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Meal Eight - India

Spotlight on India

Region: Asia
Population: 1,189,172,906 (July 2011 estimate)
Second largest population per country in the world
Life expectancy: total population: 66.8 years
Urban population: 30% of total population (2010)

Printable Table Tent

Download and print this table tent, designed for the Indian meal. This table tent includes conversation starters and information about your gifts to ELCA World Hunger in action.
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Placemats

Download, print and use different placemats during your Lenten meals to raise awareness about hunger, poverty and related issues.

Program

This 30-minute program, specifically designed for the India meal, contains a reading, litany, monologue, prayers and discussion questions.

Table Prayer

Before grasping this grain, let us consider in our minds the reasons why we should care for and safeguard this body.

This is our prayer, oh God. May we be forever devoted at your feet, offering body, mind, and wealth to the service of truth in the world.

(Prayer from www.yesmagazine.org.)

Story: Lochana
India’s forests are home to millions of people. Most are sustenance farmers, living off of the land and fishing in nearby waters. But in recent years, farmers were forced from their land and fields with little-to-no notice.
Read the full story.

Download and share this bulletin insert.

Local Recipes

Popular foods in India include baked chicken with vegetables and mushrooms, naan (bread) and curry. We recommend baked chicken and vegetables and mushrooms. Find these recipes and more at www.recipesindian.com.

Skip the Coffee. Feed the Hungry.

Many are familiar with the tradition of giving something up during Lent. Last year, Pastor Steve Biegner of Zion Lutheran Church in Clarence Center, N.Y., decided to add something to his Lenten tradition. For 40 days, he stopped drinking coffee. And in its place, he gave whatever money he normally spent to support ELCA World Hunger.

“What does giving up coffee have to do with my relationship with God?” Pastor Steve asked. “Nothing. But focusing on the problem of hunger does. It helps ‘enlighten my eye’ to the ongoing problem.”

He placed a large, empty pickle jar outside the sanctuary of his church and asked others to join him. Each day, members of the congregation would sacrifice their favorite morning beverage and save the money they would have spent. By Easter Sunday, the pickle jar was full of donations to help end hunger and poverty.