The Story of Stone Soup
Though it is a sunny day in late autumn, there is a chill in the air. On his journey, a wandering swordsman arrives in a village carrying a large sack. Tired and hungry, he quickly learns that the townspeople have stored their food for the coming winter, and are unwilling to share it with a stranger. They watch as he produces a kettle from his bag, brings it to the stream, and fills it with water. Gathering up some kindling, he draws his sword, throws the branches into the air, and splits them all in one fell swoop. Once he builds a fire and sets the kettle over the flames, he rolls up his sleeves, washes a large stone, and drops it into the pot. Setting about his task, he vigorously begins to stir the pot.
The villagers become curious, and ask him what he is doing. The swordsman answers, “Why, I am making stone soup, the most delicious thing one could imagine!” Someone asked if there should be any other ingredients in the pot. “Well, this will be tasty, but putting in some other items would add to the flavor, ” he says. One person leaves and returns with yams from his root cellar, another peas, another onions. The aroma fills the air and beckons more of the villagers, many adding more ingredients from their provisions. Gathered together, they all enjoy the soup.
Facts
World wide over 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 a day, and 880 million live on less than $1. Here in the US over 37 million people live below the poverty line. Poverty is often a trap for the ones with no voice, mired in inequality, vulnerability, powerlessness. And in the poverty there is hunger. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the population is underfed and another third is starving. Each statistic has a heartbeat behind it.
What can you add to the kettle?
Know this: the empty pot is always filled with hope. But it requires effort. There are benefits to sharing and cooperation.
Just by visiting http://www.poverty.com you play a role in helping to end poverty. Many extraordinary things in human history have been achieved simply because enough people become knowledgeable about them. You can help by printing the letter you find there and sending it to your government in support of aid. It is also an information resource for many other organizations.
Organizations like Heifer International provide communities with livestock and agricultural training. $20 will buy a flock of baby chicks, $30 for honeybees, $120 for a sheep. Beyond a food source, this can supplement a family income, and selling eggs, wool, knitting and beekeeping can be a family’s livelihood. You can give a gift in the name of a friend, in memory of a loved one. It is a gift of hope. http://www.heifer.org/
Play the rice game, feed the hungry: http://www.freerice.com
Toni Josephson
Tags: hunger and hope, Martial Arts, stone soup, swordsman, toni josephson, world hunger
