May 16, 2008
May 14, 2008
Advocacy Group Urges Christians to Respond to Hunger Crisis through its Recipe for Hope Campaign
By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
WASHINGTON D.C. (ANS) — Bread for the World today called on people of faith everywhere to respond to the growing hunger crisis all over the world.
The organization is asking that people add their voices to the Recipe for Hope campaign which runs May 11 through June 15.
“Of course the crisis cannot be solved within six weeks, but we want people of faith to know that they can make a difference by taking a series of simple but critical actions to end hunger now,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, speaking in a news release.
He added, “Together we can turn the recipe for despair into a recipe for hope for thousands of mothers and fathers struggling to feed their families.”
The campaign is being conducted against the backdrop of a global hunger crisis that is fueled by rising food prices. Global food costs have nearly doubled in the last three years, with largest spikes for basic grains like rice, wheat, and corn.
Bread for the World said the World Bank estimates that as many as 100 million people will join the ranks of 854 million poor and hungry people who currently do not have enough to eat each day. Hardest hit are the children, 16,000 of whom die daily due to hunger-related causes or one child every five seconds.
“As Jesus reminds us, when we share our bread with those who are hungry, God blesses even our smallest efforts,” said Beckmann in the news release. “Feeding the hungry is itself an act of worship.”
The Recipe for Hope campaign involves activities like stocking food pantries, educating others on the hunger crisis, fasting, prayers, raising funds for Christian anti-hunger programs, focusing worship services on hunger issues, and writing letters and calling members of Congress to pass long-term solutions to hunger.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging America’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
For more information go to www.bread.org
May 13, 2008
May 13
Image via Wikipedia
Politics behind global food crisis
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India’s success isn’t shared by most
May 8, 2008
May 7, 2008
Surviving Cyclone Nargis
Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release
RANGOON, BURMA (YANGON, MYANMAR) (ANS) — James Pinglay, the teenage son of a Gospel for Asia missionary in Kerala, India, was at GFA’s Bible college in Rangoon, Burma (Yangon, Myanmar) when Cyclone Nargis hit the country Saturday. James was staying in the on-campus apartment of a Bible College staff member. He was able to catch one of the only flights out of the country after the cyclone and is now sharing the harrowing tale of the storm and its aftermath.
The cyclone struck in the middle of the night and surprised the people of Rangoon.
“First we heard a sound on the roof like someone was beating on it. We didn’t know then that it was a cyclone. We got up and went into the kitchen and to our utter shock, the kitchen roof was gone. The roof was made of aluminum and we saw it flying away in the wind. The ceiling had already begun to collapse,” he said. “Beams and sheet metal were falling, so everyone in the house knew they had to get away to escape injury. As one woman opened the door to escape, we saw trees being uprooted and falling down. We also saw the roof of the other two big buildings flying off. We all ran to safety to another building that was made of brick.”
Once they arrived safely in that building, the terror continued. They were on the ground floor of the building and listened helplessly, as the storm attacked the building.
“It was thundering and raining with a strong wind. We heard the sound of our roof flying off and hitting the ground,” James said.
As daylight ascended on the campus, James and Bible college staff surveyed the damage.
“The next morning, we found that the windows from our chapel had broken and water was all over the place in the office, chapel, classrooms and dormitories. The two-story staff quarters had no roof. The families on the top floor evacuated to the ground floor. Countless houses in the neighborhood were totally destroyed.”
In the aftermath of the storm, just finding basic supplies is proving difficult.
“The prices of essential commodities and food shot up high. The people were not able to even afford to buy food. There is no communication, no water supply and no electricity. Transportation is nearly impossible as fallen trees are all over the place and roads are blocked. People could hardly move from place to place,” he said.
The hospital and police station were destroyed in the storm, too.
“Banks and other government offices are also closed, too. All international flights to and from Rangoon are cancelled because communication and computers are affected.”
The immediate needs of the people were obvious everywhere James looked.
