30 Hour Famine Report

"30 Hour Famine was amazing. I never knew that fasting for 30hrs would be that easy. I felt kinda bad the first night but then I felt really good the rest of the time but I was still tired. I had sooo much fun praising the Lord and hanging with Bryan, Josh, Carol, and the one girl who's name slips my mind. We got so much done and the dinner was soo rewarding. I'm never going to forget this."

This past weekend, G-Dub and I gathered at the church for a 30 hour fast with about 45 of our students. As part of World Vision's 30 Hour Famine program, we spent approximately 24 hours together, worshipping, playing games, and serving in our community, all while fasting and praying for world hunger.


Highlights of the event included:

-Powerful student-led worship and prayer times.
-Crazy JH games! Nuff said.
-Watching students pour into their various jobs at the Love-A-Child mission.
-HS students making a banner with their hand prints - each hand print represented 100 children that die every day due to hunger and hunger related diseases. The banner was so long it stretched allllll the way way across the front of the church.
-Great conversations with lots of different kids.
-Movie night watching Invisible Children.
-Last but not least, a phenomenal 'break the fast' meal of slow roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. Mmmmmmm...


Our weekend was not without it's unexpected twists, but God provided and everything ran smoothly. It was such a joy to see students fasting for the first time, to see their hearts touched for the poor and oppressed, and to see them so excited about making a real difference in other kids' lives with the money they raised. I am thrilled to report that at this time, our students have raised at least $3,600 , which is enough to provide for ten children for an entire year! Praise God!


This is the press release we sent out prior to the event:

Wars and natural disasters all over the world dominate the daily headlines. Behind the scenes and far from the spotlight, though, hunger and preventable diseases claim the lives of 29,000 of the world's children each day.

Right now, more than 850 million people around the world don't have enough to eat. Annually, more than 10 million children under the age of five die from disease and malnutrition as a result of hunger. But world hunger is 100% preventable and teens from Fair Oaks are ready to be a part of the solution.

This weekend, students from our junior high and high school groups will be participating in the 30 Hour Famine, an international campaign to fight world hunger. Our students will go without food for 30 hours to get a taste of what the world's poorest children and families face everyday, and to seek God's help on their behalf.

Prior to the event weekend, students have sought donations with the knowledge that every $30 they raise can help feed and care for a child for a month. Funds raised by 30 Hour Famine participants help feed and care for children in poverty-afflicted countries around the globe. 30 Hour Famine funds contribute to World Vision's response in areas where famine, conflict, and other crises make children vulnerable to hunger and preventable disease. Since 1992, 30 Hour Famine has raised more than $100 million, representing countless saved lives. World Vision works in 100 countries, helping approximately 100 million people every year.

During our event weekend, we will worship and pray together, play games, and learn about God's heart for the poor and hungry.

Students will also serve at the Love-a-Child Mission in Bay Point, a shelter for homeless women and their children. We'll be helping this incredible ministry in any way we can: preparing and serving a meal, minor construction projects, and relational ministry with the ladies who live there.

The 30-hour fast begins after lunch on Friday, so participating students shouldn't eat again after that. Junior highers will gather at the church at 6:30pm, and high school students at 9:30pm. We'll spend the night together at the church, and the event will culminate in a "Breaking the Fast" celebration meal at 6:30pm on Saturday night.