A starving child was crawling to a United Nation campfor food while a bird was waiting for him to die,to be it's lunch.
It was an ordinary weekend. Few friends and me chose to experience something that could have made a big difference in our life. We went to participate in Famine 30. It's a programme organised by World Vision.It used to be one of the must-join event for me when I was young.
Before went into the DIY camp at Help College, I was thinking to myself. What's the purpose of being hungry for 30 hours?At first, it doesn't mean much to me. As for me, being hungry for 30 hours might not have any impact, apart from being hungry of course,but to the suffered? The funds raised might help. That's all.
Only then I found out.
We've viewed the clips prepared by the World Vision. Things weren't the same as how I imagined. It was worse. Maybe what we've viewed about a child named Kaisong from Laos was a better one, at least she has little frog and crab hidden in between the rock for her whole family to to eat. One might 'Yeeeewww', but that might be a meal per week, if she's lucky enough. Born in a single parent family, her mother is blind and she's the only support for the whole family at the age of 7. How could be the other unknown stories that lie in the inland and isolated places?
Heartache.
We were bare-footed for 6 hours, which were on marble floor. How about those without shoes?On the muddy, sandy and even stony ground? We were so much so lucky!!!
We slept in the sleeping bag, or maybe Yoga mat, yes on the cushioned floor,under a roof, even though it was pretty cold that night. For us, it could be already a hard thing to bear with.
We were told that some of them don't even have a shelter, and even they have one, they might suffer from the risk of losing their 'house' if it's downpour. There was one day that I walked home when it was raining cats and dogs. No matter how cold and how rage the storm was, I felt safe and warm soon after I've reached my house. How about them? Maybe they'll hide in a cave, but if the cave is flooded?...Maybe my imagination went wild. They have to fight for survival all the time!
Difference
Usually we plan what or where to eat after one meal. Nowadays, three meals doesn't seem enough, supper. But for them, they're wondering, WHEN is their next meal? Regardless whether the food is hot or cold.
At the last 3 hours, hallucination started. My mouth kept mumbling 'meehun soup, laksa, McD,etc'. Followed by the next hour, I started to feel hungry, even a short distance to toilet could have make me collapse (as we need to climb up to the upper row seat of the stadium), only 28 hours of starving!!! How about those who have suffered for weeks or months to get to the food distribution camp, if there is one? Even more was, I started to countdown for the fast-breaking.
Finally!!! Everybody held the soya bean as if they were in a wedding function, cheering each other, and 'drinking up' all the cocokrunch. Ouch!!! Stomachache, nausea. That was a right-after-symtomp(?). Because we've emptied our stomach for a long period, it's not suitable to have consume a large amount of food at one time. It wasn't a good experience. Then, how are those who starved for days or weeks? They have to eat, they can't eat much, but they need the food for they can't know when their next meal is. Such a dilemma.
Eyes to See ; Heart to Feel ; Hands to Act.
The biggest gain I've got here is to Appreciate things in life.
We must also be aware of the things happening around us. Do something about it.
We can help them. We can change their life. We can be improved.
'Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.'
May all being be well and free from sufferings.
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