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When hungry means more than the physical need for food

To the editor:
Hungry? We think hungry means an empty stomach with little or no food right? Yes, it mean that, but sometimes it mean more than just that.
The last two weeks I have been slowly meditating and trying to put into practice ìlessonsî from a book Iíve been reading, ìTake Actionî by Susan Bixler and Lisa Scherrer. This book on management suggests ways to ìtake actionî in
our daily lives. One of the activities is to seek out a person of another culture to learn about them and gain a broader perspective. So I took the suggestion to heart. Our food shelf consists of many clients with language barriers and cultural differences.
One lady called to make an appointment. I asked her if we could chat a little before her appointment.
She was so eager that she arrived one hour early! I asked about her life prior to coming to this area. In broken English, she told me her storyñI just listened intensely. later I asked her questions about her native foods that I might be able to stock in the food shelf. She didnít want to be treated special; her family likes American foods! We talked about hobbies, family foods and other ìmom things.î At the end of our 45 minute visit she invited me to her home to see her handicrafts. She looked at me and told me that I was the first American woman who asked me about my life before coming to America in 15 years.
I was changed forever. I had a rush of mixed emotions overwhelm me. I was honored that I was the first American woman to hear her heart touching story that she had shared with in 15 years before coming to America!! She had struggled to stay alive for 3 years in the worst living situations I could imagineÖa true survivor! I was very hurt that no one had ever asked her about her lifeÖNo one? Why?
Was this a hunger for a friend that cared and not just for food? Was my clue the fact that she came an hour early or that she shared her story, without holding back? Was the invite into her homeÖher private lifeÖa comfort zone for her to share more? We tend to think that if we ask questions about somebodyís life itís an invasion of their privacy. Is it? We can all share what we choose. Developing friendships puts us in a vulnerable state where we must care about someone else.
The lesson that I learned was much more than cultural, it was caring! She came for food but what she gave to me was an understanding heart. My challenge to our community is to find someone and ask them about where they came from and let them shareÖjust listenÖwith your heart and watch your caring for others come!
Judy Cochran,
Family Pathways Food Pantry Coordinator,
Freelance writer and
resident of Wyoming

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