A couple of students have mentioned that they or their parents were a little concerned about the physical effects of fasting for 30 hours. World Vision (the people that coordinate the monster effort that is the 30 Hour Famine) have provided some helpful information along those lines - so I thought I would share that with you here!
The average, healthy person is able to go without food for 30 hours without any ill effects. The following categories of people, however, should consult with a doctor prior to attempting a fast of this nature:
1. Children under the age of 12.
2. Elderly people.
3. Pregnant or nursing women.
4. People with the following medical conditions: diabetes, reactive hypoglycemia, other medical conditions that are associated with hypoglycemia, eating disorders (anorexia; bulimia.)If you have any other concerns, please do consult with your family doctor before you participate!
That said, our fast will be a juice fast. We will have juice and water available throughout the event and everyone will participate in scheduled "juice breaks" to make sure we all have the energy to get through the many service projects we have scheduled. Also, even though we're spending the night together on Friday, we WILL be getting some sleep!!! Nobody likes to hang out with a crowd of sleepy, hungry people... at least I don't.
Incidentally, God's a lot nicer than me (surprise, surprise) and he likes it when people fast. Bible-types (like Daniel) set a precedence for God doing crazy-amazing stuff when we fast and pray (see Daniel 9.) We plan to do a lot of both!
Note: If you find that you are unable to participate in the 30 Hour Famine for health reasons - don't give up! You can still do a modified fast... let us know - we'll work it out.
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