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`Hunger angels' begin 30-hour fast

Aboriginal children sing a song during the opening ceremony for the 13th ``30 Hour Famine Campaign'' yesterday. This year the campaign, organized by World Vision Taiwan, will raise funds for 15 emergency relief projects around the world. PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES

World Vision Taiwan (世界展望會) kicked off its 13th annual 30-hour fast yesterday, as over 2,000 participants gathered at Hualien County Stadium to fast from noon yesterday to 6pm today.

Yesterday morning, 788 participants departed from Taipei and 638 participants departed from Tainan on the trains to join the 860 participants in Hualien for the overnight event.

The fast aims to raise money to provide humanitarian aid such as delivering food and emergency goods to the victims of natural disasters or man-made conflicts in Taiwan or in other parts of the world.

In order to experience hunger and to raise donations for people in need, participants will only be allowed to drink fluid throughout the 30-hour period.

Calling the participants "hunger angels," Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) lauded their compassion and expressed her support for the event. Lu made the comments at the opening ceremony for the event held at Taipei Train Station before the 788 participants from Taipei departed.

"The event represents the noble spirit of a willingness to share other people's pain. That is to say, although we have enough to eat, when there are people starving in the world, we are willing to share their hunger," Lu said.

"When others are starving, we will not feel full. When others are in pain, we will not be happy."

Lu also said that we should not pretend poverty does not exist just because we are prosperous, nor should we think everyone could be as happy as we are just because we have enough to eat.

Besides Lu, Tanilani Chipeta, counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi, KMT Lawmaker Apollo Chen (陳學聖), and the spokespersons of the event -- pop star Aya (阿雅) and TV personality Chen Chien-chou (陳建洲) -- also attended in the opening ceremony to cheer on the participants.

This year, World Vision Taiwan plans to raise NT$100 million, of which NT$40 million will be allocated for domestic relief projects such as helping the unemployed and people displaced by typhoons and earthquakes.

The remaining NT$60 million go toward 18 international relief projects assisting 3.6 million people in 13 countries including Afghanistan, North Korea, Congo and Malawi.

Among the total of 2,286 participants this year -- a number breaking the record of the previous 30-hour-famine events -- the youngest was 4-year-old girl Hsieh Yu-ting (謝與庭) and the oldest was 81-year-old grandfather Yin Chi-shan (尹繼善).

"It is very meaningful for us to experience what hunger feels like so we will have compassion for those who have been struggling with hunger all their lives. After all, love and care for others should never end," said Yin, who has participated in the event 11 times.

Details on the 30-hour famine campaign can be found on World Vision Taiwan's Web site at www.worldvision.org.tw and donations can be made at 3,086 outlets of 7-Eleven nationwide.
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