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.