In yesterday's Weight Watchers meeting, our new leader quoted heartbreaking statistics. There are some 963 million people in the world who are chronically hungry. She said, "I don't know what that feels like. I know how I feel when I am really hungry--grouchy and irritable, and I know the bad headache that comes from going a couple hours too long without food, but I do not know chronic hunger and I pray I never will." She then said there are some 1.6 BILLION overweight people in the world.
Weight Watchers had a campaign for the hungry last year. If I'm remembering right, they agreed to match in dollars the amount of pounds lost by members nationwide, up to 1 million dollars, and give that much in food to the needy. (Members lost 4 million, WW gave 1 million.) They're doing it again this year.
Our individual group's leader is doing something more. She is really compassionate and very impressed with the community involvement of St. Matthew's Church, particularly their food pantry outreach. What Shirley is going to do is collect food every week at our meeting center from those of us who want to give, and take it to SMC herself.
Each week is a different "meal" for our group to bring food for. This coming week is nonperishable breakfast items.
It was a God-given reminder to me of something I had envisioned (but forgotten) when I first started my journey in April . I had in mind throwing a party next April, inviting people to come celebrate the goodness of God in my walk away from gluttony and in freedom by bringing food to donate to the hungry--and hoped our collective total would at least match my annual weight loss. So I am going to "up the ante" of my motivation by giving in pounds of food what I lost (or gained) the previous week during this campaign. For me, it'd be much to easier to just hand over a heavy bag of pancake mix and syrup, some cereal, granola bars, etc. What would help me lose more is to tie it to the amount I'm LIMITING myself to give away. See the attraction? I would feel much better losing AND giving away 2.4 pounds the same week than losing .8 and giving away a measly .8 pounds of food. On the flip side, I will get to see and feel what that weight in pounds is like if I've gained.
If you also ache to give to the needy and just haven't known of a local place that does (in particular) food outreaches, this may be your answer. I will gladly take your food donations to WW with me next Wednesday if you get it to me ahead of time. Remember nonperishable breakfast items this time. Don't worry, I won't feel unsupported if you don't; I just want to offer the opportunity.
Weight Watchers had a campaign for the hungry last year. If I'm remembering right, they agreed to match in dollars the amount of pounds lost by members nationwide, up to 1 million dollars, and give that much in food to the needy. (Members lost 4 million, WW gave 1 million.) They're doing it again this year.
Our individual group's leader is doing something more. She is really compassionate and very impressed with the community involvement of St. Matthew's Church, particularly their food pantry outreach. What Shirley is going to do is collect food every week at our meeting center from those of us who want to give, and take it to SMC herself.
Each week is a different "meal" for our group to bring food for. This coming week is nonperishable breakfast items.
It was a God-given reminder to me of something I had envisioned (but forgotten) when I first started my journey in April . I had in mind throwing a party next April, inviting people to come celebrate the goodness of God in my walk away from gluttony and in freedom by bringing food to donate to the hungry--and hoped our collective total would at least match my annual weight loss. So I am going to "up the ante" of my motivation by giving in pounds of food what I lost (or gained) the previous week during this campaign. For me, it'd be much to easier to just hand over a heavy bag of pancake mix and syrup, some cereal, granola bars, etc. What would help me lose more is to tie it to the amount I'm LIMITING myself to give away. See the attraction? I would feel much better losing AND giving away 2.4 pounds the same week than losing .8 and giving away a measly .8 pounds of food. On the flip side, I will get to see and feel what that weight in pounds is like if I've gained.
If you also ache to give to the needy and just haven't known of a local place that does (in particular) food outreaches, this may be your answer. I will gladly take your food donations to WW with me next Wednesday if you get it to me ahead of time. Remember nonperishable breakfast items this time. Don't worry, I won't feel unsupported if you don't; I just want to offer the opportunity.
1 comment:
What a sad statistic, but wonderful program. I too understand the headache when you've not eatten soon enough, or well. Chronic hunger.
Good luck to you on your goal of helping others as well as your WW goal. I'ld like to encourage my daughter to do this. She truly needs to loose. She put on quite a bit these past 8 years and I know it's not healthy for her. She's 500 miles away, so it's not like what I cook or the exercise I do is of value. I'm lucky in that I've not had a weight problem; and I'm sure my saying something isn't the right move.
We've not chatted in a very long time. I've been having fun going back through old post trying to reconnect with folks I've lost track of in the blogging world.
Hope you'll swing by for a visit.
Sandy
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