This story is representative of what families are facing each day in dangerous conflict zones. As you read Asha’s story, put yourself in her shoes. What would you do without food for your children when even stepping outside puts yourself and your child in danger?
Asha’s Story
Note: This photo is representative of a mother like Asha and her child.
Asha’s city used to have ancient buildings dating back to biblical times, but war has reduced everything to rubble. Places where her family enjoyed walking are now vacant except for groups of armed men watching for anything suspicious.
When her husband died in the war, Asha lost all hope. A few managed to escape the terror here … but many like Asha have nowhere to go and no way to get out.
Without a husband, she is nobody in her society. Her daughters are nobody. They have no money, no rights, and no protection.
With no food available, Asha and her little girls lived on watered down rice for nearly a year.
Their meager diet reduced her precious three-year-old to skin and bones. She grew listless and her eyes became vacant. Asha stopped eating to give her more food, but it didn’t help. Asha couldn’t save her.
All Asha has left now is her youngest—still a baby—and she will do anything to keep her alive. So when her neighbor told her about a food distribution nearby, even though it’s dangerous to go outside, Asha bound her baby to her body, covered them both, and left the house.
Asha worried about the food running out.
She had waited for hours before, only to return home with nothing. At the distribution site, Asha stood in line until she got to a table where a woman smiled and handed her a box of emergency food rations.
The woman’s eyes were kind and her gaze steady. No one had looked at Asha like that for a long time. Like she saw her. Like she truly cared about her. Asha looked away quickly, mumbled “thank you,” and took the box.
Back home, she took out the flour and oil and mixed it together with a little sugar and salt to make bread. Her baby’s eyes brightened as she ate, and Asha began to sing to her softly. Then, with her belly full, the little girl fell asleep in her mama’s arms.
Emergency food distributions are lifelines for families in crisis. Often during a conflict there is no way for food to reach hungry families. And young children need enough food each day to grow healthy and strong. Without it, many do not survive.
You have the incredible opportunity to send emergency food to a child and her mom like Asha. In places that are not only dangerous but hard to reach your gift will shine as a tangible symbol of hope, and will help children survive.
Go to www.worldconcern.org/bread to send food to a starving child and her family today.
