The Last Week

I have 5 more days left to stuff my face with all the goodies my heart desires. Right now I’m munching on buffalo jerky. I will be having a Dr. Pepper with my lunch. And Shepherd’s Pie is on the menu for the evening meal today.

In other words… next week is going to be tough.

I’ll be honest… this month seemed like it would be one of the simpler ones for me. I’m really, truly, not that high maintenance when it comes to food. If I were only cooking for myself, if I were single and living in an apartment somewhere, I’d be the kind to fix a pot of chili on Monday and eat it all week long. Eating the same thing over and over again doesn't really seem like a big deal to me. BUT… making a dish out of only 7 ingredients and 0 spices is going to be a different story. I’ll admit it… Now that it’s right in front of me I am realizing that this could be more difficult than I originally anticipated.

Over the years I've been to 3 different countries for mission trips. In all 3 of those the food options were comparatively limited. In Monterrey, Mexico every single breakfast (except the one when the Americans treated them with pancakes) we had eggs, refried beans, and tortillas. In Lilongwe, Malawi and Arusha, Tanzania we had rice and an unidentified meat in its natural juices for every meal during the day, except for when we were treated to fried grasshoppers. In other words, this challenge has, at its heart, the goal of being able to identify with the poorest of the world in their inability to have whatever suits their fancy for whichever meal they want. Rather bring asked “What sounds good for lunch today, Honey?” a husband is more likely to hear “We’re out of meat so it’s just rice today…” There will be no stopping for a quick tie-me-over snack until I get done with errands. No Happy Hour at Sonic. Lunch dates will be difficult at best, disastrous at worst. No stops for fast food as I’m out and about. That may be the hardest part of it all… I actually have to plan ahead… *face palm*

My very first day of this whole thing will see me gone all day long working a craft fair to try to raise money to feed the poor in third world countries. It will be symbolically perfect and incredibly difficult as a first day! Planning ahead, in this case, is going to mean cooking up a chicken a day in advance and probably skipping breakfast all together (horrors!). It works great, though, since my little brother, who is helping with the booth, will get to eat the provided lunch for me. Perfect!

Besides the loss of options during this month, I’m personally adding that I will not simply eat whenever the mood hits me. I am a terrible ‘muncher’. I don’t eat exorbitantly large portions (by America’s standard that is…) but I snack throughout the day. Hunger hits? I’ll go find something to munch. Boredom strikes? Hand-to-mouth movements are great to diminish that feeling. I’m not overweight or an emotional eater… but I don’t keep eating to meal times. Just one more sign of the privileged place I’m in. I actually remember the first time I had hunger pains and didn't know what they were. It’s disgusting to me that I actually felt those pangs and wondered if I was getting sick. No wonder I can’t identify with the hungry of the world!

But in February that ends. Ignorance and apathy have had their time. It’s knowledge and empathy’s turn.