This week you were invited to a week of solidarity with the poor. We wanted to create a space for you to share your thoughts with each other and the greater community of Central.
Some questions you might want to reflect on: What are you doing to mark this week? What are you experiencing? What is God teaching you? Where have you seen God at work? Feel free to answer these, or any other reflections!
So it's early in the week but I already have some thoughts on this. Yesterday, it was interesting to see how my peers reacted when they found out what I was doing. So many people offered to give me food/drink because they "felt bad" for me. It's funny how when it is a friend we don't hesistate to offer, but when it's someone we don't know, we don't bother.
When I woke up this morning, and was trying to decide what to eat (plain oatmeal or a small amount of plain cheerioes) I was thinking to myself "It's a good thing we don't have much food in the house because I would be very tempted". How selfish of me to even think that! People who are living on $2 a day don't even have the option and here I am thinking about all of the other things I could be eating. Shame on me.
I decided to go with the oatmeal this morning. Usually in the mornings I have a bowl of my (approx) $4 a box cereal (which I probably buy more for the name than the taste) and have a glass of OJ and I'm so rushed that I always pour more than half of it down the drain as I run out the door and onto my daily routine. Today was different. I made sure I ate every bite of that oatmeal, and even noticed myself scrapping at the bowl to make sure I ate every little bit I could get. Sure it tasted a little like Elmer's glue, but that is all I had. I even found myself wanting more. Luckily I knew I would be able to eat something else when I go home later in the day, but some people don't even know when their next meal will be.
Our family decided to not eat meat, and to have simple meals from food items we would expect to see at a food pantry. I definitely brought home more than 3 bags of groceries, though! Yet I feel hungry, and have a headache, and a limited attention span. Does being hungry affect one's mood as much as this? I feel disconnected, without energy to enjoy or engage with others. It feels like depression.
Through my spirit this week, I have realized that I "feed" my self too much, allowing my desire to be instantly filled. For food, for relief of boredom, for exercise. Because of where I was born, this is all at my fingertips. Thinking about even my middle-class friends in other countries - India, China, Laos, Ghana - my life is easy yet so distracted because of access to all the material stuff. Clear away the distraction and find life? This is what I hope for.
As a student, with an already paid-for meal, I was very much torn on how I should enter this week. Because there was no way to figure out what was $2 worth of food to eat, me and my friends have tried to limit our intake of food, and try hard to only eat rice/beans small amounts of fruit, etc. So far this week I have learned a lot about how dependent I am on food. By tuesday afternoon, it became increasingly difficult to focus my attention on one thing. I have felt weak and cold. I have been tired but not able to sleep. Stomach hurting, but no pain reliever is available. My patience has been tested and I have found myself holding my tongue when I want to complain. It has been a challenge not only for me but with my friends too.
At meals it seems like we are all trying to add more and more things to our meal and still make it "acceptable." This experience has been a war at my heart. Humbleness against pride, compassion against selfishness. Through this experience it has really opened my eyes to what I have taken for granted.
But even in the midst of suffering, I have found a level of Joy that I never experienced before. In the times of suffering and hunger in the middle of the day, I have found that in community, my mind does not focus on my stomach. Being with friends, who are going through this as well as others, has been a blessing. They have been supportive of this experience, they have asked why I am doing it, and they have prayed for all of our strength.
I do not admit that I understand how people of the world who do live under $2 actually feel, but my heart is being directed toward their cry. Through this experience I am learning a deeper understanding of what it means to long for a Savior to bring us out of the suffering that is in this world.
I look forward to the rest of this week. Thursday night I am hosting a dinner for college students where Chipotle has so generously donated 30 bowls of Rice and Beans for us. I am excited to hear the stories of my friends and members of the church as they dive into this time of reflection and praise.
I have to confess, I have been checking this blog daily waiting for others to post. The longer I wait the more I wonder why others are not sharing. Yet, I was not sharing either. So, here it goes.
I have to be honest, I really am not into the week as much as I was last year. I am participating, but the enthusiasm is lacking this year. It is not that I do not care, but more of wondering how much difference it will make in my life long-term.
