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starwomyn 70F
5469 posts
6/9/2019 11:04 pm

Last Read:
6/30/2019 7:25 am

What's In The Shopping Bag?

I am getting ready to start a Refugee Ration Challenge. The idea is to live on what a Syrian Refugee eats for a week while raising funds to help them.

Some folks got the box with the rations, They ran of them by the time I signed up for the challenge so I got the shopping list which works well for .

I am able to make a few changes that work better with my health issues.
I was at Wal-Mart looking over the list and realized what a spoiled, privileged brat that I am.

The folks who got the box received a bottle of vegetable/soybean oil which about ninety-two cents, along with small bags of rice, lentils, and chickpeas, They also received a can of kidney beans and a can of sardines.

White rice and white flour are way more carbs than my body can handle. I am using brown rice with quinoa and teff flour instead. I usually use avocado oil. My thought was maybe I should upgrade it to a dollar bottle of truffle oil. Instead, I found a small bottle of olive oil the dollar tree store. I am going to bet they added soy to it.

I decided to contact adversaries for donations. The first one was a man who unfriended for political differences. I asked him if he walked the walk or was he just running his mouth. He donated. The next was a barrister who is the great-grandson of a Syrian refugee. He gave a very generous which was matched. I currently have letters going to Gemini Rising, the cheesy lawyer who represented my ex-employer, and the past employer.

I have a warped sense of humor but so does my Higher Power.



Abracadabra


starwomyn 70F
8871 posts
6/9/2019 11:08 pm

Love Thy Neighbor - No Exceptions

Abracadabra


Katie_au_lait 78F
7026 posts
6/10/2019 12:33 am

The difference between a refugee and you, is that you still have the power of choice to make changes to the diet... (which somewhat defeats the purpose). They do not. They have to stick to the rations available, no matter what health issues they may have.
The money you spend on the ingredients could be donated giving extra help.


starwomyn 70F
8871 posts
6/10/2019 1:43 am

    Quoting  :

I remember when unaccompanied children were coming across the border. They were being served flour tortillas when they wouldn't eat. It was finally realized that the children were accustomed to corn tortillas.

Abracadabra


MrsJoe 76F
17308 posts
6/10/2019 8:15 am

    Quoting  :

Our church always had a pantry where members and non members could get a week of groceries tailored to their family size. Included was also a menu, so the family could see what the packer had in mind as the boxes were prepared.
Members were very generous in donating to the pantry.
My daughter's church has a food pantry where anyone can go to get food. Members of their church donate to it, as do local gardeners in season, and local stores. Plus they house one of the county food banks that is based on income and family size.
It is not the only church in the area that does this. Some do it weekly, others do it monthly.


Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.


kneedtwoplease 68M
1189 posts
6/10/2019 11:16 am

Speaking of challenges, how bout carrying a Bill Clinton size bible through Dearborn?


starwomyn 70F
8871 posts
6/10/2019 12:31 pm

    Quoting Katie_au_lait:
    The difference between a refugee and you, is that you still have the power of choice to make changes to the diet... (which somewhat defeats the purpose). They do not. They have to stick to the rations available, no matter what health issues they may have.
    The money you spend on the ingredients could be donated giving extra help.

There is no way that I can entirely replicate the experience of a refugee. I am not living in a tent. I have clean running water, and I don't have to worry about bombs falling on my home.

Most of the people in the challenge received boxes of the actual ingredients. The shipping actually cost more than the rations sent. Thus, I am saving money by buying the ingredients for the challenge.

A few minor changes to accommodate those with health issues allows them to participate thus raising awareness and donations. Compromising one's health does absolutely nothing to help the refugees. It defeats the purpose. It does confirm why those of us in privileged countries have a longer life span than people in third world countries.


Abracadabra


starwomyn 70F
8871 posts
6/10/2019 7:55 pm

    Quoting MrsJoe:
    Our church always had a pantry where members and non members could get a week of groceries tailored to their family size. Included was also a menu, so the family could see what the packer had in mind as the boxes were prepared.
    Members were very generous in donating to the pantry.
    My daughter's church has a food pantry where anyone can go to get food. Members of their church donate to it, as do local gardeners in season, and local stores. Plus they house one of the county food banks that is based on income and family size.
    It is not the only church in the area that does this. Some do it weekly, others do it monthly.
Where would we be without our churches? When my town was devastated by floods a few years back, the churches flocked to this town and help to put it back together. Years ago, when I was a mom with two boys and struggling to put food on the table, our church had a food pantry and asked if I could help organize it. Somehow, I always found a way to feed my family. Church also put the boys on a better path than some of the other kids in our blighted neighborhood.

Abracadabra