The Famine Feast - A Participant's Perspective

“Last year I had the opportunity to take place in the “Famine Feast,” part of COTN’s Hunger Experience curriculum. During this time I was not allowed to eat or drink for a 24-hour period. The purpose of the activity was to experience a small amount of what most of the world feels on a daily bases. During this time I learned what it feels like to really be hungry. As an American I have always just been able to go into the refrigerator and get food any time I wanted. It made me think of all the other children in the world who can’t do that—the children who never know where their next meal is coming from. I felt really spoiled to be an American that day. At the end of the day the group of people who had partaken in this activity gathered together. We talked about how we felt during the day. As I thought about it, all I could remember from my entire day was the aching pain I had in my stomach. What made me the most sad, though, was the people who gave into their hunger and ate. As I took this time I realized how blessed I am to be an American. I pray that everybody will at one point in their life be able to take part in this “famine feast.” You cannot really understand the pain these children go through before you try on their shoes.”