Genuine Fruit: New Perspective from a Pineapple

John and I just finished day 6 of another 10-day juice fast. Yesterday I was juicing a pineapple and was brought back to the mission trip that we took a few summers ago to Honduras. One day on the trip, John and I had the privilege of delivering meal bags to families in the area. Most families live way below even our lowest poverty line, and we took these bag to the poorest of the poor. These families were families who worked in the pineapple fields. In order to get to their "homes," we traveled through field after field of pineapples.

The above picture is a bit blurry because we weren't allowed to get out of our vehicle to take pictures of the pineapples. It wasn't safe. The missionary driving us, who lives there among the people, said that anyone who trespassed in the fields would be in danger of getting shot, because many people have been known to steal the pineapples. We didn't see any men out there with guns, but apparently they are out in the fields often.

Yesterday, as I juiced half a pineapple, that I easily bought at the grocery store for only a few dollars, I thought about the irony of the situation of these field-working families. Many of them lived in tiny shacks with no electricity or plumbing. Located right behind fields of fields of luscious pineapples, these families rarely get a good meal, let alone a meal with proper nutrition (including fruit).

This perspective made me consider my situation. Here I am, with pounds of fruits and vegetables in my fridge waiting to be juiced, and a way for me to get amazing nutrition, and I find myself complaining over some hunger pains, or finding myself craving something quite non-nutritious.

Today I'm thankful for easy-access to proper food and nutrition and for a healthier perspective. And I say a prayer for those families- that God would provide for their physical and spiritual needs.