I do believe that I live more aware of the plight of the hungry right now than I ever have in my life. Some of that awareness goes to last years week of solidarity, and some to serving at the food pantries on a regular basis and putting names and faces to the hungry. But, I have been wondering this week, as my stomach growls, my attention span wanes, my body feels tired and I think a lot about food, how different will my life be in the weeks following?
Saturday, I will have plenty of food to eat. I can afford to eat out. I won't be hungry.
How much will my life really change as a result of this? I know this is a question only I can answer, but how will I choose to live differently/or will I live the same and forget about the 26,000 dying every day? That is what is eating at me.
I too am a college student who already has a meal plan and was wrestling with different ways on how I could go about eating this week. I have a flex 14 meal plan, which means that I am able to go to the market at the end of the week and buy up food for the meals I didn't eat throughout the week. It is also possible to donate that food right in the market, so I decided I would go to the market and buy enough food for myself this week, and then donate the rest.
When I went to the market, I purchased a few cans of green beans and a few cans of pork and beans (something I didn't even know the market had until I vigorously searched the shelves and found it on the bottom). I found myself embarrassed to buy pork and beans and was wondering what the cashier was thinking, but then realized this is probably how millions of Americans who can't afford name brand or more expensive food probably feel every day. I was ashamed.
Without emphasizing every detail, I have been irritable and hungry this week due to my lack of food. I have found myself wanting more food and often cheating a little at lunch time in my dorm, snacking on some extra mini wheats or peanut butter. I have been tempted almost constantly to just give this up and eat some "real food," because it's sometimes all I can think about. I have also noticed that I've been associating the hunger I've felt and the food I've been eating with homeless/hungry people in America, rather than in extreme poverty-stricken parts of the world, where I feel that I can't even attempt to understand/feel that kind of hunger.
I have realized how much I just assume food is always going to be at hand for me. My prayer is to remember the poor, and not only remember them, but to act and to know them and to see their struggles with my own eyes. I feel that I cannot fully understand what they experience by practicing simulations but by truly being among them. However, I am thankful for this week, which is further sparking my desire to do so.
Had to put aside the fast today. It was a real bummer because I hate to not finnish what I start. There is this real reminder how, though I can chose to continue or to discontinue many people cant.
The last three days I have been cold irritable tired and unable to focus on anything that is not food. Tomorrow I up my caloric intake from 900 cals to about 1500. I am embarrassed that I can not continue and I wont make excuses. I will only live in the fact that I have this option and others dont.
For the week of solidarity our family choose to give up meat. I never realized how much I took for granted when it came to food. Any where I turn in my house I could find some type of meat already cook or packaged in the fridge. Now that I am not eating meat this week, I have been craving it. The deli meat is oh so tempting and very hard to resist. Thus far I have defeated the sliced pieces of deliciousness. But this made me see how much of a luxury it would be to even have one slice of ham or turkey in a poverty stricken country. Speaking as a previous anorexic, it now blows my mind how I restricted food to make myself feel better; hide food or throw it away so I wouldn't eat it. Any person living on less than $2 a day would believe this is even more crazy than how I think about it now. I was denying all the food I had while people around the world would do anything for the food I didn't eat. Now I realize how blessed I am because I don't have to think where every meal or snack is coming from. These first 3 days have already taught me so much. I can hardly empathize with people who don't know where to get their food because I'm not even close to living the life they are living. Thanks Paul for pushing me to do the week of solidarity.
I just got back from the dinner hosted at Central. (Thanks for dinner Marriage Group!) I am feeling encouraged by the stories I heard from my friends who are going through this week as well. Hearing how God is teaching everyone something different is really great. Hopefully we are able to keep these lessons fresh in our mind even after the clock strikes 12 on Friday.
It's so great to read everyone's comments so far. It seems crazy to me that I can identify with almost every comment that has been written so far. Although this is the Week of Solidarity, there isn't anyone who I see on a regular basis that is participating with me. I think this has made it especially hard because encouragement and someone who understands how I'm feeling would really help with motivation.
I am sad to report that after two days, I have had to give up the challenge. It was SUCH a hard decision because I very rarely quit things I start. However, even this short experience has opened my eyes and made me realize how much I take food for granted and how much a lack of food affects every other part of one's life.
For me, it was never the lack of food or hunger that was the problem, but rather one bland food after another led me to feel sick all day. Somehow this choice of food magnified an already intense caffeine headache (after giving up coffee for Lent; needless to say my body isn't happy with me for any of this).
