The 40 Hour Famine is a community education and fundraising
initiative of World Vision Australia.

20 August 2007

Our team consisted of : Emily (team leader), Jasmine, Susan, Brendan Quilty
and Jessica Hemi. At this stage we believe we have reached out target of
$400, however we are still collecting some of the pledges this week, so will
have a final figure by the weekend.

Emily, Jessica and myself spent the weekend together. After a lovely dinner
at Fasta Pasta on Friday night, we caught a movie together. Saturday morning
wasn't too bad, the worst part for me was missing breakfast and my morning
coffee. I was working, so the day went fairly quickly. Emily also worked at
Fishbone Takeaway over lunch on Saturday and she said it was hard smelling
fish and chips!! We picked up some DVD's after work and had a 'movie fest'
at home - really hard to go without popcorn though! I was amazed at how good
the girls were - we sucked on a few barley sugars and drank plenty of water,
but by Saturday afternoon I had a terrible headache (possibly from lack of
caffeine!). The movies distracted the girls and I finished a very good
murder mystery novel ... but the hunger pangs were quite bad around dinner
time.

However, off to bed without any supper (we felt like heroes) and Sunday
morning was a little surprising in that I really wasn't hungry at all - but
still suffering from the headache. I took the girls to brunch at a local
cafe when the 40hrs were up, and scrambled eggs on toast tasted very, very
nice! I actually went without coffee for one more day, and surprisingly the
headache subsided by mid-afternoon.

Jasmine went to Brendan's for dinner on Friday night and kicked off the
famine watching football with his family! Next morning I dropped her at a
friend's for a 'study day' - she said the worst part was when her pal had a
gorgeous looking kebab for lunch, and Jas just had her water bottle and a
barley sugar! Later in the afternoon I dropped her to her friend Teagan's
house - Teagan was doing the 40hr famine too, but on another team. They got
through the evening with lots of videos and girly chat - but the next
morning Teagan's family cooked bacon on the BBQ and Jas said she had to go
and take her shower then, as the smell was just too good! At the end of the
famine Jas and Teagan rushed down to the shops for chocolate, coke and fish
and chips - but they found they over-ordered and couldn't get through it
all!

Brendan was working at Coles all day Saturday - a 10hr shift, and by the
middle of his shift was feeling a little ill. His boss gave him an
apple and told him he needed to eat it to get through the rest of his shift.
Brendan ate it quite gratefully but did not break again until the end of the
famine, when he said he had the best cheese on toast ever!

All in all the experience was a good one - the interesting thing was that by
the second day we really weren't that hungry anymore. However we all felt a
little tired and lethargic from the lack of fuel and had quite an early
night on Sunday night after a lovely meal together.

I was really impressed with all the kids getting through it - they are a
determined bunch. I am happy that Brendan had an apple on Saturday, not good to actually make yourself ill doing this - and he needs a fair bit of fuel
normally as he is 6'3" tall, and working a 10hr shift!!

We all have a greater appreciation for those who do not eat regularly, and
when they do eat, not getting the same mix of protein and nutrients that we
take for granted. Just getting through each day without the right fuel for
their bodies must be a huge task in itself! I would happily raise funds
again next year, but question whether I would fast for the 40hrs to do it.

Susan