30 Hour Famine: student update

hello, my name is Jaylee! I am participating in the 30 hour famine. We have just come back from the service projects and all of us are tired and hungry! Being hungry and working was really hard. It really made me think how lucky I am to have enough food. We have been doing activities to better understand the situation around the world and I think that we are all learning a lot! Wish us luck and pray for us as we continue to suffer through hunger!

30 hr famine going on now!

Lets remember our students as they participate in the 30 hr famine today into tomorrow!
I just had the opportunity to have a few over for some service work and man I will tell you they worked hard and without a single complaint  (minus: "I hate fall because I'm OCD and you can never get all the leaves") HA! I Agree... Anyways... they raked about 8 bags of leaves and pine needles...washed an old playhouse and painted it new, and cleaned the garden out ....it was hard work...and they did it with a smile and a great attitude. A great example of servanthood!

hunger in america

here are a few statistics about hunger right here at home


Hunger in America 2010 is the largest study of domestic hunger, providing comprehensive and statistically-valid data on our emergency food distribution system and the people Feeding America serves. Hunger in America 2010 is extremely detailed, drawing on data from more than 61,000 interviews with clients and surveys of 37,000 feeding agencies.
The report shows that hunger is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States, and our network is expanding its reach in response:

• Feeding America is annually providing food to 37 million Americans, including 14 million children. This is an increase of 46 percent over 2006, when we were feeding 25 million Americans, including 9 million children, each year.
• That means one in eight Americans now rely on Feeding America for food and groceries.
• Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks is feeding 1 million more Americans each week than we did in 2006.
• Thirty-six percent of the households we serve have at least one person working.
• More than one-third of client households report having to choose between food and other basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and medical care.
• The number of children the Feeding America network serves has increased by 50 percent since 2006. 

Source: http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/hunger-study-2010.aspx

Bugs in our rice: I have a choice

So a few minutes ago I turned on my nice stove to cook our rice for dinner tonight. I opened a new bag of rice just to find little creepy crawlies in it! Of course I have other rice stocked and am ok. And of course the thought would never occur to me to serve this bug infested rice to my family. But I did stop to think of people who would have no other choice. I thought of the movie we posted yesterday of the dad getting food for his children out of a trash can. And I realized yet again how VERY blessed we are. What seems a "no way" for me is a way of life for so many.

Share this video

Hey all,

This is a powerful, short video you should watch. You could also consider posting it on your Facebook page to help raise awareness this week about world hunger.

The reality of world hunger can be shocking and honestly, hard to believe because we are so insulated from it. But the more we expose ourselves to the reality of it and the more we share that reality with others, the greater the call to action becomes for us and those around us.

We can make a difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG-i3KslA7w&feature=relmfu

Video that is very eye opening

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/filmedia/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte/?pp=share#videoDetail

This is something appropriate to show children and open it up for discussion.

Evening Thoughts

This is the second time I've seen this moving video (5 days of Hunger); I got choked up once again. Some questions I have faced thus far this week: 1. Should we eat the food that is in the fridge, or let it spoil and stick to the subsistence diet? 2. Is coffee OK? 3. How should I handle two previously scheduled lunch appointments this week? Today, I ordered rice and beans at the restaurant while my guests ate full meals! Anonymous

Video Post: Chicken Ala Carte

Watch this VIDEO

Tuesday Prayer Guide

Look at the attached map of Natick as part of this devotional/prayer time.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie
the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break
every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with
shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own
flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear
guard. Isaiah 58:6-8

7,000,501,421 current total world population
916,471,585 undernourished people in the world
30,323 people who died of hunger today
9,373,480 people who died of hunger this year

At 12AM this morning, there were 30,000 people living in Natick, MA. By 6AM, 7,500 of them
had perished from starvation – by 12PM, a total of 15,000 had perished from starvation – and
by 6PM, 75% of the whole town had perished from starvation. By 11:59PM tonight, all will be
gone. And so it goes across the world… EVERY DAY.