Someone wrote about this last year, but it makes me think of the students I may teach in the future who do not get enough to eat. I would expect them to focus and do the work I ask them to, but because of this experience I will be able to better empathize with students from tough home situations.
I could probably go on and on about what I have experienced in just the past two days, but I think I'll stop for now. I will be praying for those of you who are still going strong and for those in the world who don't have the choice to quit the challenge when it gets too tough.
Friends... just a reminder to you... this is an exercise, not an obligation! For those of you who "gave up," it's okay! Really! Reflect on that. I've talked to several people who said, "I just couldn't make it through the day!" Imagine what it would be like if that was your day-to-day reality. If you are constantly cold-- eat more. You metabolism is slowing down. Repeat after me: "This is an exercise, not an obligation!" :)
A couple of years ago I did Good Works' "Homeless by Choice" exercise. Wow! I was tired, grumpy, irritable. Now, some may say, "So, what was any different?" And to you I would say, "Thubbbbbbbbb!" But seriously, I was made aware in a very small way how hard it would be to be homeless. No place to shower. Achey from sleeping outside. Cold. Imagine doing an interview for a job like that?
I hope this exercise makes you thankful and aware. And sure, it should be difficult. Frustrating. But feel free to switch it up a bit. If you gave up on food, try something else. Several people I know gave up electricity. Slept of the floor. This exercise is made for man, not man for the exercise. :)
There's a lot running through my mind right now about what I should share, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to write anything, but I feel like the Lord is leading me to share a little of what I have experienced.
I decided that even though I'm no longer in Ohio and attending Central, I would participate in this week. I didn't know what to expect...I was nervous and scared, but most of all extremely worried what effect this would have on my ability to teach. I am teaching in an inner-city middle school and every day is a wonderful challenge. My students keep me on my toes and I never know what to expect. Every day starts with a cup of coffee... my students know when I haven't had it.
Monday morning I skipped the coffee, grabbed a piece of fruit and wrote a note to remember to stop for some beans and rice on my way home. Half way through my day, as my stomach screamed at me, I found myself getting easily irritated and was rather grumpy with my students ( I have since apologized and I think they've forgiven..) after school during planning I closed my door and just prayed. There have been so many times my students have come into class first period and heads are down on desks, I get frustrated when they aren't participating in discussion and aren't as interested in the lesson as I am... on Tuesday one of my students came in, like normal, and said he hadn't had breakfast, and the reality hit me that this is true for the majority of my students. The only meal some of my students may get each day is the greasy, non nutritional lunch they are provided through the school, yet I expect them to be full of energy and complete my work,,,, I constantly have found my mind on food this week..." when will it be the weekend so I can eat something with substance?" I keep asking myself...then I remember that my students are asking "when will I get to eat again?" They leave on Friday not knowing if they will get a meal before lunchtime on Monday.
This has really opened my eyes and given me more compassion for the children I spend every day with. Next time Josh comes late to first period and puts his head down on the desk I will think twice before I chastise him for not participating or not having his homework completed because I'll know that there may be just a little more to it.
I am so grateful for this experience and what God has taught me through this. Keep praying and allowing God to teach you and love you through this. Missy
I realized how *physically* hard this would be on people. I know Ive heard that some people survive on only one meal a day, so I decided to try this myself - eating only the small portions of rice and beans like you said. Monday, I ate all 3 meals. Tuesday, I only ate breakfast and dinner. The plan for today was to only eat dinner. I thought it would be fine because Monday and Tuesday weren't really that bad.
But I woke up today and *man* did I feel the effects of not eating properly. I went to class and felt drowsy, sick, and weak the whole time. When I stood up after sitting down for an hour I nearly fainted, and I struggled not to faint as I walked away from class. I decided it was probably time to eat, so I went and got myself some food.
Even having eaten, I still feel pretty gross overall. My muscles hurt and I just feel weary.
Very interesting - I wonder how these people manage to make it like this everyday, working and managing daily life on so little food.
Last year I was unable to participate in the week of solidarity. I had recently been diagnosed with gastroparesis - basically my whole digestive tract had become paralyzed. This makes it very hard for me to digest food and absorb nutrients. I knew (and had a peace about the fact) that this was not something God was calling me to participate in - this could be very dangerous to my health as beans are very difficult to digest and I knew my body would not absorb many (if any) nutrients from them.
