By Lauren Akselrod
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Hunger - it makes our stomachs grumble, it makes us reach out for the nearest carbohydrate-packed snack food.
It also takes the lives of over 23,000 children everyday.
Although food is taken for granted by many,in poverty stricken countries, often it is extremely hard to come by. Every second, hunger and hunger-related illnesses afflict portions of the world's population.
Over the weekend, University students participating in the "30 Hour Famine" had a taste of such a life when they vowed to fast for 30 hours. Sponsored by the World Vision Foundation, a national nonprofit, Christian relief and development organization, the 30-hour famine began last Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Participants vowed not to eat or drink, with the exception of water, until 2:30 p.m. the following afternoon.
"The experience was really humbling," first-year College student Christina Kwon said. "It made me realize how much we take for granted."
In addition to fasting, participants accepted donations from sponsors. This year, the World Vision Foundation has hopes of raising more than $8.6 million for poverty-stricken communities in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the United States.
University participants seemed to attract plenty of support for their cause.
"When I started out collecting money, I was expecting to collect, like, $30," Kwon said. "But as of right now, I'm looking at about $800."
Second-year College student Hong Truong said his friends were eager to help too.
"The friends I asked seemed very excited to help out," Truong said. "I collected $80.97."
Truong said he feels this experience has helped people to cherish what they have.
"I think this is a great program for hunger awareness," Truong said. "Every time we were hungry, we prayed for strength from God, as well as for the hungry people in the world."
According to the World Vision Web site (www.30hourfamine.org), participants not only help to alleviate hunger, but they get a better understanding of it. Last year 600,000 people raised over $8.3 million dollars in aid for Peru, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, North Korea and the United States.
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