“When we went to the city we saw that there was no place left for the people to stay. They were literally on the streets. They had to sleep on the streets and cook on the streets. People here are suffering.”
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May 7
May 5, 2008
May 5
Asia fears rising poverty, social unrest from soaring food prices
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Solving Asia’s Food Crisis
Somalis protest hyper-inflation as food crisis bites
Bush remarks on food crisis spark anger in India
A food crisis sweeps the globe
April 28, 2008
World food crisis deepening across the globe as major aid group forced to scale back assistance
Higher prices may force agency to cut urgent hunger assistance to 1.5 million people this year
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) — A major international relief agency is calling on donor governments to increase resources in order to fund the World Food Program’s $755 million shortfall. It also urges leaders of the world’s leading industrialized nations to make the issue a priority at the upcoming G8 conference.
Amid surging food prices, child malnutrition, violent unrest and the prospect of prolonged food shortages, World Vision, one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations has announced a potential 1.5 million drop in the number of people receiving its food assistance.
World Vision, whose work includes providing nearly 450,000 metric tons of food in some 30 countries, cites the soaring cost of food and unmet donor-nation aid commitments for a potential 23 percent decrease in the number of people it is able to supply with food aid this year.
“Despite our best efforts, more than a million of our beneficiaries are no longer receiving food aid,” said Dean Hirsch, president of World Vision International. “At least a third of these are children who urgently need enough healthy food to thrive.”
The Christian humanitarian agency’s field staff report that the spike in food prices, along with other factors, is deepening the hunger crisis for children and families in developing nations:
Haiti: “Many Haitians are still recovering from last year’s floods. Coupled with their low level of income, they cannot afford the high cost of even basic supplies and commodities. We’re distributing food to as many people as we can but there is never enough. The next few months are critical for Haiti.” -Wesley Charles, World Vision national director, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Afghanistan: “Wheat prices in Afghanistan’s western provinces have increased 100 percent from this time last year. I am meeting families in the villages, who, for years, have been surviving on a diet of naan and chai, or bread and tea, alone. Today, they can no longer afford the bread…It’s an unfathomable situation.” -Mary Kate MacIsaac, World Vision communications manager, Herat, Afghanistan
West Africa: “We have already had riots in major cities in West Africa, including Dakar, Senegal, by people protesting against the higher and higher prices of basic food staples. This is of serious concern to the region.” -Paul Sitnam, World Vision regional director of humanitarian and emergency affairs, Dakar, Senegal
Bangladesh: “Families in Bangladesh are still recovering from last fall’s devastating Cyclone Sidr. Seven-year-old Supria’s family lost their entire harvest in the cyclone; now her father struggles to find paid work. Without food assistance, it would be difficult for families like Supria’s to find daily food.” -James East, World Vision communications director for Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand
Somalia: “We expect to see increased malnutrition and disease, especially among children. Somalia, one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies, is about to get a lot worse unless we do something fast.” -Chris Smoot, World Vision program director for Somalia, Nairobi, Keyna
Jordan: “Iraqi refugees are among the hardest hit in Amman. Even before food prices started to spike, refugee families here had been surviving by watering down their yogurt because milk was too expensive, and by not eating fruit and proteins. Now, many will be forced to cut even more nutrition from their diets.” -Ashley Clements, World Vision emergency advocacy advisor, Amman, Jordan
South Sudan: “Food assistance is a vital part of rebuilding war-torn South Sudan: Feeding programs in schools protect children from malnutrition and motivate families to educate their daughters. Food-for-work programs enable roads to be built in a region that lacks critical infrastructure. But higher prices this year mean we’ll be able to distribute food to thousands less. It’s a crisis that will set South Sudan back years in its development efforts.” -Seth Le Leu, World Vision program director, Juba, South Sudan
A lack of available funds from donor nations, combined with rising prices, has caused some regular food delivery channels to dry up, preventing the launch of new food aid projects where they are needed.