I struggled with this - a part of me felt that I was being deprived of a spiritual growth experience. But God reminded me that He would not let anything happen to me that would hinder my relationship with Him - in fact, this diagnosis has only brought me closer to Him and more dependent upon Him.
I made a rather stupid mistake this year and decided that I would try to do the week of solidarity despite no improvements in my condition. After only 12 hours of participating I was reminded again that this was not for me - I was nauseous and extremely fatigued. I came home that night crying and my husband was like "kelly, I think it's about time we make you some food."
And so I ate. I ate things that I have learned that I can eat. I felt renewed and replenished.
As I have battled with my illness, a part of me has always mourned the loss of certain foods and the ability to be care-free about what I eat. When people learn about my problem, they always gasp about all of the foods that I cannot eat and all of the medicines that I must take daily.
Like He usually does, God has taken a silly mistake of mine (paricipating in the week of solidarity) and used it to enlighten me. Although It is okay for me to mourn these things at times, the greater part of me should be ever-grateful: I have the ability to choose foods that my stomach can digest; I have the ability to take medicine; I have the ability to minimize the pain I experience.
Kelly said....
I cannot imagine what my condition would be like if I did not have these things. And someone, somewhere has a condition like mine and they do not have access to medicine and proper nutrition.
As I reflect back on the week I found that while is was difficult, I enjoyed the entire experience. The abundance of food in our society hit me very early on the first day. At lunch time, people would ask if I wanted to go out and grab some food with them, and in the late afternoon, I would see students, faculty and staff with snacks and sugary beverages. Television shows are filled with commercials fast food, grocery stores, or chain eateries. It's almost impossible to escape the prevalence and temptation of food.
I found myself being in a better mood because of my hunger. While it was much harder to get work done, instead of focusing on the hunger, I would try to focus on how grateful I am for being blessed with so much. As I shared what I was doing with others, their surprise and support gave me joy.
While I stuck to rice and beans, plus hummus and chapati bread, I found myself smelling and tasting very strange things. Bacon and cherry Twislers in particular, not at the same mind you, but these strange cravings did hit me. I'd be interested to hear if anyone had similar experiences.
God has blessed me with great people to help me through and to teach me a little bit more about His awesomeness. I'm so glad I participated this year.
I was actually really excited about this week, because it had such an impact on me last year. However, this week began very differently than it did last year. While I had an idea what to expect, God surprised me and taught me even more...
On Monday, March 1, Day One of The Week of Solidarity 2010, I was driving to work in Logan, praying and mentally preparing for a week with little food. I prayed that God would teach me and mold me through this experience. I was also praying for the poor and the hungry that have to live with much worse/much less everyday. (And, since I also gave up complaining for Lent, I asked that I would have a good attitude through all this!)
As I turned onto the exit that I take for work, my thoughts and prayers were interrupted with what I saw in front of me. Cars were lined up, bumper to bumper, for well over a mile. Passengers were packed into the cars and many of them disheveled and tired, like they had been there for a long time.
I quickly remembered that the food drive in Logan occurs at the beginning of each month. I then realized that these were the hungry in the town that I work, many of them, clients of mine, and that morning I saw them differently. The food drive was right next door to my office. I saw people coming and going, getting their boxes of food every time I looked out a window or went outside. The line finally died down when my 8-hour day was almost over.
As I drove home that afternoon, hungry and tired, I felt God say, "Don't you complain...You could have been waiting in that line at 4 or 5 a.m. this morning."
My thoughts wandered to what it would be like to go through this experience (or the rest of this month) eating only what I would have received at the food drive had I been one of the people in that line. Suddenly, I thought of what I tend to donate to food pantries and food drives. The harsh truth (but probably common among many of us), I give what is in my own pantry that I'm okay parting with. So, if I don't want to eat it, why do I expect others to live off it????
This week I find myself thankful that my needs are met and that I'm blessed to have so many choices. But I also find myself wanting (and having the responsibility) to do more for those who are not as fortunate.
I guess I will be the first to post.
