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"Lent for Life" Week Four – CRS Rice Bowl Stories of Hope

March 8, 2021

From the Office for Social Ministry

Fourth Week of Lent: Tending home gardens in Timor-Leste

“For I was hungry, and you gave me food” (Matthew 25:35)

As we continue our Lenten journey together, we turn our attentions to families struggling with food insecurity on the other side of the globe. Timor-Leste is a small island country with the highest rate of child malnutrition in Asia. Many children suffer from stunted growth, which could cause major health problems for them and their future. As we make time for Lenten prayers, let us consider the following reflections:

• What do you eat to stay healthy?
• What can you do to ensure children have enough food to thrive?

Many families in Timor-Leste live in rural areas and work as farmers. However, extreme climate patterns make it difficult to grow enough sustainable food. More than one-third of the population do not have reliable access to nutritious food, which affects children’s growth and development.

Thankfully, with resources and training from CRS, families like Eliza, Paulino and their six children, have learned to start home gardens of their own, that are built to withstand droughts and flooding.  This makes it possible to grow a variety of vegetables, beans and other foods that provide important vitamins and nutrients to help their children grow up healthy.  Members of the community also form nutrition groups where they share best practices and ideas for improving their gardens and tasty dish recipes. To try this special Timor-Leste meatless Lenten recipe of squash, corn and bean stew, click HERE!

To view this week’s Story of Hope from Timor-Leste, click HERE and be sure to reference WEEK 4 of your Rice Bowl Calendar. 

For more on CRS Rice Bowl in Hawaii, go to www.officeforsocialministry.org