Lent 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the first
Family Fast Day in 1960, when a group of Catholic women joined
together at Lent to do something extraordinary: members of the
Union of Catholic Mothers, the Catholic Women's League and the
National Board of Catholic Women held the first Fast Day in aid of
mothers and babies in Dominica. They expected to raise £500 but
actually received donations of £6,000. The next year they reached
£27,000! Every Lent since then, Catholics across England and Wales
have raised money with Cafod to help the poorest communities in the
world - £65bn in total (much more at today's value).
This year, we're being encouraged to give up something for Lent
and donate the money saved. Our choices might include giving up
wine or buying magazines, giving up biscuits or fasting
occasionally.
Victoria lives in central Bolivia, in Pampoya. For her, farming
is difficult, not least because of the frequent droughts and frosts
- extremes in temperature that have come about due to the changing
climate. When it's difficult to grow crops it's difficult to feed
your family - as Victoria knows. She struggled to grow enough for
her family to eat and had to spend what little she had to buy
vegetables from others - often the ones they'd thrown away.
She's now been given the materials to build a greenhouse. Her
husband and other men in the village helped to build it and she
grows tomatoes, celery, cucumber, beetroot and lettuce.
Victoria says that as well as fresh food for the family, she is
able to spend less and save a little money. Her children are not
only eating more healthily but also getting sick less often.
The money we can save by 'fasting' occasionally may not be a
huge amount but added up over Lent among all parishioners the
amount will be worthwhile when turned into 'vegetables'. Also, we
can keep Victoria and others like her in our prayers during
Lent.
Four brightly coloured envelopes are available for your
donations. Small cash collection boxes are also available. Go
online to find out more at www.cafod.org.uk/giveitup
.
Our Lent Fast Day collection will be taken on
24/25th April after the Easter
holidays.