ReplyDeleteSo it's early in the week but I already have some thoughts on this. Yesterday, it was interesting to see how my peers reacted when they found out what I was doing. So many people offered to give me food/drink because they "felt bad" for me. It's funny how when it is a friend we don't hesistate to offer, but when it's someone we don't know, we don't bother.
When I woke up this morning, and was trying to decide what to eat (plain oatmeal or a small amount of plain cheerioes) I was thinking to myself "It's a good thing we don't have much food in the house because I would be very tempted". How selfish of me to even think that! People who are living on $2 a day don't even have the option and here I am thinking about all of the other things I could be eating. Shame on me.
I decided to go with the oatmeal this morning. Usually in the mornings I have a bowl of my (approx) $4 a box cereal (which I probably buy more for the name than the taste) and have a glass of OJ and I'm so rushed that I always pour more than half of it down the drain as I run out the door and onto my daily routine. Today was different. I made sure I ate every bite of that oatmeal, and even noticed myself scrapping at the bowl to make sure I ate every little bit I could get. Sure it tasted a little like Elmer's glue, but that is all I had. I even found myself wanting more. Luckily I knew I would be able to eat something else when I go home later in the day, but some people don't even know when their next meal will be.
-S. Gliatas
Our family decided to not eat meat, and to have simple meals from food items we would expect to see at a food pantry. I definitely brought home more than 3 bags of groceries, though! Yet I feel hungry, and have a headache, and a limited attention span. Does being hungry affect one's mood as much as this? I feel disconnected, without energy to enjoy or engage with others. It feels like depression.
ReplyDeleteThrough my spirit this week, I have realized that I "feed" my self too much, allowing my desire to be instantly filled. For food, for relief of boredom, for exercise. Because of where I was born, this is all at my fingertips. Thinking about even my middle-class friends in other countries - India, China, Laos, Ghana - my life is easy yet so distracted because of access to all the material stuff. Clear away the distraction and find life? This is what I hope for.
Amy J.
As a student, with an already paid-for meal, I was very much torn on how I should enter this week. Because there was no way to figure out what was $2 worth of food to eat, me and my friends have tried to limit our intake of food, and try hard to only eat rice/beans small amounts of fruit, etc. So far this week I have learned a lot about how dependent I am on food. By tuesday afternoon, it became increasingly difficult to focus my attention on one thing. I have felt weak and cold. I have been tired but not able to sleep. Stomach hurting, but no pain reliever is available. My patience has been tested and I have found myself holding my tongue when I want to complain. It has been a challenge not only for me but with my friends too.
ReplyDeleteAt meals it seems like we are all trying to add more and more things to our meal and still make it "acceptable." This experience has been a war at my heart. Humbleness against pride, compassion against selfishness. Through this experience it has really opened my eyes to what I have taken for granted.
But even in the midst of suffering, I have found a level of Joy that I never experienced before. In the times of suffering and hunger in the middle of the day, I have found that in community, my mind does not focus on my stomach. Being with friends, who are going through this as well as others, has been a blessing. They have been supportive of this experience, they have asked why I am doing it, and they have prayed for all of our strength.
I do not admit that I understand how people of the world who do live under $2 actually feel, but my heart is being directed toward their cry. Through this experience I am learning a deeper understanding of what it means to long for a Savior to bring us out of the suffering that is in this world.
I look forward to the rest of this week. Thursday night I am hosting a dinner for college students where Chipotle has so generously donated 30 bowls of Rice and Beans for us. I am excited to hear the stories of my friends and members of the church as they dive into this time of reflection and praise.
Jeremy K.
I have to confess, I have been checking this blog daily waiting for others to post. The longer I wait the more I wonder why others are not sharing. Yet, I was not sharing either. So, here it goes.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest, I really am not into the week as much as I was last year. I am participating, but the enthusiasm is lacking this year. It is not that I do not care, but more of wondering how much difference it will make in my life long-term.
I do believe that I live more aware of the plight of the hungry right now than I ever have in my life. Some of that awareness goes to last years week of solidarity, and some to serving at the food pantries on a regular basis and putting names and faces to the hungry. But, I have been wondering this week, as my stomach growls, my attention span wanes, my body feels tired and I think a lot about food, how different will my life be in the weeks following?
Saturday, I will have plenty of food to eat. I can afford to eat out. I won't be hungry.