Turn to God in prayer….
Holy God, I long for your light to shine in my life and in the dark world.
We need your healing touch and your protecting shield of righteousness.
Continue to remind me that these gifts will break out when I take actions to feed the
hungry and provide for the poor.
Be my rear guard today and tell me what I can do to make a difference for You today.
I pray in Your holy name.
AMEN

(approximate numbers as of 11-2-2011 www.stopthehunger.com)

5 Days of Hunger: VIDEO

Struggling to find something to talk about around the dinner table? Watch this VIDEO ...discuss!

Monday prayer guide

 
 
Monday
Here’s an exercise you can do: Take out the church directory (or a school directory). Imagine crossing out every seventh family unit in the directory. Or do it in pencil as part of this devotional time.
 
"And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every
good work."  2 Corinthians 9:8
 
More than 1 billion people in the world don't get enough to eat.  
That's one of every seven people on the planet.  
That’s one of every seven people in your town.  

That’s one of every seven people here at NPC.  

Look through the NPC Church Directory and imagine that those names that are crossed out do not have enough to eat… are you one?  Is your name close to one that is “crossed out”?  

Those who are hungry, somewhere in the world, do have names and addresses. Let the reality of this sink in.

Turn to God in prayer….
Holy God, open the eyes of my heart so that I can see You
                   and remember how You want me to live.
Holy Jesus, help me understand how much You love
                   those who suffer and are in need.
Holy Spirit, guide me and show me how I can
                   share from my abundance today.  
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, break my heart and reform it
                   to be like yours.  
Open my hand and make me generous to share
                   the many gifts You have given me.  

When hunger comes home 2011

 

When Hunger Comes Home November 6-13
Information Packet

Some startling Statistics: More than 1 billion people in the world don't get enough to

eat. That's one of every seven people on the planet.

In the last 50 years, 400 million people worldwide have died from hunger and poor sanitation. That's three times the number of people killed in all wars fought in the entire 20th century.

35.5 million people in the United States - including 12.6 million children - live in house- holds that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. This represents more than one in ten households in the United States (10.9 percent).

Preschool and school-aged children who experience severe hunger have higher levels of chronic illness, anxiety and depression, and behavior problems than children with no

hunger, according to a recent study.

Most of us have never experienced what it feels like to be truly hungry. This year we are challenging the whole Newton Pres family to join our youth in an effort to gain a greater understanding of hunger and to think about how God might be calling us to respond to this global epidemic.

During the week of November 6-13, the NPC family will be encouraged to fast in some way. One option would be to limit your diet to a subsistence diet for five days. You will also be encouraged to fast when our youth are fasting, November 12-13.

There will be other ways to explore the problem of hunger during the week. Devotional guides, daily email blasts, an interactive prayer chapel, a community blog and serving opportunities will be offered to help people of all ages (even children!) understand and appreciate the magnitude and implications of hunger both locally and globally.

Please read this packet for more information about how you can participate

Schedule for the week:

During the week there will be a number of events and resources that will be made avail- able to you.

 There will be an interactive prayer chapel called The Four Corners of the World in the building. It will focus on 4 specific places north, south, east and west of New- ton. Take some time to visit this space and learn more about the causes of hunger in this world. Come and pray for people who are in need.

 There will be ways where you can interact daily with issues around hunger. Each day a prayer email blast will be sent out. Additionally, we have set up a community blog. Take time to post and entry or to read the thoughts posted there by other mem- bers of the Newton Presbyterian community.

 Meal time devotional guides will be available for you to use each day for you to use in your daily time with the Lord.



Food Consumption for The Week:

This week, the challenge is to eat a subsistence diet from November 6-13. By definition a subsistence diet is a meager diet providing barely enough for sustenance. Our suggested version of such a diet is far less extreme. We simply encourage you to pick a simple, limited diet— rice and beans for example. The idea would be to eat that everyday in some fashion. The great challenge would be to try to do this three meals a day with no snacking in between. This will give you some idea how many people experience food. They have a limited supply and, in most cases, little to no variety in their diet. Pick two or three simple foods and eat just those every day. Pick something with protein (but not meat) as part of this diet.

We understand that not everyone will be able to do this. Think of an alternative. Can you do it at dinner time? Breakfast? A recipe for rice and beans can be found on the website and on the back of this publication.

The weekend of November 12-13, our youth will be participating in the 30 Hour Famine, sponsored by World Vision. You are encouraged to fast if you’d like in solidarity with our youth. The fast begins Saturday morning and will end on Sunday with a break fast. You can break the fast yourself at home if you’d like or you can join us during the 10:15-11:00 time at church for a simple soup and bread break fast meal.

