By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Dozen teens fasting to fight global hunger
Placeholder Image
A group of almost a dozen teenagers will know by the end of this weekend what it feels like to be hungry.

Today at 12:30 p.m., a team of youth volunteers from the Journey Church Trailblazers Youth Group will eat their last meal at their respective schools before showing up at 444 Argonaut Street to start a 30-hour fast – hoping to raise money for a global mission to the African country of Malawi.

According to Youth Pastor Twylia Markle, the event – which comes from the World Vision’s 30-Day Famine program – is designed to both raise funds for impoverished children across the globe and to give young people a sense of perspective on what it means to be hungry in the world.

“November is a month to be thankful, and this isn’t meant to teach the kids to pity people who live in poverty but to show them that even as a youth they can be a part of a child’s life,” Markle said. “In America we have so much – we can choose what it is that we want to eat. These children don’t have a choice. I want our kids to experience what a day is like in a life of poverty.”

And fasting isn’t the only thing the students will tackle to get a better perspective on what it means to be impoverished.

After gutting the entire sanctuary, the participants will construct their own dwellings out of cardboard and sheets to create a small village. Everyone will then play a game called “Tribe” to keep with the spirit of the village, and the activities will run until Saturday night when the 30 hours are completed.

The game, Markle said, will address many of the things that those living in Third World poverty have to deal with on a daily basis.

“It’s designed to show them what it’s like as a child living in these conditions,” she said. “It’ll include things like natural disasters, clean water, and of course hunger.”

Tonight from 6:30 to 9 p.m. people who wish to donate to the cause are encouraged to stop by the church and sponsor one of the participants, or bring food that will be used to assemble Thanksgiving dinner baskets that will be distributed to needy families here in the community.

Items can also be dropped off on Saturday morning from 9 to 10 a.m. All food donations will be accepted, and those that can’t be used for the Thanksgiving giveaway will be used for the regular food ministry that the church operates.

People interested in watching the activities are encouraged to attend. For more information about how to help or to schedule a donation, contact the church at 823-7133.