Entering Holy Week, Christians everywhere focus on the Greatest Story ever: the Passion Narrative. During Lent, U.S. Catholic schools have been using the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl online app to allow students to share their thoughts about stories of hunger around the world. Here are examples of what some seventh and eighth graders in Hawaii shared.
Eighth graders at St. Anthony in Kalihi watched a video about Melvin Sanchez Ramirez in Nicaragua. When a disease killed Melvin’s coffee plants, he did not have any coffee to sell and couldn’t support his wife and young son. CRS is helping Melvin learn how to protect his coffee plants from disease and grow food for his family’s meals. A savings group helps Melvin plan for his family’s future. The Hawaii students were invited to write a letter to Mr. Ramirez. Here is what one student wrote:
“Dear Melvin Sanchez Ramirez, I have watched your video on the CRS website and I was very touched by your story. It must’ve been hard when the coffee leaf rust destroyed your plants. I’m glad that people like the Catholic Relief Services were there to help you and many others to protect your plants. I’m also glad that they taught you how to grow other crops so that you and your family can have a variety of meals every day. I know that farming takes time and patience and I hope that God will continue to bless you, your family and also your crops so that they may prosper. I hope and pray for your family to have a bright future!”
Seventh graders at the Cathedral Catholic Academy in Nuuanu saw a video about Gertruda Domayo in Tanzania who struggled to grow enough food for her three grandchildren and have enough left over to sell. Now she is part of a Catholic Relief Services project that shows farmers how to use fertilizer and work together to grow better crops for better prices. That means more nutritious food for Gertruda and her grandchildren, plus extra income to build a better life. The students wrote down their thoughts. Here is what one student shared:
“After watching Gertruda’s video (Tanzania) and seeing how a farmer learned how to improve her crop harvest with just a couple of small tips, I was inspired to do something small for random people. By doing random acts of kindness for people, I can really make their day. Since today is a Monday — and Mondays are rough — just giving someone a flower can turn a rainy day into a day with sunshine and rainbows. I also realized that you do not need a lot to survive. No one needs a super expensive Bugatti or a huge house, all you need is some love and shelter. This video taught me that sometimes, it’s the little changes that really make a difference.”
Sharing stories of people struggling with hunger around the world can move persons of all ages to prayer and action as they witness to Jesus. Please remember to bring in your Rice Bowl full to the Holy Thursday celebration when Christ calls us all to service in the washing of the feet, and as he leaves us his body in the Eucharist to feed our hunger for God and to make us hungry to help others in need.
Mahalo!
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