How much will my life really change as a result of this? I know this is a question only I can answer, but how will I choose to live differently/or will I live the same and forget about the 26,000 dying every day? That is what is eating at me.
I too am a college student who already has a meal plan and was wrestling with different ways on how I could go about eating this week. I have a flex 14 meal plan, which means that I am able to go to the market at the end of the week and buy up food for the meals I didn't eat throughout the week. It is also possible to donate that food right in the market, so I decided I would go to the market and buy enough food for myself this week, and then donate the rest.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to the market, I purchased a few cans of green beans and a few cans of pork and beans (something I didn't even know the market had until I vigorously searched the shelves and found it on the bottom). I found myself embarrassed to buy pork and beans and was wondering what the cashier was thinking, but then realized this is probably how millions of Americans who can't afford name brand or more expensive food probably feel every day. I was ashamed.
Without emphasizing every detail, I have been irritable and hungry this week due to my lack of food. I have found myself wanting more food and often cheating a little at lunch time in my dorm, snacking on some extra mini wheats or peanut butter. I have been tempted almost constantly to just give this up and eat some "real food," because it's sometimes all I can think about. I have also noticed that I've been associating the hunger I've felt and the food I've been eating with homeless/hungry people in America, rather than in extreme poverty-stricken parts of the world, where I feel that I can't even attempt to understand/feel that kind of hunger.
I have realized how much I just assume food is always going to be at hand for me. My prayer is to remember the poor, and not only remember them, but to act and to know them and to see their struggles with my own eyes. I feel that I cannot fully understand what they experience by practicing simulations but by truly being among them. However, I am thankful for this week, which is further sparking my desire to do so.
Had to put aside the fast today. It was a real bummer because I hate to not finnish what I start. There is this real reminder how, though I can chose to continue or to discontinue many people cant.
ReplyDeleteThe last three days I have been cold irritable tired and unable to focus on anything that is not food. Tomorrow I up my caloric intake from 900 cals to about 1500. I am embarrassed that I can not continue and I wont make excuses. I will only live in the fact that I have this option and others dont.
For the week of solidarity our family choose to give up meat. I never realized how much I took for granted when it came to food. Any where I turn in my house I could find some type of meat already cook or packaged in the fridge. Now that I am not eating meat this week, I have been craving it. The deli meat is oh so tempting and very hard to resist. Thus far I have defeated the sliced pieces of deliciousness. But this made me see how much of a luxury it would be to even have one slice of ham or turkey in a poverty stricken country. Speaking as a previous anorexic, it now blows my mind how I restricted food to make myself feel better; hide food or throw it away so I wouldn't eat it. Any person living on less than $2 a day would believe this is even more crazy than how I think about it now. I was denying all the food I had while people around the world would do anything for the food I didn't eat. Now I realize how blessed I am because I don't have to think where every meal or snack is coming from. These first 3 days have already taught me so much. I can hardly empathize with people who don't know where to get their food because I'm not even close to living the life they are living. Thanks Paul for pushing me to do the week of solidarity.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from the dinner hosted at Central. (Thanks for dinner Marriage Group!) I am feeling encouraged by the stories I heard from my friends who are going through this week as well. Hearing how God is teaching everyone something different is really great. Hopefully we are able to keep these lessons fresh in our mind even after the clock strikes 12 on Friday.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great to read everyone's comments so far. It seems crazy to me that I can identify with almost every comment that has been written so far. Although this is the Week of Solidarity, there isn't anyone who I see on a regular basis that is participating with me. I think this has made it especially hard because encouragement and someone who understands how I'm feeling would really help with motivation.
ReplyDeleteI am sad to report that after two days, I have had to give up the challenge. It was SUCH a hard decision because I very rarely quit things I start. However, even this short experience has opened my eyes and made me realize how much I take food for granted and how much a lack of food affects every other part of one's life.
For me, it was never the lack of food or hunger that was the problem, but rather one bland food after another led me to feel sick all day. Somehow this choice of food magnified an already intense caffeine headache (after giving up coffee for Lent; needless to say my body isn't happy with me for any of this).
Someone wrote about this last year, but it makes me think of the students I may teach in the future who do not get enough to eat. I would expect them to focus and do the work I ask them to, but because of this experience I will be able to better empathize with students from tough home situations.
