Living Below the Line: Anticipation.

Next week i'll be taking the Live Below the Line Challenge to raise awareness and money for people living in extreme poverty. For five days, i'll live on just $1.50 a day for all of my food and drink needs... $1.50. Sounds crazy, I know. But for the millions of people who live in extreme poverty, it's a reality EVERY day.

So, some friends and I have formed a team, Solidarity Sisters. In essence, we are a "family" and we'll pool some of our resources to get through it: a group shopping trip to take advantage of bulk purchasing; supper parties to provide not only a social support system (hello... solidarity!), but also a more efficient use of our food resources; and a frenzy of emails about what kinds of items we can purchase on the cheap. For me, it's a reminder of a few things I know to be true...

1. It's going to be tough, very tough. I guess that's why it's called a challenge, right?

2. Families are not just important, they are critical to survival. People need people... for psychological support, to pool resources and for emotional stability. But many family arguments stem from money... so how is that exacerbated when the income in question is a mere $1.50 per person per day?

3. As an American, I have a lot of choices. This isn't news to me, i've lived in the developing world and returning to the US was a bit of a culture shock. But in thinking about this challenge, my choices seem to paralyze me from making decisions. With only $1.50 to work with, the options I like are out of reach and the ones in reach, I'm not crazy about. It reminds me of something my mom would say every time she offered me something I didn't like as a kid, "Well I guess you're not hungry then." While this drove me crazy as a child (and still does as an adult), she was right. In this coming week i'll no doubt eat plain white rice, drink nothing but water and long for things like fruit and vegetables.

So there you have it... the planning has begun, fundraising emails have gone out (thanks to those of you who have donated!) and thoughts of food are far more frequent than I'd like. I've seriously spent the last few days calculating how many scoops i'll be allowed for one cup of coffee per day. Can I reuse the grounds and add one additional scoop the next day? Yikes, the thought itself is giving me a headache in anticipation of the withdrawal i'm about to experience! I've given up coffee before, but it's not fun.

Admittedly, i'm not much of a planner when it comes to grocery shopping and meals... but this challenge is going to test so much more than my food planning skills. Like how am I going to continue my workout regimen each morning? Will I have enough energy for the 4-5 mile runs or the weightlifting sessions? What will be my calorie intake?

Excited isn't quite the right word, but I am looking forward to the self-exploration this challenge will provide.  While my Solidarity Sisters and I are taking this on to raise awareness for the struggles that people living in extreme poverty face, I am certain we will be the ones who benefit most from the experience.

Stay tuned, check back to see accounts of our progress and challenges, lend your support or a favorite "cheap eat" recipe... and take a moment to learn about global poverty and what you can do to help.