Jeff Palmer of Baptist Global Response (BGR) says people in the Sahel region respond like this: "They started dancing and sang a song of thankfulness that they just made up on the spot, saying, 'You know who's cared for us? Who's cared for us? These followers of Jesus cared for us.'"

About 12 million people are facing widespread famine in the Sahel region. BGR recently brought food and supplies to Christian communities that had absolutely nothing.

"These were groups of believers that have fled their areas, and they had no other agencies that were helping them," states Palmer. Teams were able to meet needs in two ways.

"It's a great door-opener for not only ministering physically, but for our folks on-ground to share the Truth," Palmer says. "It's a message of hope, of saying, 'Somebody cares.'"

Palmer says BGR focuses on helping people who "fall through the cracks" of the governmental system. The recent delivery allowed one family to eat for the first time in a week.

"You have a lot of people caught in this very complex situation," Palmer explains. "Crops have failed because of famine; [they] can't grow the food because they can't stay in one area."

The Sahel is a 3,400-mile stretch that spans from coast-to-coast of Africa. It covers portions of Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Eritrea, as well as volatile nations like Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Droughts are nothing new to those living in the Sahel region, as the crisis recurs every 7 to 10 years. However, throw in flooding, insurgencies, and higher food prices, and the issue complicates. Top it all off with so-called compassion fatigue among donors, and aid groups face a significant challenge.

BGR is taking a three-prong approach to staving off widespread famine and helping people in need. Palmer says their project involves not only the distribution of food packets, but health and hygiene kits, as well as temporary shelters.

"Those food packets basically help them transition and sustain when they don't have anything," explains Palmer.

Temporary shelters help shield people from the elements. Health and hygiene kits consist of "things like soap, basic shampoo, detergent, things like that."

Can you help? Click here to support BGR's Famine Relief Fund.

"We would love to take what you can give and put it 100% toward helping folks in need," Palmer states.

Ask God to give people in the Sahel region hope for tomorrow. Praythat BGR teams will show Jesus through their actions.

"We've not been producing as much as we are consuming," said Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior economist with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "Supplies are now very tight across the world, and reserves are at a very low level, leaving no room for unexpected events next year."

What does this mean? Think back to 2008, says Peter Howard with Food for the Hungry.

"We saw food riots all over the world, especially in poorer countries where access to food is literally life and death," said Howard. "In parts of Africa, families have to fight for the food they're trying to access."

Violence is just one possible result of a global food crisis. Howard says it's like a ripple effect.

"[The food crisis] not only affects nutrition, but it can affect education, health, and then the social fabric of families and communities," he explains.

So how did we get here? The global food supply took a dive after severe droughts this summer. According to the FAO, 870 million people are malnourished and the food crisis is growing in the Middle East and Africa. Families in Central Asia and Haiti don't have enough food either.

In light of troublesome signs, Howard says there's good news, too.

"A lot of organizations like Food for the Hungry are working very closely at the community level and helping farmers with more drought-resistant crops that are improving production.

"And that's what we want to continue to do so we don't get back into a situation like we had in 2008 when there were riots."

Click here to see where FH works around the world. Pray that God would lead you to help fight world hunger. Pray for those waging war against physical hunger and spiritual hunger.

"Pray not only that we can help communities have more access to real physical food," Howard asks, "but also that we could walk with churches and communities and help them reach their full, God-given potential."

See how your dollar can go further to help people in need.

"The drought continues to be a challenge," Ragan stated. "Most of the people there are subsistence farmers. In other words, they live off the land. Because of the incredible droughts that they're having–and continue to have, it really affects their lifestyle."

But the challenges of widespread hunger aren't stopping people from satisfying their spiritual hunger. GAIN USA partners with Campus Crusade for Christ in Zimbabwe, and Ragan said a crusade took place during their trip. Thousands attended the open-air service, and when Christian workers gave an opportunity for attendants to accept Jesus as their Savior, many responded.

"We saw over 500 people come forward," said Ragan. "It's just phenomenal."

Ragan added that actions speak louder than words in Zimbabwe.

"Sometimes it's a little difficult for us to understand on the U.S. side," explained Ragan, "but in most countries, community transformation is the most important thing.

"They hear the Gospel, but they want to see it as well."

Ragah said that entering a community with the attitude of a humble servant spurs unbelievers to ask two questions: Who are you and why are you here?

"And that opens up a tremendous door for our staff on the ground to share the full Gospel message of Jesus Christ," Ragan said.

But daily ministry in a crisis zone can be wearisome.

"They get their encouragement from knowing that believers around the world are praying for them," said Ragan. Ask the Lord to strengthen GAIN USA workers and encourage them to persevere.

Campus Crusade and GAIN USA ministers to a village with approximately 130,000 citizens. One need they saw on this trip, Ragan explained, was the need for local medical care. Right now, sick or injured villagers must trek over 6 miles for medical attention.

Ragan said GAIN USA has found an area of land on which to build the clinic, but they need your help to move forward with this project.

"We are asking our donors and friends and partners to sponsor a square foot," he said. "We've got it broken down to about $31 per square foot to build a fully-functional medical clinic."

You can support this project by clicking here.