I could probably go on and on about what I have experienced in just the past two days, but I think I'll stop for now. I will be praying for those of you who are still going strong and for those in the world who don't have the choice to quit the challenge when it gets too tough.
In His love,
Sarah J.
Friends... just a reminder to you... this is an exercise, not an obligation! For those of you who "gave up," it's okay! Really! Reflect on that. I've talked to several people who said, "I just couldn't make it through the day!" Imagine what it would be like if that was your day-to-day reality. If you are constantly cold-- eat more. You metabolism is slowing down. Repeat after me: "This is an exercise, not an obligation!" :)
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago I did Good Works' "Homeless by Choice" exercise. Wow! I was tired, grumpy, irritable. Now, some may say, "So, what was any different?" And to you I would say, "Thubbbbbbbbb!" But seriously, I was made aware in a very small way how hard it would be to be homeless. No place to shower. Achey from sleeping outside. Cold. Imagine doing an interview for a job like that?
I hope this exercise makes you thankful and aware. And sure, it should be difficult. Frustrating. But feel free to switch it up a bit. If you gave up on food, try something else. Several people I know gave up electricity. Slept of the floor. This exercise is made for man, not man for the exercise. :)
Blessngs,
paul
Greetings from Florida!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot running through my mind right now about what I should share, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to write anything, but I feel like the Lord is leading me to share a little of what I have experienced.
I decided that even though I'm no longer in Ohio and attending Central, I would participate in this week. I didn't know what to expect...I was nervous and scared, but most of all extremely worried what effect this would have on my ability to teach. I am teaching in an inner-city middle school and every day is a wonderful challenge. My students keep me on my toes and I never know what to expect. Every day starts with a cup of coffee... my students know when I haven't had it.
Monday morning I skipped the coffee, grabbed a piece of fruit and wrote a note to remember to stop for some beans and rice on my way home. Half way through my day, as my stomach screamed at me, I found myself getting easily irritated and was rather grumpy with my students ( I have since apologized and I think they've forgiven..) after school during planning I closed my door and just prayed. There have been so many times my students have come into class first period and heads are down on desks, I get frustrated when they aren't participating in discussion and aren't as interested in the lesson as I am... on Tuesday one of my students came in, like normal, and said he hadn't had breakfast, and the reality hit me that this is true for the majority of my students. The only meal some of my students may get each day is the greasy, non nutritional lunch they are provided through the school, yet I expect them to be full of energy and complete my work,,,, I constantly have found my mind on food this week..." when will it be the weekend so I can eat something with substance?" I keep asking myself...then I remember that my students are asking "when will I get to eat again?" They leave on Friday not knowing if they will get a meal before lunchtime on Monday.
This has really opened my eyes and given me more compassion for the children I spend every day with. Next time Josh comes late to first period and puts his head down on the desk I will think twice before I chastise him for not participating or not having his homework completed because I'll know that there may be just a little more to it.
I am so grateful for this experience and what God has taught me through this. Keep praying and allowing God to teach you and love you through this.
Missy
Thanks for sharing this, Missy!
ReplyDeleteemilymueller143 said...
ReplyDeleteI realized how *physically* hard this would be on people. I know Ive heard that some people survive on only one meal a day, so I decided to try this myself - eating only the small portions of rice and beans like you said. Monday, I ate all 3 meals. Tuesday, I only ate breakfast and dinner. The plan for today was to only eat dinner. I thought it would be fine because Monday and Tuesday weren't really that bad.
But I woke up today and *man* did I feel the effects of not eating properly. I went to class and felt drowsy, sick, and weak the whole time. When I stood up after sitting down for an hour I nearly fainted, and I struggled not to faint as I walked away from class. I decided it was probably time to eat, so I went and got myself some food.
Even having eaten, I still feel pretty gross overall. My muscles hurt and I just feel weary.
Very interesting - I wonder how these people manage to make it like this everyday, working and managing daily life on so little food.
I went into the week of solidarity VERY excited.
ReplyDeleteLast year I was unable to participate in the week of solidarity. I had recently been diagnosed with gastroparesis - basically my whole digestive tract had become paralyzed. This makes it very hard for me to digest food and absorb nutrients. I knew (and had a peace about the fact) that this was not something God was calling me to participate in - this could be very dangerous to my health as beans are very difficult to digest and I knew my body would not absorb many (if any) nutrients from them.
