I know it is difficult to store enough food, especially for an extended period, but at least a little is better than nothing. Having said that, it is not impossible, some will have the ability to do this! Look at what Joseph accomplished, he not only saved his family, extended family and all their servants, but also the whole nation of Egypt, for a seven-year period of severe drought (Gen. 41:48-49; 54-57)! Jesus gives an amazing promise to those He finds doing this (what Joseph did), that they will be put in charge over all His possessions (Matt. 24:45-47). There will also be miracles of multiplication. If you look at the story of the five loaves and two fish (Matt. 14:14-21), it was only what they had in their hands that multiplied, and only when they broke off a piece and shared it. If we greedily keep it to ourselves it will not multiply and will very quickly diminish (Prov. 11:24-26).
Firstly, there are problems to storing food, you will face two types of thieves! One of the animal and insect world, and the other from the human world! And especially in this type of scenario, it may even be dangerous to have extra supplies, which would most certainly be stollen! So ideally a hidden room, or hidden lock-up facility would be suitable. Much wisdom and thought, and prayer needs to be given to this, even before stocking up!
Ok, the first thieves are much easier to handle, and that’s what we will discuss now! Insects, especially weevils and small moths are the worst, also mice and rats need consideration. Virtually all dry foods can be stored, if a little extra time is taken to prepare. Rice stores for many years, and dried beans and lentils are excellent too. Dried beans and lentils, especially the smaller ones can also be used as bean sprouts, an excellent source of fresh greens and vitamins. Pasta, oats, flour and even maize (corn) meal as well. I have just opened a packet of maize meal (we call mealie meal or sudza) that is almost a year old and it is fine. Ideally air-tight containers or cool boxes are the best for storing, but some things are too bulky and big to store in those. And even if you cannot get a good air-tight container, even the loose lids containers can be used with a method I will show you.
So the first thing to do on purchasing anything is to date it with a marker. This ensures that you will always use the older one first. I then also date it when I open it, just to see how long it lasts (you need to do this in the beginning so you can calculate how much is needed). I then usually use another thick plastic packet over it for added protection. Then I will take a small wet sponge dipped with an antiseptic fluid (like Dettol, all insects absolutely hate this – but it needs to be repeated every few months or so) and then wipe the packet with it. Also wipe around the lids of the containers you use. This will repel any insect. If the bigger items are stored within a thick plastic then simply wipe the plastic with the sponge. Even a box of spaghetti can be stored as it is, by sealing all corners with a brown tape, and then wiping all corners with your sponge. I have recently had a failure with a box of spaghetti which I didn’t seal properly. The weevils got in and demolished three to four packets, within ten days. I couldn’t believe how quick they were! It then took me a lot more extra time to try and clean them out of the other packets. So believe me, it is worth taking this time to seal the boxes before you store them.
Another thing I use is a grain powder, which is used for storing grains and kills insects. I then sprinkle that on the bottom of a container, or on the floor where you are storing. Something else can also be used to repel insects, and that is a green bar of laundry soap.
Of course tinned foods and pickles are easily stored, just make sure to date them. Other things to think about are dried milk powder, sugar, oils, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, and vinegars for making your pickles. Also curry, spices, herbs, soups and other flavourings can make any simple meal tasty.
One more thing to mention is eggs can also be stored! Some years ago an elderly lady, in her nineties, told me an incredible story! She said, as a young girl she can remember that her mother stored eggs in a liquid mixture (during the war and great depression), which she did not know what it was, but the eggs came out as fresh as the day they were laid! So I later looked it up on the internet and to my utter surprise found it. It is called water glassing method, with a mixture of food-grade hydrated lime and water. They can be preserved for 12-18 months! I am yet to try this but had a first-hand testimony that it does work!
So you see it is not that difficult to do this, and I hope I can encourage you to make a start. There are also some great YouTube videos out there with some excellent tips.
Another important thing to consider is water, which is even more important than food! In an emergency situation such as tsunamis, this will pollute water supplies. So bottled water will be needed. An excellent way of storing large quantities of water is through harvesting rainwater. We are already used to doing this as we experience water shortages here, and we use large tanks to store water. But for drinking, some form of purification is needed, the simplest way is to boil water for at least ten minutes, then allow to cool. In case of power outages, other alternatives to electricity will be needed, such as solar, generators and gas equipment too. S.J.
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Are you safe see YouTube video The Ark of Salvation
See Ark of Salvation
See Salvation Prayer
And Greatest Hindrance to Salvation
See: Sutton Daze and Leisa Sutton’s book Pantry Preparedness
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