The story of Bread4Life began with a simple invitation.  Some friends of ours were going on a trip to Cuba to help some Pastors and their Wives and they asked Clay and me to consider going.   Cuba really hadn’t been on our radar, but after thinking it over for a bit we felt compelled to go so we said “yes”.  Over the years we have given to various charitable causes and ministries, but it  was on that fateful trip that our eyes were truly opened to the vast need of the world around us and our hearts were stirred to do something about it. 

 

It’s one thing to ‘know’ that people are hungry but it’s another thing entirely to see hunger up close and personal.  From our perspective it looked like everything in Cuba was hungry.  We had never seen skinnier cats and dogs in our lives! The horses and cattle were skinny…even the pigs were skinny …but the most heart-breaking for us was seeing how hunger was impacting the lives of the people, especially the children and the elderly who are most at-risk. 

 

We learned that many of the Pastors and their families that we met survive on the equivalent of $20US per month.  That’s less than $1/day!   We also learned that even if a person has money, there isn’t always food available to purchase.  There are rations, but in the past few years those rations are not always dependable and food shortages are common.  Medications, even basic items like Aspirin or Tylenol, are almost non-existent.   It is truly a tragic situation. As hungry as the people were physically, they are even more hungry spiritually.  These precious Pastors and their families are on the front lines of their communities…feeding people physically as they are able with such limited resources, but also feeding them HOPE and the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel!   

 

By the end of our trip, Clay and I felt very burdened to do ‘something’ …but what?  What could we do that would possibly make a difference when the need is so great?   

 

Then we were reminded of The Starfish Story.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it?   

 

An old man was walking along the beach where he sees thousands of starfish have washed ashore.  He sees that a young child is picking them up and throwing them back into the sea, one by one.  On seeing this, the man asks the child… ‘Why are you throwing these starfish back into the ocean?”  The child replies, “The sun is up and if I don’t get them back into the sea, they will die.”  The man responds, “But, don’t you realize how many thousands of starfish there are?  You can’t possibly make a difference.”  At this, the little child reached down and picked up another starfish and threw it back into the sea and looks back at the man and stated,  “It made a difference to that one.” 

 

That’s when and how Bread4Life was born.  

 

Our mission is simple: we are connecting people globally in the fight to end hunger and enrich lives, while sharing the love and Gospel of Christ.  Not just in Cuba, but everywhere that need and our ability intersects. Today we work with 3rd party providers to send food directly to those in need. We are committed to making a difference in the lives of those that God puts along our path, feeding them physically so that they, in turn, can be fed (or help feed others) spiritually.

 

The need can seem overwhelming alone but together we CAN make a difference!  It starts by simply saying “yes”! 

 

We hope you will join us!