, he shared the Gospel with her. On that day, she received Christ into her heart. “I feel that the love of my father is replaced by the love of Jesus as I read the Bible. Thank you for loving a girl like me,” she exclaimed. Her brother and mother have recently started attending the fellowship meetings with Samna. We pray that Samna’s entire family will experience God’s love as abundantly as she has.