30 Hour Famine

Participating in the 30 hour famine was initially for the purpose of getting a better understanding of what it feels like to be hungry - to learn more about what some people in Third World countries go through everyday - to help raise money for a worthy cause. This experience has shown me that 30 hours of fasting doesn't even come close to the suffering that some people around the world have to endure everyday. They don't have the luxury of having clean water flowing from the taps of their homes or knowing where their next meal is coming from. Some people live with hunger as a way of life.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to participate in this event. The people at Delta did a great job organizing it. I remember going through the water gathering and bean paste making activity and thinking, it's so hot out here, I'm so tired and then realizing this is what it's like to live with hunger - even worse I'm sure. Here's the gang making bean paste - we took beans from the field and used wooden bowls and spatulas to mash the beans into a paste. Lou was the only one brave (ie foolish) enough to taste some of the paste. The limited water supply came in the form of water balloons (oh oh) so of course a water balloon fight broke out and we wasted the precious water.

For those who didn't participate, do the famine next year :) Being able to feel hunger - even if it's only a small fraction of what Third World countries endure everyday - still brings you that much closer to understanding and answering their cry for our help.