In the Checkout Line

The day before yesterday I went to the grocery store as this day is always my day to stock up on food for the week. I usually go to a Fred Meyer as they have a great organic selection. The Johnson Creek store has a really cool thunderstorm imitation before they sprinkle the veggies. It is the coolest thing, really. Anyway, after I was done with getting what I needed, I went to the checkout line and piled my stuff on the conveyor. Reusable bags first of course. Fred Meyer is supporting the ban the bag movement and does not offer single use plastic bags since August 1st anymore at their Portland stores, which is great. Even my cat joined the movement.
I noticed the heavily inked lady in front of me pretty much only got fruit and veggies on the conveyor. So I go: That are a lot of veggies. She replies: Yes, that is almost the only thing I can eat. I guess: Are you a vegan? She confirms that and I tell her I have been a vegetarian for over a year now. She notices the organic almond butter I am buying and asks me if it is any good. I told her that it is great. She tells me that her friend makes her own peanut butter, but only gives her very little to try. She talks about her kid and her other handicapped kid. I feel for her, because my sister has a child with down syndrome herself. By that time she gets ready to pay and pulls her Oregon Trails card out, which is food stamps and she also has a debit card to make up the difference.
I think this is not good, so I give her a five and a jar of organic almond butter therefore paying for it and giving it to her. She is pretty touched and I tell her happy birthday.
On my way home I am thinking that we as a society have become a sad story when families and children go hungry. Also there are three times as many calories available than needed in the US and a lot of food lands in the trash everyday. It is very easy to take a full fridge for granted, but for many Americans it is not. In fact ever more Americans struggle to put food on the table than before. Things like that should get better, not worse. But that confirms the fact that only God has answers, but the world does not have any.