Video Interview w/ Jon Foreman on Conversant Life
http://www.conversantlife.com/darfur
Wednesday, May 13th @ 10:30 AM -11:00 AM PST (1:30 PM - 2:00 PM). LIVE Video interview with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot about his Fast for Darfur. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Archive of the Live Video interview
Jon Foreman Fast for Darfur Interview from CJ Casciotta on Vimeo.
Jon, I am sad to miss out on the conversation. Ironically I’ll miss it to catch one of my music-major classes, though let me get to the heart of the matter.
I joined the fast because I too wanted to experience an infinitely small piece of what our fellow people in Darfur are going through. As pains set in — which don’t reawlly do the cause justice, as I know I will eventually return to a comfortable plenty — my heart aches for those in Darfur. I’m just one voice, a young voice, an average voice. I’ve tried contacting my local news station but fear they wouldn’t know where to begin such a story… all of this assuming that they think it would draw enough viewers to be worth their time). I’ve googled how to get involved but my reach seems hopelessly short.
I want to see change. I want those responsible for this atrocity to come to justice, and I want relief to begin restoring the injured lives of the Darfur people — but how? My heart aches thinking about kids my age and the fear, pain, and uncertainty with which they look at daily life. I don’t want to throw up my hands after a couple of days of hunger strike saying, “well…I tried!” That doesn’t do any good, but perhaps boost my pride.
How? Where? When? Who? What? I need help — I need ideas. How can we stop this monster we’ve allowed to to run rampant?
1Hey Jon, unfortunately I will miss out on the conversation also, last final of the year happens to start at the same exact time.
However, I’m really proud of you, and would like to say that what you are doing really made me aware of Darfur. Which is why I am fasting right now. Saying, “oh, well that’s too bad for them” or “someone is probably taking care of it” just doesn’t cut it. This fast has given me a minuscule glimpse of the suffering these people are going through and how selfish I can become. Many people I know don’t understand my reasons of fasting-they tell me that fasting would not help the people of Darfur in anyway. But I could not just read about this and be apathetic.
God has given us Americans so many resources, but what are we doing? How can we continue living our repetitive superficial lives while a plane ride away such atrocities exist? We must do something.
2Hey Jon, I’m sorry, but I too will have to miss out on the conversation. Even though the class I have @ 10:30 is ironically the only one I’d consider skipping, upon not going to class, I would have no access to a computer… So, instead, I will say this: I think it’s amazing that you care so much about something that you’re willing to publicly fast for it. I tried explaining to people why I wasn’t eating for the past couple days, but no one really “got it.” I think I was most appalled by one friend’s response, “Well, do you get payed or something.” When something is wrong in the world, it takes people to help it, and even though it seems like we’re all too small to do anything, each voice adds to the noise a little. Just like “Horton Hears a Who,” eh? Haha. Anyways, I will continue to pray for you, for Darfur, and of course for our country. Hope you have a great day!
In Our Daddy,
3~Rachel
Hey, Jon. I believe that you’re fasting has done it’s part because you have raised awareness in me about the awful situation in Darfur. I didn’t know about this until later, so I didn’t join in the fast, but I would like to start a fast on campus for world poverty. It kills me that I can get food anytime I want here in America, even in so-called “poverty”, while others in places such as Darfur live in REAL poverty and don’t have any access to food at all. This is appalling to me. Why is our government not doing anything about this problem? Are we so corrupt? Is this what we have turned into? Most people (myself included) in the West cannot fathom the atrocities that continue every day for these people, and most haven’t heard a thing about them. It’s time to spread the word. God will take care of his people… If only we cared enough to bring about that will of God.
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