Activist Project-30 Hour Famine

Activist Project-30 Hour Famine

There’s a forty something man at a five star restaurant who calls back the waiter insisting that his 12-oz steak is not well done, he sends it back stating that he’d prefer it to be better cooked this time and if not he’ll “take his business elsewhere”. This scene that we see every day in the heart of Toronto arouses questions as to how ignorant and complacent masses of people in developed countries can be to the point when they are completely unaware of the outside world. How over three billion people live on less then 2,50 $ a day, how 25,000 children die each day of poverty and how 1.1 billion people in developing countries don’t even have access to clean water. We can only hope that in time even at his age, this man might come to terms that that there are greater problems in the world then a “well-done steak”, but while we hope and pray there is an organization that helps open the eyes for today’s youth.

30 Hour Famine is an activist project to raise awareness to those in need in impoverished countries. It started in 1971 in a small church of Calgary when 17-year old and 14 friends participated in what they called a “starve-in” to raise awareness of the African children suffering in a worldwide famine. Today nearly 100,000 Canadian teens participate in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine by going without solid food and only consuming water and juice for 30 consecutive hours. During the time while the teens are fasting they engage in a variety of games and activities from sports to movie marathons and even guest speakers. It is in this 30 hour period that teens learn to function, interact and manage themselves despite hunger and begin to focus on the importance of friendship, teamwork and kingship. With nothing but empty stomachs teens grow and adapt and have no choice but to cooperate with each and every one in an enlightening journey. It is a groundbreaking activist project because it puts values and awareness in children at a young age to emphasize with the billions in the world who starve every day. It shows kids how fortunate they are to have such privileged lives and that life isn’t about what you take form it, it’s about what you give. After all, not all of us can enjoy a “well-done” steak.

Works Cited
- Shah, Anup. “Poverty Facts and Stats.” Global Issues, Updated: 22 Mar. 2009. Accessed: 23 Nov. 2009.

-Ritchie, Flyn. "30 Hour Famine." Canadianchristianity.com. 02/28/2009. World Vision, Web. 24 Nov 2009.