On Choosing To Do The Ration Challenge

So after much deliberation I've decided to do The Ration Challenge in support of Syrian refugees in camps in Jordan.  The reason I had to really think this through was because it's going to be a super difficult challenge!  The ration packs are small and simple - they equate to about 80% of what an average adults caloric intake should be.  And because I have low blood pressure and other dietary restrictions (to help manage my endometriosis and adenomyosis symptoms) - this made me feel a little anxious.

But after much thought I realised that actually - I am in many ways the perfect candidate for this challenge.  I do not work full time.  I do not have a lot of extra curricula activities I cannot put on hold for a week to participate.  I have a very supportive family.  And this diet is just for one week.  For the people living in these camps - this has no known endpoint.  And they endure many, many other restrictions and face challenges daily that I cannot even comprehend.

My food supplies for one week

And I do have a lot of experience in learning new ways of cooking for restrictive diets - although these rations definitely provide the toughest challenge yet.  Thankfully, I am allowed to alter my rations to fit my dietary restrictions.  So I will swap out the sardines for tofu and the flour for a GF flour alternative.  Which leaves me with only one high FODMAPS item (kidney beans) which, if used sparingly in meals over the time period - should not make my pain flare up.

I will also be blogging and posting during the week of the challenge to give people some idea of the nature of the challenges faced eating this way.  I will be doing this from my comfy house which is warm and dry and not overcrowded, where I can watch Netflix and read in my comfortable bed - luxuries the refugees living on the same diet as me, will not have.  There are some great insights as to what their lives may look like here.

For me, this challenge is as much about raising awareness as it is about raising money.  I know that not everyone has money to give.  But everyone always has the capacity for compassion.  Being a refugee isn't really a choice.  It is either that, or face the possibility of death, or even worse atrocities for those fleeing their homes.  These people have done nothing wrong.  They are not taking the easy way out.  They are not trying to inconvenience others.  They are just trying to survive, and help their families also, survive situations beyond our comprehension.  I hope that in raising awareness of what they face, I can help people be more compassionate to the refugee families that live within our own communities.

I did not know about the Oxfam controversy when I signed up for this.  And when a friend pointed this out - I was (as everyone was) pretty shocked.  Because I thought of Oxfam as a reliable, known charity that did good so I hadn't even thought to question them.  But I needed to find out more before pulling out of the challenge because I already had some awesomely generous donations, and I really wanted to help this cause.  And I am so glad I did, because what I have discovered makes me feel like I (unintentionally) chose to align with a progressive charity.  Yes, there was horrific historic mismanagement in Haiti.  But none of those staff work for Oxfam now.  In fact, they have owned their errors and rectified them in such a way that it will be difficult for anything like this to ever happen within this organisation again.  Everyone makes mistakes.  The importance is that we learn and grow from those mistakes.

Regardless of my thoughts, I can see how this would put folk off sponsoring me.  And that's totally ok!  I also understand why some people would prefer to help refugees in their own back yards - and that's ok too!  This is the first charity event I have taken part in that helps with foreign aid since childhood. There are plenty of other local programmes where people can give their time, or additional clothing or home wares to help refugees leaving the camps settle in to New Zealand life which also need support.  The whole reason I am doing this is to bring about awareness of the hardships faced by refugees worldwide.

Why I chose this challenge is that it speaks to who I am as a person.  Much of my life revolves around food.  Most of my jobs have been either in food and hospitality, or (like now) in retail revolving around cooking or health.  Much of how I help myself feel better about things, also revolves around food.  A challenge like this reminds me of how much of my life I take for granted.  How I take having fresh vegetables for granted.  It also reminds me of the settled refugees I have met here and the unthinkable challenges and sacrifices they have faced in their lives*.  Of how lucky I am, and how easily things could be different.

To get a vegetable would be AMAZING

The other aspect that appeals is the challenges rewards system.  Not only does it encourage me to work harder for more donations, but also because it is not dissimilar to refugees taking on extra work to provide more for their families and themselves.  And because the rewards are small, and difficult to achieve - it already makes me feel so much gratitude for the small things.  I am so thankful to already have managed to get up to the 'milk' level of reward (I thought I would struggle if I didn't make it that far).  And I am excited about potentially getting to the next level now - an additional spice or flavoring!  This small thing will make that week so much easier, but it is not simple to get.  It is smart using our vested interest to help others.

And I can use this challenge to talk to my kids about what privilege means.  How this impacts their lives, and how lack of it massively impacts the lives of others.  I can use this as an educational tool for compassion and kindness and not taking for granted that everyone shares the same opportunities that they have.

The Ration Challenge itself is not until June (from the 17th to the 24th) which means there is plenty of time to sponsor me if you do want to.  It also means there is plenty of time to share my sponsorship link if you think it might be of interest to your friends and whanau.  And please, feel free to ignore the recommended sponsorship levels!  They are quite high - so just give what you can if you want to give anything at all.  Just $5 will feed a family of four for one day, so everything counts.  It also means there is plenty of time to sign up if you want to participate yourself (you have until the 30th of May).  I'll also be sharing recipes and food ideas via Facebook and my blog as well.  I feel nervous, and excited about it.  But most of all, I feel hopeful that this small act will in some way help improve the lives of others.

* I have only spoken to a few settled refugees (from Somalia) about their experience, and it was a long time ago.  These conversations were over a shared meal at a large celebration of exclusively women.  I was so grateful to have been welcomed and included, despite being an obvious outsider.  And I was equally grateful to have women share their very difficult stories with me - the outsider - openly.  It is an experience that will sit with me for my whole life, and is probably a big part of why this particular challenge makes sense to me.  Especially, now as a parent.