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    Thursday, January 3, 2013

    Sojourn: Day Three

     Stats like this image are hard to clear out of your mind.  One of the things Hilary (my wife) said when I told her I was going to do this sojourn was: "Don't think for one second I'm going to make our kids eat only rice!"

      I never planned on making them or her for that matter walk this sojourn with me but she makes a great point that I think all parents, American or otherwise can agree to: we would never want our kids to suffer under this type of hunger...EVER.  Eating so little, especially when one understands a fraction of what there is to know about brain development and the connection of good food for children seems like a crime to put any kid through.

      Yet, many children worldwide suffer and are dying deaths that could be very preventable.  America was rightly upset at the shootings of the preschool kids in Newton CT, American kids dying at the hands of a mad man is down right infuriating! Children dying from a preventable cause is also infuriating!

      This has been in my thoughts lately because I've seen my two little kids sick for a couple of days and I want to anything and everything in my power to see them get well.  Thinking of kids somewhere dying when I could help wrecks me a bit.  Knowing somewhat the poverty these families are under (and many can't get out from under) and knowing they can do little to help feed their hungry children is heart breaking.

      Thinking through this sojourn and seeing that in as little as 3 days I've gone from 213.5 lbs to 208.5 lbs I wonder how much more devastating is it for them, who suffer daily?  I know that at the end of 31 days I can eat basically whatever I want.  Daily they wonder where they will get the 3/4 cup of rice to eat.

      I'm learning a lot of perspective through this.  I want to complain that I haven't had a #2 in over 24 hours and that my breath, no matter how much water I drink smells pretty much like a dewy, murky bat cave riddled with guano...but in reality and looking at the giant picture those two minor things are nothing. Well, unless of course you are talking to me and then it negatively effects you (the breath thing anyways).

      Lastly, one thing I've seen is people's generosity and concern for my health in this whole thing.  Karen Dillaman (a Pastor on staff at ACAC) lovingly offered me her rice cooker because she heard I was microwaving mine so far and it had been pretty crunchy!  She even made me some this afternoon!  Several other people have commented on how it will make me tired and how I should take it easy and still others have inquired as to if I will be taking vitamins and other supplements because they are genuinely worried about my health.

      I can feel the love of the people around me ensuring I am safe in this process.  I hope that in time the concern for me will also shift towards those who don't daily have enough food, not that their concern for me is bad or invalid, I greatly appreciate it...I simply hope the sojourn has the desired effect of making people more aware of the situation at hand.

      Well, that's it for me on the blog today, check out my upcoming youtube video!  Below are all the links you need to connect!



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