This is an assignment I had for my English 111 college course. The assignment was to write a "This I believe" essay and submit it to NPR. A This I believe essay was started by NPR in the 60's they had famous people submit statements of belief and they eventually opened it to the public. You are supposed to write about a statement of belief you posses and ground it in a story. If yours gets picked they will record you playing it and play live on NPR. I submitted mine a mo. ago and have yet to hear back about it. Fingers crossed!It would mean a lot to me if it was on NPR. Here's the essay...


I believe in eating everything you put on your pate. I remember growing up my family ate dinner around a table together every night. I remember the smell of my mom’s famous chicken noodle soup and her lectures afterwards telling my family, “Somewhere there’s someone less fortunate.” Her words finally hit home last Thanksgiving when I traveled to Africa. In Africa I met people who were emotionally and spiritually thriving but physically starving.

At home I would often get reprimanded by my mother for throwing away left over’s or scraps from my last meal. In Ethiopia I was told not eating all the food you put on your plate was a sign of disrespect. During meals there I made sure to only take what I could handle. I have applied this same theory to other aspects of my life making sure not to over indulge in anything. I was very food conscious during the days I spent in Ethiopia.

One day I was asked by the leader of our group to help serve breakfast to the students at Project Mercy where we were staying. All the kids received was a cup of soup. As I stood there ladling soup into the cups, the line of hungry kids seemed ever expanding. I looked down the pot that was once full was empty. I un-assumingly turned to the chef and stated, “I need more soup I am out.” She shook her head disappointed and explained to me that with school attendance increasing fewer kids were able to eat then before.

Suddenly all those times I had thrown away food without thinking flashed before my eyes. Several of the kids that day would go hungry and most students wouldn’t be privileged enough to have dinner that night. My sadness was soon replaced with anger. I wondered how one country could live in excess and at the same time another could starve. The anger and sadness that I felt eventually became my motivation to ensure that no child would go hungry or suffer from Mal nutrition.

Upon returning to America the values I learned in Ethiopia such as, eating all the food you put on your plate stuck with me. I hate to admit it but, yes mom you were right again, “somewhere there’s someone less fortunate.” It is because of this, that I believe it is humanities responsibility to care for one another. There are some 29 million people who faithfully listen to NPR. My challenge starts with you the NPR listener. I challenge you to think before you throw away food and to look into your heart and give. For the price of one missile, a school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years. I believe every dollar helps and every person regardless of age, race or gender has a duty to end starvation. It all begins with one person, one dollar and one caring heart. Visit Cunninghamfoundation.org for more information on how to help.