THE SQUAT GAME

Materials: A copy of the story.

Time: 35 - 45 minutes

Purpose: To give people a different perspective on hunger, helplessness, and responsibility. This game is a dramatic representation of oppression and helping others.

How to play the game:
After the directions are given, each student will:
1. Squat on the ground with eyes closed. On the balls of their feet. (Facilitator should clearly demonstrate this.)

2. The facilitator reads this story, while the students listen in SILENCE.

3. During the story, facilitators will tap various students.
    -If tapped once: they may stand, but must keep their eyes closed.
    -If tapped again: they may open their eyes, and assist the facilitator in tapping other students. Each player is, only allowed to tap ONE other player.

4. Immediately before reading the story the facilitator should say something to the effect of: "the silence begins now, please squat down."

Note to reader: It is important to be very familiar with the story and have read it over a few times before. In order for this game to be effective the story must flow smoothly and be paced correctly; not too fast, but not too slow.  Depending on where and when you are reading the story several modifications may need to be made.

The story:
Try to empty out your head. Forget about the test you had last hour, the paper due tomorrow, the chapters you have to read tonight. Forget about any problems that you might have carried with you into the room for just a few moments. Forget about all the millions of little things you have to do before you go to sleep tonight. Allow yourself to relax. Take a deep breath if you need to.

(wait, about a minute here)

Now, try to think about something pleasant: Think about your education and the vast amount of possibilities you have of becoming a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer, a social worker, or a teacher. What will you do when you leave school? What will life be like for you? Will you go to college? Will you have a big house or a small one? What kind of car will you drive? Will you make a lot of money, or will you work for minimum wage? Where will you be? What will you do?

Choices…Decisions. Who will you spend your next vacation with? With your friends? With your family? Think of your day so far. Think for just one minute about what you ate. Did you have breakfast? What will/did you have for lunch? For dinner? Did you get what your body needs? Did you get enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats? Could you eat a well-balanced meal if you chose to?

(pause a moment or two, begin tapping people slowly)

As most of you already know, there is famine all over the world. It has been going on for a long time. A huge number of people are literally starving to death - slowly, painfully, right now. They don't have many choices. They'll never go to college. They'll never face your decisions. If they die, even a choice for life is taken away. The quality of life is not even an issue when you are trying to survive merely until tomorrow. One more day, still hoping that help will come. Although they may not know it, they share their pain with million of sisters and brothers all over the world. They feel isolated and alone in their pain. People in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. The suffering and degraded people of Mexico and the Philippines. The migrant farm workers, the inner city poor of the United States ... In fact, they share their poverty and destitution with people in every country on the face of this small planet. AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.

It hurts in the very center of their being. It hurts mentally and physically. They feel it in their legs when they cramp up because they do not get enough of the right food and it is painful. And they wonder if it will ever end. Sometimes they see people who have no pain. They see people who stand free and strong but who are completely blind to what is happening around them. They cannot see the suffering and the pain of those around them. They are ignorant to what is happening around them, these people are blind but the others see. They continue to wonder if the pain will ever stop. If this life will ever end. Some of you have already been touched. You have experienced the presence of a hand that has eliminated your pain.

Some of you have been touched twice. You are not only out of pain, but you are fully awake with your eyes open. You see, without question, those who are in pain. You see their want of a touch that will relieve them of their pain. You begin to slowly realize how important a single touch can be. You realize the power that a single touch can have. With a single touch, you can relieve the pain of one who suffers, and open up the eyes of one who is blind. And you realize the freedom you have to move, to choose. You are free to touch someone, and we are all free to touch the hungry people of the world and bring them from darkness into light.

Discussion Questions:

l. How did it feel to squat?

2. How did you feel when you were tapped? \

3. How did this game make you feel?

4. When did you stop focusing on the story and only concentrate on your own pain?

5. What were you feeling when your eyes were closed and we were talking about blindness?

6. Did anyone kneeling have the urge to stand up? To sit down? To open their eyes?

7.  Did anyone stand up, sit down, or open their eyes who wasn't touched? 

8.  What could be the symbolic meaning of breaking these rules? Do hungry people have this option?

9. Did you feel mad or angry after this game? How did if affect you?

10. What role does the person who taps people play? Who actually touches the hungry people of the world?

11. What do you think each group symbolizes? (standing with eyes closed, standing with eyes open, squatting with eyes closed, eyes open and touching people)

12. Where do you think you are in one of the groups? (indicate answer by raising hands)

Alternate Story

Leave your cares of the world behind.  The problems you had today are left behind.     Allow yourself to relax, to think of pleasant things.  Take a couple of deep breaths, hold the breath for a second or two, and slowly exhaling.  Relax, knowing that you have nothing to do at this moment.  Everything in your life will be alright.  Your needs and the needs of your friends will be taken of.

(wait, about a minute here)
 
Now, think about something pleasant:  think about someone you love, your friends, your family.  Think about the last time you and your friends had a great time.  See their smiles.  Feel their touch.  The tenderness and reassurance of their embrace.  The possibilities of your future are limitless.  What will you do after graduation?  College.  Employment. Travel.  That new car.  What does your future have in store for you? What will you be?

Choices…Decisions. The richness of your life is open to endless possibilities.   Think about your day so far.  A warm shower, clean clothes, pleasant conversation.  Have you chosen to eat today?  Did you have breakfast? What will/did you have for lunch? For dinner? Did you enjoy your favorite food?  Did you get enough to drink?   Did you get what your body needs?  Are you full?  Could you eat a well-balanced meal if you chose to? 
 
 (pause a moment or two, begin tapping people slowly)

There are those throughout the world who had no lunch and do not know what they will eat for dinner.  Famine is a plague upon the human family, stealing the soul of humanity.  As you squat down, people are literally starving to death throughout the world - slowly, painfully, right now. They don't have many choices. They will never go to college, own a new car, or play their favorite CD. They will never face your decisions.

There choices are much simpler.  Where are they going to get their next meal?  Merely surviving until tomorrow becomes an ordeal.  Holding on for one more day, hoping that help will come. Although they may not know it, they share their pain with million of sisters and brothers all over the world. They feel isolated and alone in their pain. People in Afghanistan, Liberia, and El Salvador, the suffering and impoverished people of India and the Philippines, the migrant farm workers, the inner city poor of the United States ... In fact, they share their poverty and destitution with people in every country on the face of this small planet. AND THEIR PAIN DOESN'T GO AWAY. 
 
It hurts in the very center of their being. It hurts mentally and physically. They feel it in their legs when they cramp up.  They see their bodies grow thin and gaunt.  They see the bloated stomachs and disfigured bodies of their child from lack of proper nutrients.  And it hurts.  They wonder if it will ever end. And hope that the end will come quickly for they are tired of suffering.  Sometimes, they see people who have no pain, people who stand free and strong but who are completely blind to what is happening around them. Can they not see the suffering and the pain of those around them?  If they see, they do not care, for they do nothing.  While those who suffer continue to wonder if the pain will ever end.

(pause a moment or two)

Some of you have already been touched. You have experienced the presence of a hand that has eliminated your pain. Some of you have been touched twice. You are not only out of pain, but you are fully awake with your eyes open. You see, without question, those who are in pain. You see their want of a touch that will relieve them of their pain. You begin to slowly realize how important a single touch can be. You realize the power that a single touch can have. With a single touch, you can relieve the pain of one who suffers, and open up the eyes of one who is blind. And you realize the freedom you have to move, to choose. You are free to touch someone, and we are all free to touch the hungry people of the world and bring them from darkness into light.  You have the power to care.  You have the power to bring hope.  You have the power to end their suffering.  Will you?