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Seeking Empathy - A One Month Refugee Diet

Jeremiah’s Journal – Day 9

I feel much better now that my headaches are gone.  I had a constant, pounding headache that started the morning of day three and went to day seven.  They have now past, which I am extremely grateful for.   I imagine it was my body adjusting to not getting enough sugars, carbs, or something.

I am now starting to feel a little weaker.  I spent a few hours in the park yesterday.  The sun was pretty hot, (not Africa desert hot, but around 90). I ended up going about five or six hours in between meals and I was starting to feel a little weak, and tired.  I honestly don’t know how the refugees can survive this.  I have the luxury of conveniently spreading out my meals and cooking them every three to four hours, which I know that is not what they do.

The wheat is getting really old.  I love my daily peas (1/6 cup), I boil them, then I use my daily rations of oil and salt, (2.4 teaspoons of oil and 1/10 teaspoons of salt) and it is one tasting treat.  Eating the wheat is sort of monotonous.  I don’t know if you have ever had a diet that consisted of 80% wheat, but it is bland.  I have started putting my ½ teaspoon of sugar right in the middle of my wheat.  Then I’ll eat around the edges, and at the end I have this sweet center, sort of like dessert.

I just can’t imagine doing this for five years.  It’s just unbelievable.  I know there are so many physical side effects from eating this diet that lacks the basic nutrient content that one needs; I can also see that there would easily be an emotional and physiological side effect as well.  And this is just one tiny fraction of what the Darfurians have had to survive through, and continue to survive through.

2 replies on “Jeremiah’s Journal – Day 9”

What you guys are doing is amazing. I can’t even imagine what it’s like. I am spreading the word about your blog to our STAND chapter and my friends and family to help raise awareness. Thank you for doing this!

Thank you for your support. Please do let your STAND chapter know, and invite them to join us for a day. Maybe you could coordinate an effort to have your whole chapter go on the refugee diet for 1 day together. Please let us know if you have any questions about anything.

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