This is the flipside of “I had not known Hunger took Holidays” which has been appended to the end of this piece. Ironically this was written almost exactly one week before Hunger took Holidays; the two pieces forming bookends, truely Ying and Yang. I have also appended the Invitation I sent out to some newspeople I know inviting them to the holiday Monday (emergency) lunch.

Last year it was her mother, this year it was her brother and sister-in-law. Which is what has me wondering if her family is tempted to flee at the first sight of her blonde head approaching?

I feel I must protect her identity lest people take to fleeing at her approach since, with her short legs, catching them could be problematic.

The need to press-gang family into service arises at this time every year as the Seventh Day Adventists of the Open Door congregation gather out of town for a several weeks long church camp. This church retreat gives rise to the need to find someone to make and serve the bagged lunches the Open Door serves the homeless 40 Sundays a year.

I had someone who labelled themselves a christian tell me that as Adventists the were not really christians. All I can say to that is that the poor, the hungry, the homeless and those in need in Abbotsford would benefit from a lot more congregations who “are not really christian” but who live the golden rule, practice Christrianity and live their faith.

To her brother, sister-in-law and her “sister” thank you for not running, thank you for the lunch and thank you for the pleasure of your company. To her mother, thank you for the fine job you did with this daughter and son.

I don’t suppose you would consider writing a book on parenting? The world could use many more loving daughters and sons, practicing their faith.

I had not known Hunger took Holidays.

Evidently in Abbotsford hunger takes the last summer long weekend off. What else explains the “meal gap” from lunch Saturday August 4th through lunch Tuesday August 7th, a gap of 72 long hungry hours – if hunger was not taking a Holiday that is?

Usually lunch is available Sundays and Mondays, but with hunger on Holiday the fellowship of the organizations that had taken responsibility for serving lunch on those days joined hunger on Holiday.

Imagine my surprise at finding Hunger on Holiday, as my personal experience with homelessness was that hunger was a pretty constant companion, a gnawing worry.

A simple phone call was all that was needed to set in motion the provision of lunch on Monday, that and a willingness to ask some people to volunteer some time to set up and serve lunch.

Which is what made Hunger Sunday so frustrating – another simple call and Sunday 41 for the year could have been covered with those simple, but hunger appeasing bagged lunches.

I suppose that if the sacrifice to serve lunch on this holiday weekend was to much, I should not expect the effort to give warning so those who understand the meaning of commitment could step in and serve lunch.

Hunger, need, suffering and our host of other social ills take no Holidays.

That is not to say that those who give to their community and the less fortunate in that community do not deserve holidays. It is just that being responsible adults requires making provision for those depending on us for sustenance to be served and not left hanging – and hungry.