Welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread.

I'm Wyn Collier, and I wrote today's piece, Food for the Hungry.

For years, the Horn of Africa has suffered from a brutal drought that has devastated crops, killed livestock, and imperiled millions.

Among the most vulnerable, like the people at Kenya's Kahuma refugee camp who fled from wars and oppression, it's even more dire.

A recent report described a young mother, bringing her baby to camp officials.

The infant suffered from severe malnutrition, leaving her hair and skin dry and brittle.

She wouldn't smile and wouldn't eat.

Her tiny body was shutting down.

Specialist immediately intervened. Thankfully, even though the needs

are still great, and infrastructure has been built to promote immediate life or death necessities.

These desperate places are exactly where God's people are called to shine his light and love.

When people are starving, sick, or threatened, God summons his people to be the first to provide

food, medicine, and safety, all in Jesus' name. Isaiah rebuked ancient Israel for thinking they were being faithful with their fasting and prayers

while ignoring the actual compassionate work the crisis required, sharing food with the hungry,

providing the poor wanderer with shelter and clothing the naked.

God desires for the hungry to be fed, both physically and spiritually, and he works in and

through us as he meets the need.

Today's our daily bread

devotional scripture reading is from Isaiah

chapter 58, verses 3 to 9.

Why have we fasted, they say,

and you have not seen it?

...