Caption the photo below by leaving a comment. We’ll pick our favorites on Tuesday and send out some sweet 30 Hour Famine prizes.
Speaking of pictures. We love to see 30 Hour Famine students and youth leaders using the #30HF hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. Here’s a few of our favorite photos from last weekend’s first national date for the Famine.
Use the hashtag so we can see what’s happening in your Famine!
All images used by permission
Maple Grove Christian Church, Charlottesville Virginia
It looks like the crew at MPCC had a great time last weekend during the 30 Hour Famine. Doing the Harlem Shake to raise awareness for global hunger issues? Yes please.
Share a story! What are some of the goofy things you’ve done?
Matt Joldersma, Minister of Youth, First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales, FL
There was a problem. It came on slowly like a heavy storm front. Most of them weren’t aware of it because their minds we occupied elsewhere. There were five thousand of them that day. Five thousand men, at least. If one or two among them noticed a rumble, it didn’t seem all that severe and it was quickly dismissed, pushed away: no problem.
Who could blame them, really? They were, after all, listening to God speak. Literally. There outside Bethsaida. Not much else really seems like a priority when God speaks like that. Even our major priorities become minor then. They should.
However, stomachs are known mark time obstinately.
Twelve of the five thousand men were Jesus’ own disciples. Of all the hunger rumbles in Jesus’ audience that day the disciples’ ears may have been more keen to their own. The crowd was feeding on Jesus’ words. The disciples had heard Jesus speak before. This may be why their stomachs thundered louder in that moment than God did. There was a problem. The disciples were hungry.
Concerned about their fellow men, for the moment deaf to their own hunger, the disciples represented the people (including themselves, conveniently) to Jesus in an efficient and businesslike manner.
“Jesus, there’s a problem,” they say succinctly, “First, the people are hungry. Second, it’s getting late.” Proposing a solution they continue, “Send the people away.”
In other words, dismiss them, push them away: no problem. If we push them away the problem will go away too. Do it kindly, of course. Patiently, benignly, whatever it takes. Just get rid of them, Jesus. Please. It’s simple, isn’t it? You’re welcome.
Jesus declines their solution responding in his characteristically enigmatic way, “You give them something to eat.”
Us. Us?
Is Jesus teasing? Does Jesus tease? And if so, would he tease about hungry people? We only have five loaves and two fish! It’s nothing. Not so fast.
Jesus’ gentle command, “you give them something to eat,” is a command to trust him. Completely. And thereby to obey him. To work with him. He’s about God’s will being done on earth, after all. And it’s how he taught us to pray. Did we think we wouldn’t be conscripted for service? Obey Jesus and people live.
Today you and I see a problem. A big one. People are hungry. Of all people, God’s people must see it. Even if we don’t want to. Even if we want to push it away, concluding: no problem.
This is what the 30 Hour Famine is about. It is about making sure we don’t push away those with empty, thundering tummies and conclude: no problem, as Jesus’ disciples were tempted to. Jesus’ command to us is the same as it is to them, “You give them something to eat.” Trust me. Obey me. With very little. With everything. As Jesus’ followers, by our obedience we intentionally keep the problem in front of us – in this case, by fasting together for 30 hours.
Taking Jesus at his word takes his well-fed, his wealthy, his healthy followers into the midst of the hungry, the poor, the sick. The rumblings are incessant and frighteningly loud. But like his disciples that day outside of Bethsaida, Jesus teaches us to trust and obey – and never to write him out of the equation. When we trust and obey, God’s will is done on earth . . . this is not a problem.
Emily Capes, Director of Youth Ministries, First United Methodist Church in Pensacola, FL
Thank you to all of you youth leaders who are taking the risk for the first time or for the 10th. The risk is asking your students to raise money so they can fast for 30 hours while at the same time trying to educate, inform, pray and play with them! This opportunity will not only change the lives in your church but it will impact and change lives around the world.
