Compassionate generosity

Japonica, Somerset

A glorious morning here in the south west. The sun is shining, garden trees and shrubs are flowering. Spring, with the promise of new life, is here. From where I sit it is easy to speak of the glory of creation and the generosity of God in surrounding us with such beauty.

Not so for the 16 million people in danger of starvation in East Africa. Their experience of drought and famine is closer to the wilderness experience of Jesus that we recall during Lent. As women boil up leaves in the hope of providing their children with something to fill their stomachs I am reminded of the devil's suggestion that Jesus turn stones to bread to feed himself.

Yesterday the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched an appeal for funds to help reduce the scale and the severity of the crisis affecting four countries - South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. The enormity of this crisis is hard to comprehend; the task of meeting the need seems as impossible as turning stones into bread.

The encouraging news is that response to the appeal has been swift and generous. The Queen has made a personal donation, the government pledged £5 million matching funding and by this morning £12 million had been donated. Feeding the world is beyond the capacity of any single individual but the compassion of millions can make a difference in the most desperate of situations. Donations to the DEC East Africa Appeal can be made online or at any High Street bank.

Jesus challenged the people of his time to show compassion and generosity to anyone in need. Expanding the traditional understanding of the neighbour beyond the natural boundaries of place or race, he asked his followers to show kindness beyond the accepted minimum requirements. In our time, globalisation challenges us to extend our thinking still further. A crisis thousands of miles away is our problem as much as theirs; our response a part of our response to the generosity of God towards us.