30 hour famine

From 1pm this past Thursday to 7pm this past Friday, the Manna team did not eat.  We fasted for 30 hours to raise awareness and better understand world hunger.  Here are some of the unfortunate and astounding statistics:

-“Hunger kills another child every 10 seconds.”

-“The poor spend most of their money just trying not to starve.  1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25/day.”

-“Hunger has lasting effects on a child’s well-being.  Hunger starves the brain.”

-“Chronic hunger limits the body’s ability to use energy for activities.  A person who is chronically hungry suffers from lethargy, the body’s response to prolonged calorie and nutrient deprivation.”

 I’ve always known hunger existed, but I didn’t understand how profound, complicating, and vast the issue actually is until our discussions.  It amazes me because in the US, we’re concerned with childhood obesity, overeating, and increased fast food portion sizes.  In Africa, they’re concerned with wasting away, the inability to ward off illness due to lack of nutrients, and spreading single portion sizes a dozen ways.

Without a doubt, I felt the effects of the lack of food.  Skipping dinner the first night was difficult.  I stayed in the community for longer to keep myself busy so I wouldn’t come home and be tempted by the kitchen calling my name.  Although I didn’t feel terribly hungry the first day, I did have a killer headache.  The entire house had a very early night… we played games and waited for 10 to roll around so we could justify going to sleep.

The next morning, we volunteered at a comedor (feeding center) in Oriental Market.  Oriental Market is the largest and one of the most dangerous markets in Central America.  I’ve worked in Managua’s dump and Fairfax’s ER, and there is little in this world that still shocks me.  Or so I thought.  This comedor shocked me.  To put it in perspective, it’s located in a block where there were 3 murders this past year.  Not the town, area, or street but that BLOCK.  The comedor is run by a Korean American missionary and caters to the homeless.  These people are the lowest of the low – they are the prostitutes, the drug seekers, the unfathomably impoverished.  In addition to distributing food, the comedor provides a location where this population may simply maintain human dignity.  It’s a place to go to the bathroom, shower, wash clothes, and socialize.  

The people were rough and made me incredibly uncomfortable as we first walked in.  The way they dressed, their tattoos, their scars, one with pants made out of newspaper (as he was waiting for his clothes to dry haha).  I’ve worked really hard not to judge people on first appearances, and this was another experience to remind me why that’s so wrong.  The people were incredible.  Eager to talk and share their stories, they were some of the friendliest and sincere people I’ve ever met.  

The day winded down after our morning in the market, and the effects of no food surfaced.  I still had a horrendous headache, and was starting to feel lethargic.  I didn’t want to do anything.  

The last hour of our famine, we had someone from the Canadian Red Cross talk to us about effective nutrition programs.  I could not concentrate, and I actually had to take my watch off so I would stop looking at the time ever 42 seconds.  It wasn’t because the information was boring (it was fascinating and I want her to come back!), but it was because my brain had absolutely nothing to run on.  I can see how some of the chronically hungry children have trouble concentrating in schools or how adults don't have motivation to find jobs.

We broke the fast with espagueti (spaghetti) and ice cream.  I am so fortunate that I don’t have to worry about where my food comes from, and I actually feel guilty for ever complaining about eating leftovers.  I’m grateful for the experience which generated a passion for our nutrition program and has inspired me to become more aware of hunger issues globally.

For more interesting information, check out the websites below :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jSBW0BOPqM

http://30hourfamine.org/about/about-world-vision?lang=

http://www.america.gov/st/health-english/2008/June/20080615232420xjyrrep0.8201105.html