This is my 9th time leading the 30 Hour Famine with my current church. Our goals are set and we have new and old activities planned. We are excited because in the past nine years that my youth have participated in the 30 Hour Famine, the number of children who die each year because of hunger-related issues has gone down. More and more communities have better schools, access to cleaner water, beautifully simple water irrigation systems, HIV/Aids Education, and these people are able to do for themselves in a way that brings them purpose and hope.
I saw the impact of the Famine last month in the southern area of Zimbabwe with a team of youth ministers from around the US and one from South Korea. We were invited to see how the people of Zimbabwe and World Vision work together.
On our very first day we parked in front of a jagged gate that an older gentleman opened for us. I honestly wasn’t sure what we were going to experience here but I did notice that we were surrounded by beautiful, green farmlands. Zimbabwe has been in a drought for the past couple of months but these farmers have crops that are growing! Our guides were explaining how the World Vision dam and simple irrigation system have been able to help these 14 farmers continue to grow crops for their families even without enough rain. As we stood next to this gate listening to our guides, locals started to gather around us, men and women who had been working in the fields stopped working to see who was visiting their fields. They waited, smiled and nodded as we finished learning about the irrigation project. Then one of our guides let us know that these were the farmers and they wanted to show us their fields.
The next thing I know we are walking across the land in small groups. Awkward, broken English was used to explain the irrigation system and the pride that these farmers felt for their plot of land. More smiles and laughter as some of us just stood next to each other and watched the others. I remember feeling a little frustrated as I stood with a group of six women, not knowing how to communicate better with them and ask them to share some of their stories and experiences as farmers.
As we headed back to our vehicles some of the women started to sing. They were singing “Come and see. Come and see what we have done. What we are able to do.” They showed us fresh, small vegetables as they celebrated and laughed. We were able to see their joy and pride in being able to farm for themselves!
While we celebrate the work that has been completed, there are still too many children dying because of hunger related diseases. There’s not enough water irrigation systems. There aren’t enough farmers with the skills they need to feed their families. But through the Famine, we get to help a few more.
And I promise you it’s worth it.
Thanks for joining the team!
Mark Oestreicher, Partner, The Youth Cartel
I have strong emotional and mental memories of attending World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia several years ago, with more than a quarter million people.
Sure, it was cool to be in a beautiful world-class city. And everywhere I went there were groupings of Christian teenagers and young adults attending the weeklong event.
But the highlight, by far, and the bit that stands out in my memory the most, was the Saturday evening worship gathering. It was one of the few times when everyone attending would be in the same place at the same time. I didn’t plan well, and had a difficult time getting to the outdoor site. By the time I arrived at the site, worship was well under way. I made my way through the massive crowd, alone, but in a sea of people.
But then the moment came when everyone – 250,000 youth and young adults! – simultaneously lit candles and held them up in the air. I stopped and looked around, and couldn’t breathe. Suddenly I was transported from being alone in a crowd to being a part of something massive, something compelling, something meaningful.
This weekend, there are 3225 groups participating in the 30 Hour Famine. And that’s just the groups we know about! That represents about 100,000 students this weekend alone. Really, this would certainly represent one of the largest (if not the largest) group of teenagers rallying together this year, at the same time, to make a difference in the world.
100,000 teenagers going without food for 30 hours (that’s 3 million hours of hunger!). 100,000 teenagers learning about the needs of others, raising funds to stop hunger. 100,000 teenagers focusing on the needs of others. 100,000 teenagers participating in the work of God in the world.
Seriously, how cool is that!?
+ This weekend, the 30 Hour Famine website will have a “Social Media Takeover.” You can see it on the page now, by clicking on the green sticker. But this weekend, everything you post with the #30HF hashtag will be fed to the Famine home page.
+ Remember that any student who raises for than $360 is eligible to apply for the Famine Study Tour. A group of these students will be selected for a trip to see the impact of the Famine first hand.
