30 Hour Famine

This past Friday and Saturday I along with 20 teenagers participated in what is known as the 30 Hour Famine. This is a yearly effort through a company called World Vision to raise awareness of the number of children who are dying every day just because they are not fed. Our teenagers have been raising money for a month to send to the children in Africa and countries like Uganda. The fund raising culminates in a 30 hour fast of their own which took place from 9:00 last Friday to 3:00 pm yesterday. So, yesterday at 4:00 the teenagers and I were experiencing the severe hunger pains of not eating anything for over 30 hours.

The experience called for some reflection. First, we were of course able to raise some good money for the cause. Every one dollar raised feeds a child for an entire day. Second, we discovered how the blessing of food from God is included in virtually everything we do. The last 2 hours of our famine were spent both in a bowling alley and then a mall. I purposely took them to the mall so they could experience how even something as simple as shopping in a mall is usually tied in with food and we don't even realize it. As we were leaving the mall, the students were talking about how they noticed everyone had a drink and was munching on something and they couldn't enjoy the mall because they were so hungry and tired. Third, we discussed how love is not a "calling" one receives in a Damascus Road experience. For the believer, love is a direct, non-negotiable command.

I have been receiving emails last night and today from teenagers who have been deeply moved by the famine experience. They expressing how they want God to change them and how they want to make a change within themselves. I am nice and full now. As a matter of fact, I am munching on some m&m's and goldfish as I write this. My prayer today is that I and my teenagers would continue to have hunger pains for the lost, hungry, poor, and weary.