Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Food Stamp Challenge - Meals and Meetings

by Father Joe Muth - St Matthew's Catholic Church, Baltimore City

Yesterday I attended three meetings at which food was served. One meeting I left before the food came and the other two served the food during the meeting and I did not partake. As everyone was eating I felt like an outsider. I was not a part of the normal process of the meeting experience. I wondered if this is how people feel who are marginalized and outside of the society process of daily life. Even though I was at the table, I felt like I was an outsider looking in. This morning I just had cereal and then at an early meeting someone did offer me a cup of coffee and I thought it was ok to take it.

2 comments:

agwv said...

You have to pay for EVERYTHING, including the coffee, but you are forgiven

Anne at CLF said...

I had the exact same experience because my family is eating what we would usually eat. It was particularly strange when we went out to dinner and I drank water. I wasn't hungry because I ate beans and rice before we left but I felt like I was watching a party that I couldn't attend. Living in the US where there are cues to eat everywhere. How must it feel to not be able to partake in the bounty?