Church youth go food-free for 30 hours
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Local Lutheran officials and teens participated in a 30 hour famine on March 16 and 17 to gain a more personal understanding of the plight of world hunger. Participants from Good Hope Lutheran Church in Boardman, New Life Lutheran Church in Liberty, Zion Lutheran Church in Cornersburg, and Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Canfield gathered at the Boardman church for a March 16 sleep-over as part of the famine.
By SARAH FOOR
Teens and administrators from local Lutheran churches gave up food for 30 hours to better understand the plight of world hunger.
The participants included teens and adults from Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Canfield, Zion Lutheran in Cornersburg, New Life Lutheran in Liberty and Good Hope Lutheran in Boardman.
Susan Wessner, youth and volunteer coordinator at Good Hope, began participating in the 30-hour famine 12 years ago.
“It’s about understanding extreme hunger by experiencing it yourself. We always make it a priority to point out that for us, this is a choice. However, for people around the world, it is an everyday struggle to find their next meal or a clean source of water,” Wessner explained.
Participants began their fast at 7 a.m. on March 16, and were responsible for sticking to their famine independently until meeting at Good Hope Lutheran Church at 6:30 p.m.
“Students were encouraged to explain the project to anyone who might notice that they’re not eating during lunch time at school,” Wessner added.
At Good Hope, Wessner hosted a sleep-over where participants completed learning exercises and activities about world hunger. Students finished famine trivia sheets and completed poster boards that answered “I did the famine because...”
A video camera was set up so that students could answer questions about hunger and share how they are feeling throughout their process. Early the next morning, participants traveled to Zion Lutheran Church to work in the church’s food distribution center.
“We don’t just focus on hunger in faraway places. There is hunger here in the Valley, as well, it just may look a little bit different,” Wessner explained of the trip.
Early in the process, on the evening of March 16, local teens were in good spirits during their famine.
Boardman native Matt Stark participated for the second time.
“It’s not without it’s tough moments, but the famine gives me perspective. I’m doing this on purpose, but it’s not that way for so many people,” Stark said.
First-time participant Adaira Cox began to appreciate her own blessings.
“I have shelter, the clothes on my back and I know where my next meal will come from — it’s hard to imagine anything different. I am really glad to be learning through this process,” Cox said.