“This is a challenge that requires both short and long-term approaches to resolve,” said Robert Zachritz, World Vision’s director of advocacy and government relations in the U.S.
“In addition to providing food for urgent hunger needs, it is essential to invest in long-term agricultural development, improve access to credit and to markets for struggling farmers, and to enact fair trade policies,” he said.
“Global leaders must act now to support long-term projects that will help prevent vulnerable communities from being malnourished as a result of the price increases,” Zachritz added.
The World Bank estimates the recent rise in food prices could push another 100 million people deeper into poverty. Ten percent of these will be children under 5.
Malnutrition already contributes to the deaths of more than 3.7 million children under five every year. Insufficient nutrition has also stunted the development of 147 million pre-school children in developing countries. Malnourished children are also more likely to suffer and die from diseases like pneumonia, malaria and measles.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit www.worldvision.org/press
World Vision is accepting cash donations to address the global food crisis. Donations can be made online at www.worldvision.org , by phone at 888-56-CHILD or by mail to World Vision, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716.
Global Food Crisis Hits Home
By Rusty Wright
Special to ASSIST News Service
MOUNT HERMON, CA (ANS) — Happy with your grocery bills these days? Do those gasoline pump meters seem to whir like Vegas slot machines, except you never hit the jackpot?
The two issues are not unrelated and they’re affecting pocketbooks and bellies at home and around the globe. Some Westerners might react with detached shock to stories of food riots in places like Haiti, India, and Cameroon. But when your local Costco and Sam’s Club start limiting rice purchases (as recently reported), reality creeps in.
Americans seem worried. A USA TODAY/Gallup poll found 73% of US consumers concerned about food inflation; almost half said it caused their households hardship. 80% expressed concern about energy prices.
Food price increases that may cause inconvenience or hardship in affluent nations can be devastating for families in the developing world. Recent food riots in Haiti cost the prime minister his job. The New York Times reports that spiraling prices are “turning Haitian staples like beans, corn and rice into closely guarded treasures.” Some Haitians eat mud patties containing oil and sugar to silence their grumbling stomachs.
Economist and special United Nations advisor Jef frey Sachs says of the global food problem, “It’s the worst crisis of its kind in more than 30 years. . There are a number of governments on the ropes, and I think there’s more political fallout to come.”
The UN World Food Program says skyrocketing food prices could create a “silent tsunami” turning 100 million people toward hunger and poverty. Executive director Josette Sheeran called “for large-scale, high-level action by the global community.” British Prime minister Gordon Brown asserts, “Tackling hunger is a moral challenge to each of us and it is also a threat to the political and economic stability of nations.”
World Vision, one of the world’s largest relief and development agencies, announced serious cutbacks, saying they are able to feed 1.5 million fewer people than last year. The well-respected Christian humanitarian organization appealed for international donors, citing swelling food prices and increased food need. Rising fuel costs boost fertilizer and food transportation costs.. Corn diverted to make biofuels cannot become lunch, though some feel biofuel is a misplaced whipping boy.
Of course folks in the developed world, not threatened with devastating hunger, can employ multiple strategies to stretch their resources. Careful shopping and research is one. (”Holy Coupon Clipping, Batman! Just look how much we can save if we time our grocery shopping to the sales rather than our impulses!”) Diet adjustment, portion control, and budgetary belt-tightening are others.
And while you’re trying to be sure your outgo doesn’t exceed your income - lest your upkeep become your downfall - may I suggest another wise move? If possible, share some of what you have with the desperately needy. World Vision founder Bob Pierce had as his life theme, “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” An ancient Jewish proverb says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord-and he will repay you!”
Many fine organizations can use your donations to effectively fight poverty and hunger. New York Time s columnist Nicholas Kristof says, “Nobody gets more bang for the buck than missionary schools and clinics, and Christian aid groups like World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse save lives at bargain-basement prices.” I would add World Relief and the Salvation Army to the list. Your local house of worship may be a good place to start.
As another of those ancient Jewish proverbs says, “Blessed are those who help the poor.”
