I feel very strange writing this – our last ambassador blog! Mixed emotions are flowing out; happiness and joy at what we’ve accomplished, sadness that it’s drawing to a close, massive hope and confidence that we have worked so hard to make a difference! The 40 Hour Famine has been an exciting and busy time of the year. We still have important things to do to collect sponsorships and bring in our money, but for the large part, it feels like a past event. Even on Facebook the ‘Events’ are now ‘Past Events’ and I no longer have ‘“Someone” is doing the 40 Hour Famine’ showing in my upcoming events.

However, it’s important for us to remember that our job is by no means complete. In fact, it is far from done. Poverty and hunger is a widespread problem seriously affecting over 1 billion people around the world. Poverty, therefore, is a problem that is still around and is bigger than just the 40 Hour Famine for one year. Most of this year’s money from the 40 Hour Famine will go to excellent development and community projects in East Timor that will help children and families improve their lives. It is so wonderful to know that all the money rolling in will be so beneficial for the beautiful Timorese people that I met. So keep up the effort!

When we left each village in East Timor, the departing message from the locals was the same. “Do not forget us. Go back to Australia and tell people our story.” Mr John, whose children are not at school and whose youngest two children are malnourished, told us that he hoped we would go home and perhaps be able to help his family. He knows our lives are different but he hopes that we can help to change that reality for the better.

But let me encourage you to keep on this journey for fighting for poverty and hunger, not just until September 30, but for the rest of your life, so that we can be a part of this global movement to eradicate poverty and improve the lives of people all around the world! People living in desperate circumstance need us all to keep fighting and not to give up. We need to be living lives daily that help others. We should invest in things that will help to change lives, not just be living comfortable lives here in Australia. In fact, as Christians, Jesus tells us to make sure we are living generously, working to help others and not to build up our own treasures on earth, because they will not last.

In Luke 12:32-34, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Although I am not telling you that everyone has to go and sell everything they have and give it to the poor, I am encouraging you to be practical and generous about your attitude towards giving to others. In Australia and the Western world, we tend to accumulate so much ‘stuff’, and spend a lot of our time and energy getting that stuff – but it will not last, it’s just temporary satisfaction. Instead, we should not neglect ways in which we can give our time, money and lives to help change the lives of others, not just fill our shelves. So let’s make sure that we have our heart in the right place and our treasures will not lie in ‘stuff’, but in following God and loving other people.

I will be praying for all of you as Famine participants, that you would continue on this journey and that God will give you a passion to continue in this work. Pray for me too, and the other ambassadors, that we will not be afraid to continue to speak out against injustice and stand up for the oppressed! Amen!

-Marissa