UniMix!

I lead our Wednesday night service today. This season of Lent we have been going over the Lord's Prayer and today's topic was "Give us this day our Daily Bread". Having just completed this years 30 hour famine sponsored by World Vision (http://www.wvi.org/wvi/wviweb.nsf/) I thought it would be neat to speak a bit about what millions of starving people eat every day. In the 30 hour famine leadership guide, it has a recipe for something called UniMix, which is as follows.

40% Beans -- mashed. (I used 4 cans of Navy Beans)
30% Corn meal. (I used 3 cans)
10% Vegatable Oil (1 can)
10% Sugar (1 can)
10% Powered Milk (1 can)
Add water as necessary till it has an oatmeal/porridge like consistancy.

I then divided it up into 2 oz containers and gave them out to taste during a part of the liturgy. One person got up out of the pews to drink some water. I must admit that it doesn't taste very good. Heck, even the recipe says it isn't going to taste like what we are used to. A bunch of people made excuses for not eating it. Others just said they weren't up for that type of adventure.

All in all, I think we do a poor job of asking God to provide us with what we need on a daily basis. We really don't want to be in unity with our brothers and sisters in Africa because it would mean giving up a lifestyle we have grown comfortable with.

One of the questions that was asked today is "How do we go about giving up the things we don't really need?" I don't have an answer really, but I do remember a quote I read recently, although I don't remember who said it. It was, "it is far easier to give things up in big steps than small ones." I don't know how much truth there is in that statement, but I think you have to try it to find out.