+ Please remember to send in your funds after the weekend!
As you and your group dive into the weekend, remember that you are making a live-saving difference in the lives of real children. Remember that you are partnering with Jesus, bringing His redemptive work in a tangible way.
And remember that you’re part of something HUGE! You are part of a movement to end hunger, and you’re linking arms with 100,000 others!
Brian Mateer, Youth Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Martinsville, VA
These are the words that we heard in a traditional African song as we departed from the very first project (an irrigation system) our team visited in the Insiza Area Development Project (ADP) in southern Zimbabwe. These words echoed throughout my mind on my trip and since returning home a little over a month ago. “Come and see what we have done.” In a short, but powerful, phrase, this summed up my experience with World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine team and a few other youth leaders from across the US, and one from in Seoul, Korea.
First I was able to “come and see” the broad scope of how World Vision operates in and around the world during our team’s one day training in Federal Way, Washington. I have always felt that World Vision was worthy for our youth to partner with for the 30 Hour Famine but I did not realize the depth and breadth of the organization. After only one day at World Vision, I could have returned home with the confidence knowing the investments our youth ministries, teenagers, parents and churches contribute are making a difference in God’s world.
However, that was just the beginning.
Each day in Zimbabwe was a new adventure for us to “come and see” how funds are distributed for various projects-irrigation, farming cooperatives, beneficiaries of goats or heifers, HIV awareness programs and child sponsorship. In each of the projects we did not see one American. It truly was the people of Zimbabwe leading the people of Zimbabwe. It was an example of empowerment, and those we met along the way were proud to show us their accomplishments. “Come and see what WE have done.”
The story does not end here. Without the hard work of teenagers and youth workers and the generosity of people around the globe, World Vision would not be able to function as they do. While the people in Zimbabwe are helping themselves they need support, encouragement, resources and prayers of many people.
This weekend thousands of teenagers and their adult leaders from across the United States will participate in this year’s first National 30 Hour Famine date– February 22-23. As a youth worker who has participated for 6 years in the Famine I will be praying that God will move in incredible and impactful ways. Moreover, I am excited to “come and see” how God is going to use teenagers and leaders here in the United States for the people of Zimbabwe and all over the world.
“What will you give? Feed your 5000!”
“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!”-Psalm 66:5
Travis Hill, Middle School Pastor, Springcreek Church
I’ve officially been back for a few months now. I wanted to give it more time. People told me things would be different, that I would “leave a part of me” in Malawi, it would “be difficult to come back home.” Not to sound like a skeptic, but I doubted it. Having been involved in church missions for a number of years, being a student pastor, and being surrounded by an incredible church whose hearts and hands are constantly stretching outwards to people in need, I didn’t know how much I was going to be changed. I had already heard the stories, seen the pictures and watched the videos.
But I knew God was going to work on me on this trip in a different way.
I counted recently and realized I have been dealing exclusively with students for almost nine years. For a guy who just hit 30, that’s practically a third of my life. One of my favorite things is watching a student grow from 6th to 8th grade and see how many different ways that student is reborn. One week the student is silly and quirky, but then they’re dark and moody or boy-crazy. Many students jump on whatever bandwagon is coming through the social media pipeline, whether it’s the Duck Song or Toms Shoes, and they live and breathe it until that train runs out of steam.
Recently, fortunately, there has been so much force behind social justice movements. We saw this with Kony 2012, which gave students a voice, but left us wondering what to do next. Because of movements like this, students see that they have a voice but now we must teach them how to use it. That’s what happened when I went to Malawi with 30 Hour Famine.
