Fasting students quick to learn about helping others

At 3 p.m. on a recent Saturday, Kathy Napoli emerged from the kitchen at St. Madeleine Sophie Parish Center in Guilderland, carrying a plastic baggie filled with ice cubes made from orange juice.

"Ice cubes!" she called, a Pied Piper to a dozen teens. The contents of the baggie were gone within minutes: Fruit juice was the only thing the young Catholics were allowed to have until 7 p.m.

The 90 teens at a 30-Hour Famine sponsored by the parish volunteered to abstain from eating from 1 p.m. on Friday until 7 p.m. on Saturday. Between games and community service, they learned firsthand about hunger -- and raised money for WorldVision, an organization that combats hunger concerns in South America, Africa and the United States.

Like marathon runners, the teens found sponsors among friends and family who donated money for every hour they went without food. The final total was $7,000.

First night

Friday night was part-party and part-Bible study session as teens broke up into small groups to discuss Scriptures, and to watch videos that talked about their relationships with parents and peers. Afterward, they played board games, basketball and group games.

Ms. Napoli stated the one ground-rule: "Everybody is here because they want to be here. Everyone needs to be aware and respectful of one another."

"They have food in there," whispered one teen, peering through a window towards the kitchen. Her friend joined her. "Ah, food!" she said dreamily.

Day two

On Saturday, the teens dispersed to local nursing homes and charities to do community service. Some, like Mike Noone, 16, went door-to-door in the neighborhood during a pouring rainstorm, explaining what they were doing and asking for donations.

Ruthie Linder, 14, who also went door-to-door, was both surprised and saddened by the response of the neighbors. Some, she said, gave up to $10 to the cause and even offered them brownies -- which they had to refuse. But other people disappointed her.

"We stood out there, wearing ponchos, freezing -- and they said 'no, no,' and closed the door in our faces," she recounted.

Helping others

Simi Simha, 15, went with a group to serve food at the St. John/St. Ann's soup kitchen in Albany. She was pleasantly surprised at the positive response from the "customers" when they learned about what she and the other teens were doing.

"They said, 'When you have your feast, think about the people you serve,'" she said.

Because she hadn't eaten in nearly 24 hours by that point, Simi said she felt more aware of the hunger of those at the soup kitchen.

Justin Halloran, 14, went to the MercyCare nursing home in Guilderland, where he enjoyed talking to the elderly residents.

"If this is what community service is, I want to do more," he said. "I was glad to know that I can help people. I really wished I could have raised more money."

In prayer

After returning from community service, the teens gathered for Mass and reflection.

"I'm hungry," admitted 14-year-old Sondra Berschwinger. "My relatives said I was crazy! But it's not as bad as I thought it would be."

It was the first time that Sondra, like many others at the Famine, had gone without food for an extended period of time.

"I feel bad," said Lindsay Jewett, 13. "We only went 30 hours, and we're hungry. [People who are really hungry] go days without food!"

"Yeah," Sondra agreed, "it makes you thankful for the food we have."

(5/8/03) [[In-content Ad]]