Fasting for the hungry

While most area residents are enjoying a Saturday morning breakfast, seven members of the youth group of the First Church of God are really hungry right about now.

At noon Friday, the teens and young adults stopped eating and won't eat again until 30 hours have passed. They're doing this as part of World Vision's 30-Hour Famine project, said youth group leader Valerie Ramsey. They're fasting until 6 p.m. today to raise money for World Vision's worldwide efforts to feed hungry children over the world.

The young people are soliciting sponsors for their 30-hour famine. Ramsey said last year five teens raised $805. Last year World Vision, through a grant, matched all donations dollar for dollar. This year, Ramsey said, the matching funds from World Vision will quadruple the donations. It takes $30 a month, she said, to feed a child though the organization.

World Vision, a Christian organization, began in 1950 to help feed hungry children. The 30-Hour Famine was started in 1992 as a way for young Americans to help. This year's theme is "Be seen. Be heard. Be hungry."

For 30 hours, the teens will exist only on water or juice every four or five hours. Friday evening they got together at the church for a lockdown through today where they play what's called a "tribal game." Ramsey said each year the group chooses an impoverished country -- this year is Indonesia -- and they divide up into teams that take on the identity of a child from that country. The teams compete for prizes as the fictional child, Ramsey said. To make it authentic, they learn what disabilities hunger has brought on children of that country, and they incorporate them. If malnutrition has caused a child to lose an arm, then one of the team members will compete with only one arm. Another team member might be blindfolded to emulate a child whose vision did not develop properly.

Chris Ramsey, left, and Chris Heise removed a straw display from the gymnasium at First Church of God in preparation for a youth group fast this weekend in observance of World Hunger Week. (Fred Lynch)

Then they compete in activities. One activity this year, Ramsey said, will involve a large container filled with water and sand. The teams will take turns sifting though the sand trying to collect enough water in a bucket to drink. They won't drink the water, but they will be more aware that in Indonesia that's often how children have to get drinking water.

"Winning teams earn survivor cards that give them facts about what people go through," Ramsey said. "The last time we did this the kids said they really wanted to do it again this year. We came away feeling that God really strengthened them through it. I saw their eyes opened to a whole bigger world."

The tribal games are eye-opening, said Stephanie Ramsey, 19, Valerie's daughter. Last year the tribal games focused on Uganda.

"My kid was kidnapped by the army and escaped," she said. "She had been sexually abused and did not want to talk at all. I had to put myself in her shoes."

Her brother Chris, 21, recalled an earlier activity when he was 13 and was forced to consider what he might do if he suddenly found himself alone in a hostile situation, as some children are.

"We talked about what it would be like to have your home taken away; your family killed by guerrillas and be on your own," he said. "We started speculating some might end up stealing food to keep alive. Put yourself in their position, how much pain was in their lives. It gave me a deeper appreciation."

To keep their minds off their own hunger the teens will also do some community service projects in the Emerald Street neighborhood where the church is, picking up trash and cleaning up around the church.

Ramsey said last year the teens were so touched by what they learned, they did not want to stop when the 30-hour famine was over. Through World Vision they have sponsored a child of their own, a 10-year-old boy from Ghana. They held bake sales, washed cars, sold calendars and collected aluminum cans to raise $350 to support the child for a year. Now they're hoping to hear from the boy, Cephas Kebisen, and to continue corresponding with him while they work toward next year's contribution.

After the 30-hour fast is over, the teens will enjoy a "break the fast" meal with food local businesses have donated. today the group will conclude with a special prayer service, Ramsey said.

"There are statistics that every half-hour 600 children in the world will die from hunger-related causes," she said.

There will be a table set up with 600 tea lights, she said. Every few seconds someone will snuff out one of the lights, and within a half-hour they will make that statistic tangible.

"We leave one light burning for hope that we are making a difference for those children," she said.

Sunday morning, the group will take over the worship service at church. Chris Ramsey, following in his father's footsteps and preparing for the ministry, will give the sermon. Each child will be able to tell the congregation what the weekend meant to him or her. They're also working on a special song for the service.

Other teens participating are Ashley Alley, 17, Christopher Heise, 20, Frank Hollinger, 16, all of Cape Girardeau, and Logan Hollinger, 13, of Perryville, Mo. Stella Bippus, Frank and Logan Hollinger's grandmother, works with Valerie Ramsey as a youth leader.

A partial list of businesses who have donated food or cash for the event includes: Wal-Mart of Cape Girardeau, McDonald's, Burger King, Elias Ace Hardware, Arrangements by Joyce, American Family Insurance-Jerry Welch, Gospeland Bookstore, Patrick's Furniture, Subway Sub Shop, Dairy Queen, Schnucks, Food Giant, McAlister's Select, Alliance Bank, Hutson's Fine Furniture and Prudential Bridgeport.

To donate, contact the First Church of God, 500 Emerald St., Cape Girardeau, or call 335-7865. The Rev. Mark Ramsey is pastor. World Vision can be reached at 800-732-6463 (800-7-FAMINE) or online at 30hourfamine.org.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160