Food as a tool for manipulation

In my study of the Bible, it does seem like every book therein contains some sort of reference to food and in some cases offering governing rules to its cultivation, preparation and consumption. The Holy Book starts with God promising Adam (Gen 1:29) (ESV)…” Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” The eschatological message of the Book of Revelation wraps up the Good News with a promise of a final feast. It does seem therefore right to conclude that food is essential, so essential that God places it at the heart of His redemptive story of the human race.

Throughout the scriptures, food has been used as a teaching tool in demonstrating God’s love to us as well as how we should treat those around us by showing them mercy and kindness. However food has in some cases being used as a tool for manipulation. This manipulation is rooted in pride and selfishness which results to viewing others as objects.  By limiting freedom through control manipulation invades individual’s dignity. Scriptures offers such examples of people and situations and one being Esau who lost his birthright by being forced to trade it with a plate of food.

According to UN International Human Development indicators of 2012, my beloved country Kenya ranked amongst 40 poorest countries in the world. We recorded life expectancy at birth of 57.7 years with a multidimensional poverty index of 0.229%. These among many other indices showed that we performed poorly which has been the trend for many years. In simple terms we are poor health-wise and we are unable to feed our own people as compared to other nations. This is the case to all other sub-Saharan African countries.

African Human Development Report of the same year in Nairobi addressing the subject: Towards a food secure future cited that food security must be at the centre of Africa’s development.  It went on to say that Sub-Saharan Africa cannot sustain its present economic resurgence unless it eliminates the hunger that affects nearly a quarter of its people. Whether our African leaders are listening on this or not is another case altogether.

Outside Africa, the African child is in most cases depicted as either mistreated or isolated and in other cases hungry and suffering from malnutrition.  As true as these case are it ends up depriving the African people of their heritage and dignity. By feeding Africans they are then expected to sing the unending songs of gratitude.

In less than a month the whole world will be looking upon the G8 leaders gathering in County Fermanagh to see whether they will enact any policy that will help alleviate poverty in the developing world. Leaders from the developing world will also be out with their ‘begging bowls’ to see who will come to our aid. As good as this help is we MUST as African people put measures that will ensure that we are able to produce enough food for ourselves, by doing so we will not only be securing our own future but also gaining our long-desired independence.   The continual dependence of the African countries on our developed partners to provide food among other needs perpetuate the culture of dependence and corruption, above that it deprives our human dignity.

At the heart of Jesus message was His rebuke to the rich and powerful for exploiting the poor. He openly and publicly criticised the rich and unjust systems against the vulnerable.  Nations and multinational companies have their hands spilling with blood on this particular matter and as Christians we MUST speak for the helpless.