Your new, fancy car that runs on biofuels may be killing the poor....

That's a little bit of a sensational headline to draw your attention to the plight of the hungry in our world. I posted over the weekend on the tipping point of the hungry in our world. Riots are breaking out in every sphere of our globe by desperate people who are hamstrung by rising food prices. There's many ideas as to why the food prices are rising. This article addresses how the increased need for biofuels by developed countries is raising prices so that the poorest of the poor in our world cannot eat. Of particular shock and interest is this quote:

According to Earth Policy Institute president Lester Brown, the amount of grain needed to produce enough bio-ethanol to fill the 25-gallon fuel tank of an sport utility vehicle (SUV) tank could feed one person for a full year.

Haiti voted out their Prime Minister over the weekend because of escalating riots over food prices. A UN soldier was shot and died as well.

There aren't easy answers to these problems. I'm not suggesting that with these posts. In fact, some of the work of addressing these problems will result in a careful look at how we each contribute to the problem or are avoiding wanting to be involved in the solution. Right now, prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal to combat this problem. Lord, in your mercy....

The Hunger Tipping Point...

Widespread riots in Haiti broke out this week from desperate people who can no longer afford the simplest of foodstuffs: rice. You can contribute to the UN's food assistance plan and raise your vocabulary by going over to FreeRice.com.

I was in Haiti in January, and we ate pretty well. There wasn't any mention of food prices soaring and people having a hard time providing for themselves.

That was January...since then, rice prices have increased 20% each month. A BBC report last night noted that rice prices have risen 75% (!!!) since March 2007. When you're poor and food takes up 75-80% of your budget already, this increase now puts food from beyond your reach.

Like much in life, the rising in prices is driven by market fear rather than current reality. A UN spokesperson on the same report noted that rice production in our world will increase an estimated 1.8% this year. There's plenty of rice, just like there's plenty of oil in reserve right now. But, countries are concerned that their people won't have enough to eat so they're taking rice (and oil) off the market. Some rice importers are beginning to hoard rice (and oil).

The problems are numerous to address. Developing countries don't invest in local agriculture and most import their food. Importers are taking advantage of growing prices and passing it on to those who can't afford it.

But the problem is simple: people can't eat and are dying. What can we do?

Pray for the impossible-making God who raises Jesus from the dead will lead people to address and answer this problem.

Pray for the impossible-making God to work through you, somehow, to help. If it were someone in your family, would you change and help? How about in God's global family?