My voice is well and truly back (and doesn’t everyone around me know it!) but it’s been a weird transition between being completely voiceless and my usual talkative self. I’ve found I am still prone to sit their silently as people talk to me, forgetting that I can talk, and I still have the tendency to act things out.
The time spent silent was a bigger challenge than I originally anticipated. It meant that people had to be particularly patient with me as I communicated with my white board, or quick-thinking as I engaged in a game of charades with them, as they tried to work out what on earth I was saying! It was often difficult to get people’s attention too, unless I put my whiteboard right in their face, and this proved extremely frustrating at time.
I won’t be ashamed in saying there were definitely some tears this weekend, as it got more and more frustrating that I
just couldn’t communicate with people normally – or the fact that people could tell me whatever they wanted, and whilst often I’d have something to say back – it wasn’t worth the effort of a reply by whiteboard. I feel this weekend, I heard a lot of other people’s opinions but they didn’t hear mine!
There were also (embarrassingly!) times when I thought, ah! Please stop giving me money, I just want to be able to talk! Yet then I was reminded just how much of a difference all this money will make in the lives of kids like Sarita, Lalu and Sami.
As I struggled with my inability to respond to things I was told by people, I was also reminded of the fact that in the developing world, kids don’t often have a voice or an opportunity to say NO to what’s happening to them. The Global Food Crisis is something that has unfortunately struck their lives, without giving them much room to fight back.
This is a prejudice that breaks my heart, and what’s worse, the crisis is often caused by factors from the developed world. We haven’t taken care of our environment, and as a result, worsening the impacts of climate change – and then we’ve also thought that using e10 petrol would help us feel ‘better’ about using our cars, when in fact, our petrol is just using up the world’s corn supply, as a lot of the world that rely on corn remain hungry.
My weekend of silence has taught me a lot more than I thought it would, and it’s encouraged me all the more to keep up the fight against these injustices in the developing world, so these kids one day DO have a voice.
I’ve also just found out that I was the 40 Hour Famine’s 13th top fundraiser between last Thursday and yesterday. This 
is nationwide – so I feel incredibly blessed right now to have made such a spot, and more importantly so grateful for the many people that have sponsored me – your genorosity has been so encouraging, and I will be writing you all personal emails/messages in the coming week to thank you! As one of the highest fundraisers, I’ve won a new pair of Levi Jeans, yet more importantly, I also got a special mention out of the top 20 due to my blogging over the weekend! This is an amazing privilege – please check out their site here for their little shout out about this blog!
To finish, I thought I’d share the message I wrote to everyone on Facebook as one last push to raise money. It has been incredible what Facebook can do – within a week of asking for donations, I’ve raised $1, 215, which has smashed my target and will be making a HUGE difference in the lives of some special kids!
“THE GFC ISN’T FAIR – DONATE NOW!”
Now I’ve got your attention about the GFC, I wanted to quickly draw your attention to another GFC which is causing a lot more havoc than the financial crisis.
It’s the Global Food Crisis – a problem that’s trapping 1 billion people in extreme poverty and hunger – if you thought the Global Financial Crisis was unfair to the world’s developed countries that still HAVE money, think about how unfair the Global Food Crisis is to the world’s extreme poor, with no money for their basic needs.
This weekend I gave up food, furniture, facebook and talking in the name of helping some kids fight back against the Food Crisis. As I’m still not speaking, I now know what it’s like to be voiceless for 3 days and not have a say against things that’ve been thrown my way. This happens to kids in the developing world every day but by sponsoring me for World Vision’s 40 Hour Famine this year, you’ll be helping kids in Kenya, Nepal, India, Cambodia and Laos say NO to the Global Food Crisis.
3 weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting Kenya for a day but sadly witnessed the problem of the GFC myself: changes in the environment have not brought rains for a few years now, and as a result I drove past kilometres of dead crops – the crops that would’ve produced food to feed families. These people are not only hungry for food, yet hungry for change!
It’s definitely not too late to donate – you can donate online at www.40hf.com.au/caitlinlee or by transfering money into my account under the description ‘FAMINE’ (Email me at caitlinleehill@hotmail.com for bank details!)
If neither of these suit you – email me, and organise to meet me somewhere to donate cash! Am happy to meet you anywhere! 🙂
To everyone that’s supported me so far – a big THANK YOU, not only from me, but the millions of kids you’re helping. I’ve raised a wonderful $1, 215 so far (in under a week thanks to you!) and I’m thrilled at the resources and food this will provide for so many children 🙂 Thank you also, not just for financial support but all your encouragement too – this has been a HUGE challenge, but one I’ve been encouraged to continue thanks to all of you!
Thanks for helping me fight the Global Food Crisis!
Caitlin”
PS – Enjoy the final pictures from the weekend – Speechless Trivia Night, Church and Wicked!
caitlinramrakha.com 