I struggled with this - a part of me felt that I was being deprived of a spiritual growth experience. But God reminded me that He would not let anything happen to me that would hinder my relationship with Him - in fact, this diagnosis has only brought me closer to Him and more dependent upon Him.
I made a rather stupid mistake this year and decided that I would try to do the week of solidarity despite no improvements in my condition. After only 12 hours of participating I was reminded again that this was not for me - I was nauseous and extremely fatigued. I came home that night crying and my husband was like "kelly, I think it's about time we make you some food."
And so I ate. I ate things that I have learned that I can eat. I felt renewed and replenished.
As I have battled with my illness, a part of me has always mourned the loss of certain foods and the ability to be care-free about what I eat. When people learn about my problem, they always gasp about all of the foods that I cannot eat and all of the medicines that I must take daily.
Like He usually does, God has taken a silly mistake of mine (paricipating in the week of solidarity) and used it to enlighten me. Although It is okay for me to mourn these things at times, the greater part of me should be ever-grateful: I have the ability to choose foods that my stomach can digest; I have the ability to take medicine; I have the ability to minimize the pain I experience.
Kelly said....
I cannot imagine what my condition would be like if I did not have these things. And someone, somewhere has a condition like mine and they do not have access to medicine and proper nutrition.
Praise God for opening up my eyes. :)
March 4, 2010 4:43 PM
As I reflect back on the week I found that while is was difficult, I enjoyed the entire experience. The abundance of food in our society hit me very early on the first day. At lunch time, people would ask if I wanted to go out and grab some food with them, and in the late afternoon, I would see students, faculty and staff with snacks and sugary beverages. Television shows are filled with commercials fast food, grocery stores, or chain eateries. It's almost impossible to escape the prevalence and temptation of food.
ReplyDeleteI found myself being in a better mood because of my hunger. While it was much harder to get work done, instead of focusing on the hunger, I would try to focus on how grateful I am for being blessed with so much. As I shared what I was doing with others, their surprise and support gave me joy.
While I stuck to rice and beans, plus hummus and chapati bread, I found myself smelling and tasting very strange things. Bacon and cherry Twislers in particular, not at the same mind you, but these strange cravings did hit me. I'd be interested to hear if anyone had similar experiences.
God has blessed me with great people to help me through and to teach me a little bit more about His awesomeness. I'm so glad I participated this year.
I was actually really excited about this week, because it had such an impact on me last year. However, this week began very differently than it did last year. While I had an idea what to expect, God surprised me and taught me even more...
ReplyDeleteOn Monday, March 1, Day One of The Week of Solidarity 2010, I was driving to work in Logan, praying and mentally preparing for a week with little food. I prayed that God would teach me and mold me through this experience. I was also praying for the poor and the hungry that have to live with much worse/much less everyday. (And, since I also gave up complaining for Lent, I asked that I would have a good attitude through all this!)
As I turned onto the exit that I take for work, my thoughts and prayers were interrupted with what I saw in front of me. Cars were lined up, bumper to bumper, for well over a mile. Passengers were packed into the cars and many of them disheveled and tired, like they had been there for a long time.
I quickly remembered that the food drive in Logan occurs at the beginning of each month. I then realized that these were the hungry in the town that I work, many of them, clients of mine, and that morning I saw them differently. The food drive was right next door to my office. I saw people coming and going, getting their boxes of food every time I looked out a window or went outside. The line finally died down when my 8-hour day was almost over.
As I drove home that afternoon, hungry and tired, I felt God say, "Don't you complain...You could have been waiting in that line at 4 or 5 a.m. this morning."
My thoughts wandered to what it would be like to go through this experience (or the rest of this month) eating only what I would have received at the food drive had I been one of the people in that line. Suddenly, I thought of what I tend to donate to food pantries and food drives. The harsh truth (but probably common among many of us), I give what is in my own pantry that I'm okay parting with. So, if I don't want to eat it, why do I expect others to live off it????
This week I find myself thankful that my needs are met and that I'm blessed to have so many choices. But I also find myself wanting (and having the responsibility) to do more for those who are not as fortunate.