In February’s Challenge I wrote about some of the benefits of fasting during Lent. Many of you were probably wondering if I was serious enough to do this myself. I anticipated this and decided that I would do a Daniel fast. But first I was compelled to attend Shrove Tuesday festivities. I didn’t hold back and went back for seconds and thirds and fourths. This worked out well because I would have been scavenging at home for food that night because Tuesday is “Yoga Night”. Kathy and her sister Alyce have been celebrating “Yoga Night” for about five years now on a weekly basis. It began when they joined a Yoga class together and would have dinner afterward. They both agreed that they didn’t care much for Yoga, but liked getting together each week. As a result, on Tuesday nights I trust that the Lord will see me through (and hope that Kathy left me something in the refrigerator).

I made up my mind that I would do the Daniel’s fast because it looked reasonable and allowed me to eat good nutritious foods. My fast began the morning of Ash Wednesday and I decided to do this for ten days. So far I have abstained from caffeine, refined sugars including high fructose corn syrup, white flour and rice, meat, fish, dairy and my daily glass of wine (sometimes two). The first two days were challenging, especially giving up coffee which I love so much, but I have been drinking herbal tea and find it satisfying. Sunday dinner wasn’t easy either giving up Kathy’s roast “Chicken Mercedes” and homemade pumpkin cheesecake with graham cracker and pecan crust. Fortified with “Taboule Salad” I pressed on.

A big test was participating in the “30 Hour Famine” with the Youth group. Everyone gave up food at noon Friday February 8, and didn’t eat again until 6:30 Saturday evening.

During this time we had a glimpse of how difficult life is for children in Indonesia and other developing countries. We were permitted occasional water and juice breaks and that was our only sustenance for the thirty hours. I didn’t feel that hungry but my energy level and concentration were definitely waning. We are blessed to have young people in our church who were willing to give up a large portion of their weekend to participate in this cause. I pray that this generation will bring these ideas with them as they enter the work force in a few years as part of their Christian witness to others. I pray also that adults will realize the enormity of world hunger and begin to make a difference by supporting UMCOR, World Vision, Heifer Project and others to save the lives of so many children.

At this writing I have three days to go and I will break fast Friday evening. I am not sure of how I will do it. I am tempted to go out and down some burgers but somehow I don’t think that would be wise. I will however, reflect on how fortunate I am and how blessed we are to have so much.

Don Wilby

Lay Leader