By Katie Gager, Student Reporter
The International Students’ Association will sponsor the International Food Festival at 6 p.m. Saturday in the McCaleb Conference Room at the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center. Tickets can be bought at the door for $5, and all proceeds will go to Eternal Threads, a non-profit organization that provides jobs for women in countries around the world.
In the past, ISA has given the proceeds of the event to local international justice organizations such as the International Rescue Committee. This year, event organizer Laza Razafimanjato (’08) decided to reach out beyond the local community and touch the world. Razafimanjato heard about Eternal Threads when Linda Egle, founder of the organization, visited Madagascar; he said he was amazed at the work she was doing for women.
Eternal Threads began as a mission trip to help one group of women in India, according to its Web site. It now has grown to include women from four different countries, and its mission aims to bring hope and justice to poor women and children in developing countries.
This year’s event also will include a fashion show presenting many of the products from around the world that Eternal Threads sponsors and sells. All of the items in the show will be for sale that night at the Food Festival.
“I don’t think a lot of people know how this lady has reached out to the world,” Razafimanjato said. “Each of the things that will be in the show are very interesting and have a story worth being heard.”
The festival provides international students on campus a chance to share their culture through food, Razafimanjato said.
“The students who volunteer not only have a passion for cooking, but a passion to share the food from their culture with ACU and the Abilene community,” he said.
Food Festival organizer Ken Lake, junior accounting major from Japan and ISA treasurer, said 24 groups will cook 25 different dishes, and 12 nationalities will be represented.
“It’s a great opportunity to bring different groups together and have the entire ACU community acknowledge that there is a very diverse group on campus,” Lake said.
Razafimanjato said he hopes students and faculty will come and enjoy the event.
“Food is something common that we all share,” Razafimanjato said. “Being able to be at a table and eat a meal with people you do not know creates a sense of fellowship and community.”
