ChristianWeek

WINNIPEG, MB—The problem of hunger has been bothering Steve Bell for quite some time. As a singer and songwriter, he knows how difficult it is to simply earn a reasonable income. “Most people who try to make a living as musicians end up very poor or doing other things. A few are crazy rich.”

The same principle applies to the global food supply. There is enough for everybody, but some have a lot and nearly a billion people do not have enough. Hunger is a major problem; solving it is possible, but difficult. Truly ending hunger will require effort and lifestyle adjustments from just about everyone on the planet.

What can be done? What can any particular person do? These are the vexing questions, but the very scope of the problem means it cannot be ignored. So when the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) came calling last fall, Steve and his wife Nanci were eager to take a hard look at what a church-based agency is doing to combat hunger around the world and to promote better habits in Canada.

While the Bells had a special opportunity to visit Ethiopia this past January and see how Canadian-supported projects are helping to transform communities, they are also learning to adjust their lifestyle at home. And fasting, taking a break from something you like, is an important part of it.

“The CFGB’s ‘End Hunger Fast’ program, which will be introduced in the fall, is a really good thing,” says Steve. “The idea for me started in the fall, long before Ethiopia. I was praying for direction on a number of issues, including awareness of hunger issues) and went on a fast. I chose coffee. One month into that fast is when the CFGB contacted me.”

Ethiopia was an eye-opener. “What’s so stunning about my memory of Ethiopia is the beauty, not the poverty,” says Steve. “The people match the land. It’s almost an aching beauty. You remember it like the best sunset you’ve ever seen. The poverty is intense, but it’s not the biggest impression. It’s the beauty of the place.

“I leave my warm house and step out into concrete. They step out of their small dark houses and step into grandeur.”

Village transformed

The Bells visited several areas, including “a place where a whole village has been transformed by a water diversion project. Access to water means they now have enough food to eat, but the impact goes much beyond that. Their children are now attending school. New businesses are appearing in the village. Young people are learning new trades—building dams, digging ditches, planting and harvesting gardens.”

Most people who have a chance to see poverty up close return with a heightened awareness, deeper compassion and an intensified resolve to do something. “What was huge for me coming back is the realization that I use too many resources. Period. So I bought bus tickets and park my car more. I’m determined that I have to change my lifestyle,” says Steve.

In the end, he explains, “this is not about charity, but about justice. It’s about divestment. I saw farmers living on two to three acres of land and depending on the kindness of the heavens for water. The average North American requires about 20-30 acres of land for an average lifestyle. We need four more earths to sustain this.

“I’m absolutely motivated to change my lifestyle. I’m no poster boy for this. I like my stuff like everybody else. To me it was change light bulbs, change transportation needs. It takes on the nature of the fast.”

But Steve has another twist to add. “Actually, we don’t mean end hunger. Who would want to stop hungering for love, justice and righteousness? But in a physical sense, some of us need to choose hunger. That’s the fast part. I can’t talk about what I don’t do. The effectiveness of this campaign depends on the capacity of some of us to actually change our lifestyles.

“There are lots of things we can fast from, including email and coffee. We have so many loyalties and obligations that aren’t really authentic. We have to fast to break the linkage. We are so tied into our lifestyles we can’t imagine anything different. We have to break the false premises so our imagination can work again.

“Hunger is a good thing. It pushes you toward what you need,” says Steve. And another singer and songwriter seems to understand this too.

Oh twice as much ain’t twice as good
And can’t sustain like one half could
It’s wanting more
That’s gonna send me to my knees
—John Mayer (Gravity)