Aussie mum and passionate Feed the Hungry supporter, Jodie, had the opportunity to travel to Uganda and see first-hand how her donations – and yours – are transforming lives through Take Away Hunger Day.
Jodie has been a supporter of Feed The Hungry for some time, but nothing prepared her for what she experienced in person. Jodie said yes to the trip almost straight away. Her heart was drawn by the stories and photos she’d seen over the years. But seeing children sitting in the red dirt, waiting for their meal, was a world away from anything she could have imagined.
“Some lined up with their own plate or bowl – but many arrived with torn paper or a plastic bag, just hoping to receive their precious serving of food at lunchtime”
“You can see photos, you can watch videos – but there’s nothing like actually sitting in the dirt with those kids, seeing them grab their bowls, just desperate for a meal. Many of them are orphans – they’ve lost parents to war or sickness – and some have walked for days to find safety here.”
Jodie said it was the resilience and heartbreak of these children that struck her the most.
“Despite everything they’ve faced, so many are determined to go to school and build a better future.”
“I knew it would be hard, but nothing prepared me for the desperate crush as hundreds of children rushed forward – all they wanted was food. For some, it’s the only thing they’ll eat all day – and if a plate spilled in the dirt, they scrambled, desperate for every grain of rice. No child, anywhere, should ever have to feel this way.”
Jodie witnessed the incredible women from the local church – cooking enormous pots of food over open fires – working in 35-degree heat, covered in smoke, stirring endless amounts of rice. Your support, through Feed The Hungry, enables these women to serve nourishing meals every day at local schools.
“You don’t truly understand hunger until you’re crouching on the floor, food spilling onto red dust, and kids are scooping it up – because that’s all they’ll have. Our kids in Australia might say, ‘I’m starving – what’s for dinner?’ – but they will never know hunger like that. I’ve seen real hunger, and I can’t turn away”.
Your support gives these children not only their only meal for the day – but a chance to learn, and dream of a better life. Thank you – you are truly changing lives in Uganda.