We’ve done the Famine for a number of years, and have done well. We’ve raised plenty of funds to donate and have impacted numerous people locally and globally. However, the largest impact has been on our students. They slowly have been realizing that this is not simply an event, but rather a way of life for hundreds of thousands of people around the world. And now… I have pictures. I have videos. Most importantly, I have stories and names. Does it really make a difference? I’d say so. There was a brand new 7th grade girl at our student group the night I returned; she texted me the next day saying, “Now I want to go to Africa too… I love all the kids smiling.” And then I overheard a small group of girls discuss what they saw and what I saw, saying things like, “I can’t believe they go that long without eating sometimes” and “I loved hearing the songs” and “It was so neat that they were thankful for all that they have and they have so little… and we have so much.” Did I mention these are 6th graders?
The issue of world hunger is not a bandwagon fad. If we can show students from an early age that we are the true hands and feet and eye and nose of the church, that we are to be out there working in the fields and loving the unloved and ignored, than we truly can change the world.
I knew I would be changed on the trip; I just didn’t know how. But after a month back, I now know. I have changed so my students will change. My desire is no longer a selfish “let’s see how much money we raise for 30 Hour Famine this year”, but instead I’d rather see how many hearts we can raise up to the call of Christ to impact the world and take care of the children. We aren’t scrapping fundraising, but rather being more intentional about it, telling students that they fully understand $360 feeds a child for a year. “How often do you take for granted your $5 or $10 meal for lunch at school?” should be a question we all ask our students, and also ourselves.
In the ministry, it’s easy to get anesthetized to causes, donations, one-for-one campaigns, programs, etc… But how about a one-for-one campaign that involves one student raising money for one kid to eat for a year? How about a program that has students live out one day what children around the world have to live out everyday? Maybe we could get students to a place, not necessarily where we want them, but rather where God wants them.
”Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…’” Matthew 25:34-35a
When I returned from the Zambia Study Tour the number one question I was asked was, “How was Africa?” Zambia was amazing, but my stories were all about the growth and love I saw in our students.
I was (and continue to be) humbled by the spiritual depth of the eight student leaders. There were challenges in Zambia, as we knew there would be. Visiting homes that were huts made from mud. Realizing after we left a village where we saw houses and meeting places, yet no toilets. Reflecting on a school that had a student teacher ratio of 6 teachers to 640 students. Our students’ worlds were rocked, their hearts were wrecked, and yet their spirits were lifted. Why? Because they understood that their role in the fight against hunger is significant, and it starts with prayer.
People can be challenged with the idea of traveling to visit our work. “Why just go and look?” “Can’t you do something?” As we were preparing to leave Zambia, one of our study tour guys was looking pretty down, so I asked him what was going on. “I don’t want to leave. I want to stay and help the people I have met,” he said. I challenged him with this: “What would help the people you met more—staying here or going back and telling their stories?” Being a witness to what others can’t see is a huge gift to the people we met in Africa.
For our students, when they ask their church to pray for a child that they held in their arms…that is when heaven and earth change places.
I love how Jesus tells the apostles in Acts 1:8 “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and to the ends of the earth.”
Our Team Zambia students are witnesses, but they are witnessing back to us and to their home communities. After spending a week with them and seeing their faith in action, I am filled with confidence for what the future brings.
Coming out of this experience, and as the youth leader at my home church, I am asking myself this question and I encourage you to join me. How can we all be better witnesses in regards to kingdom focused work?
It’s crazy to think that the summer is already coming to an end. It’s time to get back into the swing of things and wake up early for school every day. Yikes! Going back to school after a summer of fun is always a weird feeling. Was it just me, or did even holding a pencil feel strange on the first day back? You have to refresh yourself on all of the things you forgot over the summer (which was always a lot for me).
Today is World Humanitarian Day. Be 1 in a billion. Do something good, somewhere, for someone else.
In a world teeming with violence and political strife, where food and water are scarce and the quality of life for millions simply means survival, there is still hope. Today we celebrate and remember those who are on the front lines of these humanitarian battles. People providing medical attention to the sick and dying. People taking photos and writing the stories no one else will. People seeing a bright light in those who were forgotten about. People from all over the world, working in the darkest corners of the earth, getting their hands dirty to provide a better life for others.
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