This weekend 9 senior high youth joined together to fight hunger. We played games, prayed for people, did a can drive scavenger hunt for the food pantry, reflected a lot, and didn't eat a darn thing for 30 hours. We talked about the people we were trying to help - sat in a circle of light until candle after candle was blown out, representing all those who day each day from hunger.
I don't know if I can convey with words how proud I am of these amazing young people or how honored am I to work with them.
Below are a few of their reflections on the experience.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Reflections from the Famine
I’ve never been seriously hungry for a long length of time and I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like without it. Participating in this famine has helped me see how rough some children have it. Thinking about the United States and the abundance of food we have compared to those which have very little makes me think that there is a lot we can do for them. This is why I am supporting the 30 Hour Famine; it’s just a small step to helping those who go hungry everyday.
- Courtney K
Other than the famine, I have never been hungry for a long span of time. For those who are starving, I am very sorry for. I feel as though they’re not getting a true chance to live. This weekend makes me feel like the abundance in food we have in the United States is almost a waste; especially when now the U.S. is considered obese. While those in other countries are starving, we are overeating. I think there is hope for those in extreme poverty, however. Watching 200 candles being blown out was heartbreak. I felt as if I was watching the breath of hunger take away the lives of 200 children. I didn’t want to blow out anymore candles after the thought came to my mind. However, some candles were almost “fighting” for their chance of survival; others gave out without any sign of resurrection.
- Christian D
All my life I have never been hungry for this long, not even when I was sick. But now that I am saving a child's life for almost a year, I can feel good about being hungry. I realize that the way that I feel now probably cannot even come close to the hunger those children and families must live. Amy told all of us that about 10 million children die from hunger or poverty. To hear that is just awful, and is something no one would ever want to hear. The 30 Hour Famine has been a lot of fun and I can't wait to do it again next year.
- Michael S
It's pretty upsetting to think that so many children die of hunger. While Americans take in and consume almost enough for a person for an entire week, those living in poverty take in a considerable amount of suffering. I myself have never gone without food for a long peiod of time and I can't even imagine what the other kids go through. The U.S. has an opportunity to help these people just by making a donation or contributing to any food pantry. The question is whether or not we will step up and do so. I know that I have taken in so much from this experience. Next time before you eat just think about all the poverty in the world.
- Daniel O
- Courtney K
Other than the famine, I have never been hungry for a long span of time. For those who are starving, I am very sorry for. I feel as though they’re not getting a true chance to live. This weekend makes me feel like the abundance in food we have in the United States is almost a waste; especially when now the U.S. is considered obese. While those in other countries are starving, we are overeating. I think there is hope for those in extreme poverty, however. Watching 200 candles being blown out was heartbreak. I felt as if I was watching the breath of hunger take away the lives of 200 children. I didn’t want to blow out anymore candles after the thought came to my mind. However, some candles were almost “fighting” for their chance of survival; others gave out without any sign of resurrection.
- Christian D
All my life I have never been hungry for this long, not even when I was sick. But now that I am saving a child's life for almost a year, I can feel good about being hungry. I realize that the way that I feel now probably cannot even come close to the hunger those children and families must live. Amy told all of us that about 10 million children die from hunger or poverty. To hear that is just awful, and is something no one would ever want to hear. The 30 Hour Famine has been a lot of fun and I can't wait to do it again next year.
- Michael S
It's pretty upsetting to think that so many children die of hunger. While Americans take in and consume almost enough for a person for an entire week, those living in poverty take in a considerable amount of suffering. I myself have never gone without food for a long peiod of time and I can't even imagine what the other kids go through. The U.S. has an opportunity to help these people just by making a donation or contributing to any food pantry. The question is whether or not we will step up and do so. I know that I have taken in so much from this experience. Next time before you eat just think about all the poverty in the world.
- Daniel O
Friday, October 19, 2007
It Begins!
All the food is locked up, all the activities are ready to go, and in just 30 minutes, 8 of our youth will be joining me here at church as we continue to fast. So far we've been fasting for a little over 5 hours and of course, it's not so hard. But I suspect that as dinner time comes and goes we'll start to notice our lack of food a little bit more.
I've been running around this afternoon getting together the last few items we need (mainly food for tomorrow's break-fast). As I was surrounded by food I couldn't eat I thought about just how easily available food is. I could have picked up an apple or a candy bar or a roll from so many places around town. And that's the thing with hunger - food actually is readily available. It's just that folks suffering from issues of poverty can't access what is abundant. By tomorrow evening, in just a little over 24 hours, I'll be back to being able to pick up that apple when ever I want. 30 hours. Not a week or a month or a really bad year. Not a lifetime.
Counting my blessings and thinking how I can share those blessings as I wait for our youth to arrive.
I've been running around this afternoon getting together the last few items we need (mainly food for tomorrow's break-fast). As I was surrounded by food I couldn't eat I thought about just how easily available food is. I could have picked up an apple or a candy bar or a roll from so many places around town. And that's the thing with hunger - food actually is readily available. It's just that folks suffering from issues of poverty can't access what is abundant. By tomorrow evening, in just a little over 24 hours, I'll be back to being able to pick up that apple when ever I want. 30 hours. Not a week or a month or a really bad year. Not a lifetime.
Counting my blessings and thinking how I can share those blessings as I wait for our youth to arrive.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Hunger Around the World and at Home
This weekend our youth are doing amazing things to fight hunger. Our Senior High is going to starve hunger by participating in the 30 Hour Famine Friday and Saturday. Our Middle School is going to stamp out hunger by participating in the Crop Walk on Sunday. As our youth prepare to work towards alleviating issues of poverty and hunger, I invite you to join them in prayer and increasing awareness on these issues.
Here are some facts about hunger from Bread for the World:
Globally
More than 852 million people in the world are malnourished - 799 million of them are from the developing world. More than 153 million of them are under the age of 5.
In the last 50 years, 400 million people worldwide have died from hunger and poor sanitation. That's three times the number of people killed in all wars fought in the entire 20th century.
Of the 6.39 billion people in today's world, 1.2 billion live on less than $1 per day.
Nationally
36.3 million people - including 13 million children - live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. This represents approximately one in ten households in the United States.
Our youth are doing something to help stop this easily preventable problem – hunger. Along with donating to these two wonderful causes and offering prayers for our youth, as we continue our stewardship season, I’d like to invite the Covenant family to think about if and how we are called to join the battle to fight hunger.
Here are some facts about hunger from Bread for the World:
Globally
More than 852 million people in the world are malnourished - 799 million of them are from the developing world. More than 153 million of them are under the age of 5.
In the last 50 years, 400 million people worldwide have died from hunger and poor sanitation. That's three times the number of people killed in all wars fought in the entire 20th century.
Of the 6.39 billion people in today's world, 1.2 billion live on less than $1 per day.
Nationally
36.3 million people - including 13 million children - live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. This represents approximately one in ten households in the United States.
Our youth are doing something to help stop this easily preventable problem – hunger. Along with donating to these two wonderful causes and offering prayers for our youth, as we continue our stewardship season, I’d like to invite the Covenant family to think about if and how we are called to join the battle to fight hunger.
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