PREPARATION# 3

HUNGER MEAL

A LESSON IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF

GLOBAL RESOURCES

(1 ½ - 2 ½ hours)

This meal helps people understand how the wealth/food is distributed in the world.  The game does not get into the history or root causes of the imbalance of distribution.  It would be helpful if the people leading the game have a working understanding of several issues that created and continue the unjust distribution of wealth.  One issue is the history of colonialism.  Another issue is the current workings of the World Bank and the role of multinational corporations in the decision-making around the distribution of resources.  The United Nations website is a good place to begin researching these issues.  For an examination of the imbalance of the distribution of wealth in the United States, contact the national offices of your denomination or other denominations.  They can connect you with papers, books, and web sites that would be good resources.  If you belong to a denomination that does not have the info, try the United Church of Christ in Cleveland, or the United Methodist in Nashville. 

Remember when doing this activity that you will have people in the room who fall into the various categories, or have friends or relatives who fall into the different categories.  Be sensitive to the realities beyond the game.  Invite people to speak from their own experience at the end, but don’t share anyone’s story without their permission.

Materials needed:

·       Enough food for a regular meal with enough food, plates, cups, silverware, and condiments for your group to eat and use with some left over

Figure out how many participants you will have.  Make slips of paper with the following income categories written on them in proportion to the number of participants. Put the slips in a bag or basket for people to draw out one per person.

·       Abject poverty 20% (family income of below $5,000 a year)

·       Poverty 50% (family income of $5,000 - $9,999 a year)

·       Comfortable 25% (family income of $10,000 - $19,000 a year)

·       Wealthy 5%  (family income of $20,000 a year)

You may want to remind people that these categories take into account the whole world – a family income of $20,000 in the United States, because of the higher cost of living, is considered at the poverty line by our government.

·       Paper and pens to use at the end, or their Spiritual Life Journals

Step 1: Setting up the meal

·       Set up a fancy table for 5%  (wealthy) of the group with tablecloth, candles, and 55% of all the food, plates, cups, silverware, condiments, etc. – make sure this group has 70% of all the meat

·       Set up a plainer table for 25% (comfortable) of the group with 30% of all the food, plates, cups, silverware, condiments, etc. – make sure this group has 30% or the rest of dishes with meat in it.

·       Set up a bare table for 50% (poverty) of the group with 10% of all the food, plates, cups, silverware, no condiments or meat

·       Set up a space on the floor for 20% (abject poverty) of the group with 5% of the food, plates, cups, silverware, no condiments or meat

Step 2: Dividing up you group

Have them each draw a slip with their income level and proceed to the place designated for that group.

Explain to them that this is the way resources are divided up in the world.  Share with them that it often breaks down by continent and country, but not always.  Share with them that the inequitable distribution of wealth and resources has many factors.  Such as the population of a country, and a history of 19^th-century colonialism when European countries and the US went into many other countries and stole their resources through various unfair political and economic practices.

The rules

·       The Wealthy have the time and money to travel to any other group.

·       The Comfortable have the time and money to travel to any group below their economic status.

·       Those in Poverty or Abject Poverty do not have the time nor the money to travel anywhere except to make war.

·       If one group decides to make war on another group, then the wealthier of the two groups chooses 10% of their group to die, and the poorer group chooses 50% of their population to die.  Those who die get no food whatsoever.

Step 3: Grace

After everyone is in place and the  rules have been explained, have each group come up with a grace to say over their meal and share it with the whole group and God.

Step 4: The meal

Let them eat.  People will either share or not.  Don’t tell them they can share unless they ask.  Allow them to share if they just do it spontaneously.  If they don’t share, you will have some hungry people at the end.   If this activity is done at a camp or retreat make sure everyone gets food later if there are dietary or blood sugar needs.

Step 5: Processing the experience

Have them take a few minutes to write or draw (in the Spiritual Life Journals if you have them) their reflections on the meal.  Put the following questions up on a sheet of paper for them to reflect on and write about.

·       What was it like for the wealthy and comfortable?

·       What was it like for those in poverty and abject poverty?

·       How did you feel when you found out which group you were in?

·       If you shared food and resources, why?  If not, why?

·       If there was a war how did that feel?

·       Did anything surprise you in this game?

·       What did you learn from this game?

Have a discussion about what happened.  You will inevitably get people pointing out the unrealities of the game.  Remind them that this was a very simplistic game to simply help them begin to understand how the resources are distributed in the world.

Step 6: Close with a prayer

Deepening Faith:  Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press

Copyright © 2001