Our youth will be raising money from sponsors for each hour they fast. The proceeds will be given to World Vision. You can con- sider making a donation on behalf of our youth. Perhaps you can determine how much you didn’t spend on groceries over the week while you were fasting and eating simply and make a donation for that amount. There will be an opportunity to make donation on Sunday, November 13th.

All About Fasting

The average, healthy person is able to go without food for 30 hours without any ill effects. Exceptions are the following:

- children under the age of 12 - the elderly - pregnant or nursing women

- people with other specific medical conditions (past or present) including diabetes, reactive hypoglycemia, other medical condi- tions that are associated with or could precipitate hypoglycemia; eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia).

If you have any health-related questions or are regularly under a doctor’s care for any of the above medical conditions, you are strongly advised to consult your family doctor before taking part.

What is fasting? Fasting is the act of abstaining from food. There are various types of ways to fast, but the most popular and the one that is part of the 30 Hour Famine is a juice fast.

Why is fasting part of the 30 Hour Famine? It’s an opportunity for participants to focus their thoughts, prayers and efforts on things most important to God. It’s a way to draw near to God. It also allows participants to feel what real hunger feels like -- a hunger that is felt by many of the boys, girls, men and women who are being helped by the funds raised during the 30 Hour Fam- ine.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

 

What does the Bible say about fasting? There are many scriptural references to fasting, in both the Old and New Testament. The following is not a complete list but is a good place to start.

Matthew 6:16-18 Daniel 9:3, 20 Judges 20:26-28

Matthew 9:16-17 Ezra 8:21-23 Psalms 35:13

Matthew 17:20-21 Isaiah 58 Mark 9:29

What are some alternatives to fasting? A 30 hour fast is not required for those participating in the 30 Hour Famine, but it is a recognized component of the 30 Hour Famine. Again, most people can go without food for 30 hours with no ill effects, but it should be a personal choice. If, for any reason (medical or otherwise), someone cannot participate in a 30 hour fast, modifying the Famine is accepted. Some suggested ways to modify a fast include:

   

skipping a meal (or two) abstaining from something (i.e. chocolate, soda pop, etc.) for a period of time fasting from talking for a period time fasting from media (no TV, movies, videos, radio, music, etc.) for a period of time.

How should we break the fast? Breaking your fast can be a meaningful time for the group, but it also should be done gradually and sensibly.

This document was prepared by World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine staff. It is not designed to replace a physician’s guidance but is provided to answer common questions regarding fasting.

Service Opportunities

There are several opportunities to serve following this week long intensive.

Saturday’s Bread— Next Service Dates: December 3 December 31 and January 28 Serve a meal to the Homeless at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin Street, on Beacon Hill. Meet at the church at 12:15 - return approximately at 4:15.

Boston Rescue Mission: January 8 and March 25

Help serve a meal at one of Boston’s faith-based shelters

Newton Food Pantry Drive: The month of February

Details to follow.

Project Angel Tree: November through Christmas

Help provide gifts for children who have a parent in prison. Contact Debbie Campbell (teachingdeb@gmail,com) to help out.

 

More Opportunities to Give :

This year’s Thanksgiving Offering will go to helping to fund an exciting World Vision initiative called the Oyam Disability Project . World Vision is constructing and furnishing classrooms for disabled children in The Aber Primary School in Uganda. Aber is the community where we built a well this past year.

For more information contact: Doris Kellom at 617-924-6710 or at SocialAction@newtonpres.org Rice and Beans Recipe :

1 can chicken broth 1 (5 oz.) pkg. yellow rice mix 1 med. yellow onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can black beans, drained Salt & pepper to taste 1. Boil chicken broth. Add rice and turn down; covering pot. 2. Cook 20 minutes. 3. Heat olive oil, saute onion, and garlic until soft (3-4 minutes). 4. Drain liquid. Add beans and heat through. 5. Mix bean mixture with rice and serve. 3-4 servings.

You can obviously substitute whatever color beans and or rice you’d like......

More than 1 billion people in the world don't get enough to eat. That's one of every seven people on the planet.