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Famine

I am participating in 30 Hour Famine today. This means I have not eaten since midnight and will not break my fast until 6 am Saturday morning.
The 30 Hour Famine I am participating in is co-sponsored by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and World Vision. The money we are raising will help fund a joint project between these two ministries to assist children and families in Malawi.
Allow me to share some startling facts:
29,000 children under age 5 die every single day because of hunger, disease, and poverty. That's one child every six seconds.
Of these children, 15,000 die as a result of malnutrition.
That's almost 5.5 million children each year.
Around the world, more than 850 million people are hungry, including over 300 million children.
That's one out of every six people on the planet.
$1 feeds a child for 1 day. Let me share how my youth group and I put this into perspective . . . .
$1- the cost of downloading a song
$1- the cost of a can of pop from the vending machine
$2- the cost for lunch at school
$1- the cost of two candy bars
My youth group set a goal of raising $365- enough to feed 1 child for an entire year. They set an individual goal of each raising $30- enough to feed a child for 1 month.
$30 is about what it costs for a family to go out to eat.

As part of our group fast- we are having a lock-in tonight. As a rule, I detest lock-ins. It is difficult to get ablebodied adults to volunteer to stay up all night with a bunch of teenagers. It is difficult for me to stay up all night with a bunch of teenagers. In the past, I have always had to clean up some "interesting" messes from lock-ins . . . . . and I could go on but I digress. I agreed to the lock-in as a way to encourage participation and hopefully to build group unity. I've planned some interesting games and devotions for this evening.
Please keep me and my youth group in your prayers today. I would greatly appreciate it. Please also pray for these people around the world that need physical nourishment as well as spiritual nourishment. We are praying today that God would use the money we are raising to do amazing things- not just to feed physical hunger but to touch and heal hearts.
One of my youth commented that it is her hope that when she gets to heaven she will meet the people she helped today. She will never meet them in person, yet she prays for them and hopes to some sweet day- make that connection.
May God be with us and may we bring Him honor and glory today.
Dear Lord- help me to stay up, stay sane and stay aware today and all through the night. Please, oh, please help me not to be a grump and remind me why am doing this. Help me to make a difference today. Amen.