This weekend, the 20-22nd August is our 40 Hour Famine. From 8pm this Friday until 12 noon on Sunday people all over Australia are going to be sacrificing something so that we can get a tiny taste of what it is like for those people around the world who do not get a choice, but everyday struggle to simply find enough food to eat on a daily basis.
Last year I gave up food, this year, I am trying something that personally will be a lot harder for me. I am giving up my iphone, internet, computer and tv. What will I do with myself? Maybe go and enjoy the sunshine? Anyway, I like to stay in touch virtually with people and the world so this is something that will be pretty challenging.
Did you know that in Australia we throw away over 20% of the food that we buy? And 90% of the things in our supermarket contain food products, like batteries and nappies. It just doesn't make sense that we have so much excess that we not only waste so much food, but we put it in all this stuff that we don't even eat.
This when put in comparison with the 1 billion people around the world who are chronically hungry, really isn't fair. In nations like Kenya, Cambodia and Nepal they earn $1.25 per day on average. 70% of this used to go towards food. But, since the Global Food Crisis and the price of food dramatically increased, leaving these already struggling family with little option but to go without.
It is so hard for us to grasp this type of poverty when we are living in a nation like Australia, and even though I spend my days visiting schools and teaching students about this exact thing, still I have a hard time not complaining about my old clothes or my outdated computer. It is so important for us to have perspective, and not get caught up in the things that don't matter. For me, this weekend is one that helps me to get back to basics, and do something for those who don't have the option to do it for themselves.
There is still time if you want to participate... but if you would rather just sponsor someone $50 helps 6 kids for a month... so feel free to support me and my effort to give basic necessities to the worlds poorest people
www.40hf.com/kwxp
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