Monday, August 08, 2011

30hr Famine

Last weekend, I spent it with a bunch of crazy colleagues and friend starving for 30 hours without any food or calorie containing drinks.

Why did we torture ourselves that way??? All for a good cause. It was for the 30hr Famine by World Vision. Many people would ask "What would starving yourself for 30hrs do to help those who are faced by famine and strife in lands far far away from here???" I asked the same question when I was first asked to go for this camp.

But I went anyway, and I learnt the answers to my question just being there at the camp. It was a fruitful and heart-tugging 30hr where we learnt not just by watching something on TV, or on the internet but we experienced what it would be like to be those people in developing countries.

Before the 30hr hunger journey, as typical Malaysians... we stopped for makan first. ;)

Then we arrived at the destination of our campsite, in Port Dickson... a simple but cosy house by the sea.

Sista was so nice to have joined me although I was the only person she knew at the camp at first. But later she made plenty of new friends.

Hungry sampai nak bunuh diri??? No la... drama je

Group-shot of some of us Abbottian campers

We still had some time to monkey around...

Yes, really really monkey around ;P

The Famine Challenges: where we learnt a lot about the tough choices the mothers in developing nations have to make. How do you make a choice on basic necessities??? Food or shelter or healthcare or education or hygiene or job??? How can you live if you can't have it all?? Every choice has its consequences and they have to live with these consequences because the MUST make a choice no matter how difficult. And they cannot have it all. Unlike us.

Reenactment of the scenarios: A widow and her child

A husband forced to join the army leaving his wife and kids behind to fend for themselves.

A drunken and abusive husband forcing the wife to runaway with her children for the sake of their safety.
We had to be in the shoes of either one of the 3 families above... and are faced with difficult choices? What were the options??? What were the consequences of our decisions?? It seems in the end that no matter which path they choose, there are negative consequences 1 way or another. Because they do not have the choice to choose ALL the things that are important. Teaches us that we are sooooooooo abundantly blessed that not only do we have the choice to have it all, we even have more than what we need. Simple things that we take for granted each day, are precious treasures to these people.

Some even brought along their little ones and they fasted with us... for 8hrs. You need to teach them from young to appreciate what they have.

Other than learning and suffering hunger, we had loads of fun too!! Sista & I did each other's make up blindfolded. Not bad leh??

Musical cotton ball, siapa lambat dia keluar!

Cert presentation to us campers

Then we all proceeded to Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil for the final 4hr countdown together with about 9000 other campers from other campsites.

Guest appearance by Angry Bird!!

Amazing how our energy was still up after zero calorie intake for 27hours!!!

Ah Niu was the finale performer for the day... he really raised up d energy level for everyone in the stadium!

Even our youngest camper stayed till the end!!

The final countdown! 5-4-3-2-1!! Buka puasa!!!

V-Soy never tasted so good in our entire life!!! :)
Congratulations to all the Famine Warriors who campaigned and stand up for a good cause. World Vision raised RM1.5million for all their relief efforts in developing countries as well as some local beneficiaries like retirement and disabled homes. Our hunger definitely made a difference in the beneficiaries' lives. And that, was the answer to my initial question!! :)

1 comment:

Aragang said...

Wow! That's a wonderful thing you've done, Karynn! Glad to hear you had fun, even though you were fasting! And, especially because you were fasting! Keep up your good spirits! :)