“We are the first generation that can look poverty in the eye and say this and mean it - We have the cash, we have the drugs, we have the science. Do we have the will to make poverty history?”
-Bono lead singer of U2
On March 14-15 the youth at St. Philip the Deacon, as well as their friends, have an amazing opportunity to have a lasting impact on those that live in their community as well as families all over the world. St. Philip the Deacon’s senior high will be participating in the All-Metro 30 Hour Famine. The 30-hour Famine is my new project for my internship at the church. Because of so much starvation in the world, I feel compelled to help to make a difference and I invite you to do the same.
I read of a boy named Chris; who in the picture looks no older then four or five, as well as his cousins; Rita, Bridget, Hellen, Samson, Mwansa, Alina, and Mischeck. The children are now living under the care of their 71- year old Grandmother, Faidess. Chris and his cousins sadly lost their parents due to complication of AIDS. For their grandmother coming up with enough food to feed all eight children is a never ending task. The children will receive one meal a day, which you can hardly even call a meal; they will eat a small serving of maize porridge each. Rita complains of her tummy hurting saying “I’m hungry all the time. Everyday.” Sadly Chris and his cousins are not alone. 29,000 children under the age of five die every day because of hunger, disease, and poverty. Of these children each year almost 5.5 million of them will die of malnutrition.
Psalm 22:26 says, “The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the lord will praise him.”
It does not become a question of whether there’s enough food for everyone but rather whose going to be seen and be heard doing something to help those who are starving? To you, downloading a song off iTunes is the same amount of money that it takes to help feed a child for one day. For your family it may be giving the cost of one meal at a restaurant; to a family in a third world country it would mean food for a month.
I ask my self and others, at what cost is it to go hungry for 30 hours, where one out of every 6 people on the planet goes hungry day after day? I find that giving up a song on my ipod so that Chris can eat is more than worth it. That not having a Caribou and being able to feed a family for three days IS worth it. If you haven’t already signed up, consider signing up for the 30-hour famine! Grab some friends’ and join 20 other churches around the Twin Cities to feed the hungry children of the world.
Post your name if you are planning on going…
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