Thirty Hour Famine: March 7-8, 2008
Year Twelve (1997 through 2008)

What did our young people learn from this year’s 30 Hour Famine?

Let’s share some of their thoughts …

“The most important thing that I learned was all of the diseases that kids in Indonesia have. I feel we should all become more aware of the world around us” Chantel, 12

“The thing I learned throughout the past day was that there are simple things we take for granted such as having clean water to wash our feet [during the water game] that is a project for them” Rachel, 12

“I learned that it is important not to take advantage of the resources we have so easily. Instead of having to use the same water to clean ourselves and to drink from [as happens in some poor areas of Indonesia], we can take a shower then get a bottle of clean water. We should not take advantage of how easy it is for us.” Ariel, 17

“I learned how hard it is to live with a disability and having to beware of floods, earthquakes, disease, little food and unclean water. This is important because we should know how bad of lives these people [of Indonesia] have and their struggle” Julianne, 12

“I learned that we should stick together like we did in our tribe families throughout this weekend and to work together as we did in these events” Bill, 24

Above are some of several reactions of our young people to this year’s 30 Hour Famine. We have done this famine for the past 12 years with Bill having done everyone and Ariel the last six. By focusing on a different country each year, the events continue to be fresh and engaging.
This year we modified the “Tribe Game” approaching the tribes as families. We asked our young people to take on the identity of one of the Indonesian youth displayed on the cards provided by World Vision and to, at the beginning, describe it but not act it out. Throughout the events we stopped and asked which young people would be most at risk when faced with a flood, earthquake, the lack of clean water and the like. A couple of our young people received identity cards that did not include a disability but that did not last too long. They were bitten during the mosquito game by mosquitoes carrying the malaria disease and it gave the picture to the entire group of how vulnerable youth in Indonesia are.
Here are a few ideas we developed for this year’s famine:
• We created a chart –see the figure below – to depict the journey of youth in Indonesia. The first thing our youth said when they saw this was – “it’s so complicated”. That is because life is complicated in Indonesia. Typhoons and the resultant floods and mudslides destroy homes and way lay the most determined plans for success. Earthquakes have the same result. Diseases with little medical attention, the lack of clean water and the unpredictable harvests leave many places for young people trying to get an education and to move forward to get distracted. This is why the road thins as it approaches the upper right corner of the grid. Those who learn of World Vision receive Hope, depicted in the upper right corner, and the road suddenly widens for them as they leave the assistance of World Vision. Success seems imminent but there is another hurdle that emerges. Families have many needs and the obstacles that had faced the young people also face all family members. Many children, as they grow older, have to leave school to get work to support now sick parents or younger children due to their parent’s death. This is depicted by the “Child Labor” block which sends many older children (but still children!!) back to the areas of disease, impure water and the lack of food. Only a few make it around on the path now so narrow that gets one past the child labor block and to reach his or her full potential. We, in developed nations like the U.S.A., take the opportunity to attend school for granted.
• There is a second grid. See picture below entitled "Journey Charts - U.S. & Indonesia. The grid on the left depicts the journey of youth in the United States. It is much simpler and that journey is described in the activity entitled “Finding Truth “ found in the activity page of this web site.
• We had two sessions during which we sang and read prayers, written by young people, responsively. One of the prayers read:
“So, God, my prayer for everyone is not world peace, or a cure for cancer or AIDS or a cure for hate. My prayer is that everyone can learn to pray, to say a prayer deep from their heart and to know that you alone, God, are the only one who can begin to understand what they want."
After reading this prayer we asked our young people to make this teenager’s prayer come true … our young people then took their Indonesian friend's card and wrote a prayer that focused on the thoughts of their own hearts opn the back of the card. By writing them on the cards, they remained anonymous.
A few hours later, just before the famine ended and after our Food Drive, we met. We sang “Lean on Me” and “Let there be peace on Earth”, then circled around me a single lit candle. I placed the prayer cards the youth had written on the table with the candle. Youth were asked, if they wished, to pick up a card that was not their own. After an adult opened with prayer the young people lit a candle and read the prayer of one of their friends. As the candles began to lighten the room, the lights of the room were turned off. Every one of our youth participated and it was the most spiritually enriching moment of our famine.
• As mentioned we did do our food drive – outdoors in the rain, to raise food for a local food bank at a church which had suffered severe fire damage recently. One community member, upon hearing of our mission, approached with a shopping card filled with groceries. She took two small bags of groceries with her and left an almost full shopping card for the drive. Below you can see pictures of the close to eight hundred items raised in the rain by determined young people.

So that is our twelfth 30 Hour Famine, the 2008 version. I will close by sharing the reflections of a young man who participated in the first and second famines at the Community Presbyterian Church in 1997 and 1998.

"About a month ago, I had a medical procedure when I had to fast for over a day before I could undergo the procedure. Around the same time, my father told me that he was going to write an article about the Thirty Hour Famine. Knowing this, I couldn't help but reminisce, as I fasted, about the initial two times I'd gone without food for a day. The first was the inaugural Thirty Hour Famine in 1997 and the second was it's sequel in 1998. Thinking about those two times, I initially recalled comraderie and games, like playing volleyball upstairs in the social area or having judged pillow fights in our youth room downstairs. Soon those initial memories had attachments, the first that feeling as the night wore on, of a growing, gnawing hunger, biting at my insides. Trailing after it were the ghosts of children we'd learned about, who hadn't eaten for weeks at a time, followed by the faces of my friends, sitting in rapt attention as my father read a story or put on a video about those children. Eventually, more memories flooded in, of raking leaves and collecting food, making projects and discussing deep things until all hours of the night, followed by a poignant feast at 6:00 PM the next day, every bite a reminder of what we'd done and who we'd done it for.

After the recent medical procedure, when I could eat again, I had a similar feast, each bite tinged with the nostalgia of ten years ago, when I'd sacrificed and raised food, money and awareness for the greater good. I look back at those two experiences, knowing that for these two moments, I made a difference somewhere in the world." Scott, 27

Looking for more activity ideas for your famine or youth program?
Click here: Activities that are both fun and that teach the gospel?

"Click on the pictures below for details."

Journey Charts - U.S. & Indonesia Games: Mosquito Tag Food Drive

See above for explanation Youth must run (sneak?) by blindfolded mosquito guards. We found this worked when we shrunk the area to pass by to 20 feet in width for four guards Food drive station at local supermarkets

Amazing Grace & Lean on Me Games: Mosquito Tag Food Drive

Linda and Tim lead songs - how about the 15 verses to He's Got the Whole World in His Hands Unfair - Tayna sneaking by mosquito guards on her hands and knees Chantel and Arindam getting ready

Finding Food Games: Water Source Food Drive

Never thought it could be so hard to find a potato. But with 20 youth screaming directions ! Wash those feet 800 items of food raised in 3 hours

Finding Food Games: Water Source Bamboo House Building

Got it! Dump those buckets and when it is over, who is thirsty? This is like it is in Indonesia. Kelly and Dennis build the winning house

Finding Food Games: Kata Kata Bamboo House Building

Arindam's family will eat tonight. Dennis' family will not. We used the 30 Hour Famine sheets twice and five blanks to make a 5 by 5 grid. Great fun! Bill, Michael and Vicky make the house that stands up second longest to the fan

I strongly encourage you to consider doing the 30 Hour Famine with your young people this year. If you want more ideas and reflections on the famine, click below for pictures and an account of our 2007 Thirty Hour Famine.

You can also write to me at Timferguson@christianyouthgroup.org and I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.