When I was hungry did you feed me?

During our whirlwind of a day in Rwanda, we visited Kibagabaga Hospital (an AIDS hospital). We met up with a youth group that serves there with ALARM. They had just finished visiting with the patients when we got there and were getting ready to go down the road to play the hospital's staff in a game of volleyball. Talk about sweet. I love volleyball, good volleyball that is. I am a bit annoyed with barnyard, I-do-not-know-what-I-am-doing- volleyball, but these guys were the real deal. Super good. Below is a picture of them playing.


While we were in the state- runned hospital they asked us to pray for the patients. They said culturally it is rude if they know a pastor visits and does not pray! We visited with several patients, and prayed. As we were leaving Celestin told us that one of the patients was asking for food. He then told us that the state provides the patients with medicine, but not food. The only way they eat is if family, or someone brings them something to eat. The same is true for those held in prison. This was a difficult thing for us to wrap our minds around. How hard would it be to organize local congregations to bring in a meal once a day or so?

The words of Jesus vibrates in my ears, "I was hungry and you fed me?"
We didn't have any food with us, and we had no idea where we were going until we got there. But I wonder if that is an excuse? Should I have worked harder at making sure Jesus was fed that day? Again, the whirlwind trip was a hard one. Maybe someone reading this will be moved to do something about it?