Story number 4 for 23 Nov 2000

Meanwhile, a humanitarian agency serving millions of people in some of the world’s poorest nations is calling American Christians back to the original meaning of Thanksgiving. Food for the Poor’s Robin Lees says they’ve launched a “Thanksgiving Initiative” as part of their website. It’s aimed at reminding believers in the West of their own prosperity and of the poverty in the Third World. The site includes a section on prayers from Christians in Third World Countries. “They’re living in some of the poorest conditions on earth and they’re not asking for things, they’re giving praise and glory to God. It’s a real keen reminder for those of us, especially us in the First World where we have everything.” Lees says the “Initiative” is designed to elevate the holiday beyond “food and football”. Food for the Poor works in 26 countries in Latin America, assisting millions of people in Third World countries. They have been distributing over 800 million dollars in relief since 1982, and have been named as one of the top 100relief agencies of 1998.