30 Hour Famine

This past weekend, the youth of Messiah Lutheran Church along with thousands of teens from around the world participated in the annual 30 Hour Famine. The 30 Hour Famine is a World Vision event in 21 countries. It started in 1971 when 17 year old Ruth Roberts and 14 friends in Calgary, Alberta staged an event in a church basement to see what it was like to be hungry and raise money and awareness for children suffering during a famine.

The youth also led both worship services on Sunday and used what they learned to help educate the congregation.  Music for the worship services was provided by the Youth Contemporary Band and the Instrumental Ensemble.  Here are a few videos of the musical groups.





David L. Wylie, a nondenominational youth leader, jump-started the movement in the United States about seventeen years ago as a youth director of Millen Baptist Church in South Georgia. He was looking for a way to stimulate the interest of his 25-member youth group in world hunger issues when he heard the idea of a voluntary hunger strike from World Vision. His group raised $3,000 that year, $5,000 the next and was featured on CNN Headline News and Wylie was nominated by Congressman Lindsey Thomas for a Presidential Point of Light Award.

Thousands of teens across the U.S., Canada, and several other countries (including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, UK, Singapore and Australia and New Zealand) participate to raise money and then fast for 30 hours.

During the event, for 30 hours, participants must abstain from eating food, and instead they typically drink water, fruit juices, or other liquids Games, fund raisers, and other events may also take place to help teach and educate the participants and others about world hunger all over the world. It is also a time for education and awareness of world hunger, and an understanding of how people go without food for long periods of time.

Kert Reedstrom is the Director of Youth and Educational Ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church. Lois Graff is the Director of Music Ministries.

To Learn more about the Youth, Educational and Music Ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church, please contact the Church Office at (256) 721-0041 or info@mlutheran.org.