Lynnfield kids go hungry for Haiti

LYNNFIELD – Members of the high school youth group at the Centre Congregational Church took a walk in the shoes of the hungry this past weekend to raise money for disaster victims in Haiti as a part of World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine.?We’ve done it for the last four years with World Vision and it’s just a way to help the kids be more aware of the issue of hunger around the world and that they can make a difference and help,” Barbara Langill, director of Christian education and youth ministry at the church, said prior to the fast.?It helps just a little bit to realize that there are children going to bed hungry and doing it this way, it is nothing like really being hungry, but for that little part it helps them be aware.”Members of the youth group spent 30 hours fasting to experience what the poorest children and families throughout the world face in their daily lives.The famine began on Friday morning after their last meal – a large breakfast at 7 a.m. – after which they were only be able to drink water and juice until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. The fast is something the youths have done since their first participation four years ago and believe that it is a valuable experience as well as a good way to raise awareness.?I wanted to take part in this because I think it is a growing issue, world hunger, and the fact is 26,000 kids dying each day related to hunger just makes you want to take part and do something, even if, in the long run, it may not look like a lot, but every little bit counts,” said 16-year-old Brittany DeSantis.Jessie Sacks, 17, agreed and explained that a little goes a long way.?Also because it is such a small donation, just going around school with our packets. A dollar will feed a child for a day and every $30 will feed that child for a month. Instead of buying a cookie at lunch someone can give a child a meal. It’s that big of a difference for a small amount,” Sacks said.?I remember when I first started out it was the 30 hours of community service but then as I learned more about hunger in the world and hunger-related disease killing children everyday I was like, whoa, I need to start doing something about this, through raising money and getting people aware,” James Langill, 17, said.Youth Group members Cody Ryan and Matthew O’Brien agreed and believe it is a great way to raise money while inspiring their peers to partake in community service, but they all believe that spreading the word about hunger is just as important as raising money.The group sat together at lunch in school Friday, not eating, and wearing hand-made T-shirts hat said, “We’re going 30 hours without food.”?People will ask why and it makes them more aware. It is not something that is talked about daily. It’s a different concept to a lot of kids, especially our age, who aren’t aware of what’s going on. Awareness is a big part, even just spreading the word is what gets most people,” DeSantis said, before the event.The youth group said that what they (did) is not truly comparable to the things that the truly hungry experience on a day-to-day basis.?It is almost hard for us to grasp the concept that kids do go to bed hungry and we could never fully understand, because our thinking is that there are so many hours ?til we can eat, and a certain amount of time until we won’t experience hunger. These kids don’t have that. They don’t know the next time they are going to eat,” DeSantis said.The group spent the night at the church, taking part in activities and playing games that simulate the daily routines of the hungry. While sleeping would seem like the best option to avoid feeling the hunger pangs, Langill said this is not the case.?The hunger keeps you awake. You’re in a room full of kids with grumbling stomachs and you know that there is a full pantry downstairs and you are really just waiting for the next day,” Langill said.?I know that I get to eat in an hour but kids who have to go to bed hungry are thinking, ‘Am I going to eat tomorrow?'”Rhett B