In the beginning of January, our pastor invited our church to participate in a season of Asking with Fasting as a congregation. The church gave out a prayer calendar to each person which designated a different prayer focus for each day. As for fasting, he asked us to pray about how God might be calling us to participate personally.

When this invitation was made, my husband and I got very excited. We have fasted in the past and seen God move in powerful ways through those consecrated times and seasons.

A Fast for Others

Isaiah 58 outlines what God wants from us when we fast. As I read it, one section really stuck out to me in a new way:

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily....” – Isaiah 58:6-8

As my husband and I prayed about what God wanted us to do in response to our pastor’s challenge, we both felt prompted to fast in different ways individually. But I wanted our family to do something together – something that even my children could participate in.

As I prayed, I felt prompted by the verse in Isaiah 58 that speaks of fasting in order to share your bread with the hungry. I decided that during a certain period of time, we would set aside a number of meals each week where we would just eat rice and beans. Then we would give what we saved in our grocery budget to feed the homeless in our area.

Why Rice and Beans?

Most of the world lives on an existence diet – just enough to get them through the day. In many of these countries, this diet consists of rice and beans (often only served once per day).

I want my kids to learn that this is the diet of much of the world. And that even as children, they can personally sacrifice in a small way so that others might eat.

But I wanted more for them – I wanted them not to just see Mom write a check to a homeless shelter, but to have the chance to connect intimately in giving to others what we all save together.

After praying and calling a few places, I found a shelter 10 minutes from our house that is for women and children only. They would love for our whole family to come, prepare a meal in their kitchen (with ingredients we would purchase from what we saved eating rice and beans) and then serve and eat with the women and children.

My children are so excited to join in this endeavor, knowing that they will be able to be a part of serving when it is over.

Won’t You Join Us?

When we shared in our church small group how each of us has chosen to participate, a friend of mine sent me to this website of a church that did something very similar. Many people in this church ate rice and beans for a week and gave what they saved to those in need. It even lists some wonderful recipes to get you started!

If you would like to participate in a meaningful fast as an individual or as a family, consider joining us in this rice and beans challenge!

Small sacrifices from each of us can go a long way to ensuring that others may eat. I’d love to hear from you if you choose to join in!