Last week, I saw this ad in the local paper. A bank is advertising a new service that is intended to simplify life. The caption reads, "You have bigger priorities to think about." Like what? Young Ms. Imelda's thought bubble reads: "My First priority? Work. And Shoes." Wow, a new bank service that frees us up to think about important things, like shoes! How exciting!
Here is something worth thinking about. Economic news in America is dominated by the sub-prime debacle, the liquidity crisis, the falling dollar and bank bailouts, to name just some of the topics. These are not insignificant issues. But there is another story being followed closely by the foreign press and I want to make sure it's on your radar. Here is a link to a recent article headlined Biggest Grain Exporters Halt Foreign Sales. You will also find this article from Reuters helpful. A shortage of basic commodities, especially rice, maize, and wheat, has led to riots and prompted governments to stop exporting. Kazakhstan has now joined Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, China, Cambodia and India by refusing to export what they need for themselves.
According to the Reuters article, the cost of rice increased 40% in three days when Vietnam announced it's halt to exporting. 
The chart to the right shows you how the price of rice has exploded upward in the last six months. What's a little jump in the price of rice, right? In America, where we spend 10-20% of total income for food, it probably isn't too big a deal when the price for a box of Uncle Ben's is a little more. But in less developed countries, 50-60% of income goes to food. When dietary mainstays like rice and wheat have doubled in price for families already on the edge, there is no shortage of panic.
What would happen to life in comfortable America if a food shortage came to our homes? Would we be any less prone to panic? My personal opinion is that we would FREAK OUT! So few in America (myself included) have EVER had to worry about having enough food to live. The appearance of shoes on our list of "important things to think about" is a sad commentary on our insulated lives. To those living on the edge, this is a crisis where the appeal, "Give us this day our daily bread," MEANS something. Thank God for what you have, pray for those who lack, and share what you have been given. Those are our priorities.
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