No matter how small the home, members find space for food storage. In Carmen Merisalde’s home in Bogotá, the telephone table covered by a lovely floor-length cloth is really a barrel filled with bags of dry-packed food. Members are encouraged to save a little bit—even just a handful—of rice or other basic foods every time they prepare a meal. That way, even when money is scarce, they are storing little by little. When they have collected enough, they dry pack it for storage. The stake owns a dry-pack machine that rotates from ward to ward so everyone has a chance to use it. “You should see the tears in the eyes of many as they dry pack the first bag of rice they have collected handful by handful,” says President Saavedra.
Sharing with others. Some of the food in Ivonne Palacio’s kitchen cupboards in Bogotá will never appear on her table. It is reserved for others. The Area Presidency encourages members to store food to share in cases of emergency. “We call it ‘the Lord’s storehouse in the homes of the members,’ ” says Elder Costa. “The bishop asks families to always have on hand a certain amount of rice or other basic food items that they can donate. Then when he asks for it for a needy family, they donate it and buy more to replace it.”
This method has several benefits. “First, it encourages members to have their own food storage,” says Elder Costa. “Second, we are taking care of emergencies quickly. Third, we can save fast-offering funds for situations in which cash is needed, such as for medicine or rent. Although the Kénnedy stake is one of the poorest economically, almost all families have some food storage—and many have some to share. And the stake is self-reliant in fast-offering funds.”
“We are not storing just food and water, we’re also storing blessings!” says Sister Palacio. “Heavenly Father is teaching us to have the pure love of Christ.”
Liahona, 2005, March The Saints of Colombia: An Example of Strength
By Marvin K. Gardner
Church Magazines
5 comments:
I love this article. I've always wondered how the saints around the world are doing with home storage. I love their simple understanding of preparedness and the blessings that come from it.
-Wendy (iprepared.blogspot.com)
Our bodies we bless with food storage, while our souls we bless with the sharing with those less fortunate. Do both with love in your heart and be thankful that you can...
I love reading that article. Thanks for posting it! It always makes me wonder though...these people obviously don't have much. Period. They are able to follow the counsel given for food storage. Those who have considerably more all the way around have absolutely no excuse to have something set aside. I guess it is all about priorities.
This is a fantastic reminder that EVERY little bit counts - and can help us OR friends, family, and many many other folks. Love it! How encouraging. :-)
It truly is a testament that the Lord will provide the way if we chose to follow his teachings and his desires.
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