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An Article for Your Church's Newsletter
Maybe you've heard a few groans from your friends, children and neighbors as summer comes to an end, but "back to school" is nonetheless a much–anticipated time of year. From children starting kindergarten to students graduating from law or medical school, people enjoy thinking and learning. Education also helps us qualify for more interesting careers that enable us to support our families and contribute to our communities.
In developing countries, education may mean all of these things and much more: low-income children are more likely to survive if their mothers have more education. Research in sub-Saharan Africa found that each additional year that a woman has gone to school reduces the mortality rate of her young children by 5 to 10 percent. Increasing women's education level is also the most significant factor in reducing child malnutrition – even more important than national food availability. Women with more education are more economically productive and, more than men, devote their increased earnings to better food and schooling for their children. In short, expanding girls' and women's access to education is one of the most powerful ways to fight hunger and extreme poverty.
Yet today more than 103 million children – more than 60 percent of them girls -- are not enrolled in primary school. Many of those who start school drop out within a couple of years. There are a number of reasons why children don't go to school. Among the most common are that families need children to work in order to survive and can't afford the cost of school fees and books. In 2000, the United States and 188 other nations adopted the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The first two MDGs are cutting hunger and extreme poverty in half and ensuring that all children complete eight years of primary education. Poverty-focused development assistance dedicated to expanding access to basic education, especially for girls, is key to achieving either of these goals.
Bread for the World's 2006 Offering of Letters, One Spirit. One Will. Zero Poverty., seeks an increase in U.S. poverty-focused development assistance of $5 billion for FY 2007. One of the most important benefits of this increase is that it would send many more children to school, where they can learn what they need to know to fully participate in their communities and, in time, support their own families.
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Let us pray for the more than 850 million undernourished people in God's world, for the 103 million children not attending primary school, and for U.S. senators and other decision-makers as they consider funding for programs that reduce hunger and extreme poverty.
- More than 850 million people around the world, most in developing countries, do not get enough calories. Widespread hunger persists even though the world's farmers produce enough food for everyone.
- One-third of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is chronically undernourished. Nearly half live on less than $1 a day. In Central Africa, 55 percent of the population is hungry.
- Worldwide, more than half of all child deaths are due to malnutrition. Six million children under age five die of hunger-related causes each year.
- But progress is possible: International support for prenatal care, vaccinations, and health care and nutrition for young children have cut the world's child mortality rate in half over the past 40 years.
- Access to modest resources can make a big difference in the lives of the world's hungry and poor people. For example:
- 15 cents will vaccinate a child against polio to prevent paralysis and death;
- $3 will pay for a mosquito bed net to help prevent malaria;
- $25 will cover the cost of fees and materials for a child to attend a full year of elementary school; and
- $500 will fund training to improve agricultural yields for a farmers' cooperative.
- Unfortunately, these types of programs are under-funded. Currently the United States devotes less than half of one percent of our federal budget to poverty-focused development assistance overseas.
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How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's good and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
(1 John 3:17-18, NRSV)
How does God's love abide in us? God's love is so complete, so bold, so deep. What does it look like when our lives are in line with that love? The writer makes it clear that God's love cannot abide in those who possess material riches and do not help a brother or sister in need.
The Lenten season offered us a time to focus on Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and our own journeys toward living God's love. Now in the time of Easter, Christ is risen. The resurrected Christ is powerfully present in our world today.
John's letter was written to deepen the spiritual and social awareness of the Christian community. Throughout the Epistle, the references to the cross remind us that God's greatest proclamation of abiding love was not just in word or speech but through action—through Jesus' sacrifice. Likewise, when God's love abides in us we love one another, not just in words, but in action.
How do we imitate God's love in action? Jesus gave us many examples of how to love in this way. Countless times Jesus actually fed, healed and restored people. He acted in love because he cared deeply about the physical health and well-being of those around him.
Our world may seem entirely different from the world of Jesus' time or John's epistle. Yet their "brothers and sisters in need" suffered from the same needs for food, water and shelter that our brothers and sisters do today.
We are living in an unprecedented time to make a concrete difference in the lives of poor people. God has made it possible in our time to end hunger and extreme poverty. In 2000, 189 countries, including the United States, made a promise to do just that around the world with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
If we are to make good on this promise to fulfill the MDGs, Congress must increase poverty-focused development assistance. Keeping this promise is one way that we can practice God’s love for our brothers and sisters around the world.
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Urge your Senators to approve a $5 billion increase in poverty-focused development assistance for hungry and poor people around the world.
Ask your senators to approve a $5 billion increase in poverty-focused development assistance for hungry and poor people around the world.
An effective letter has three essential ingredients:
- Be Specific
The United States has adopted the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, which include cutting hunger and extreme poverty in half by 2015 – less than 10 years from now. At last July's G-8 Summit, the United States took a step in the right direction by promising to double aid to Africa and the developing world by 2010.
- Name the Action
To get the nation on track to honor these commitments, Congress should approve a $5 billion increase in poverty-focused development assistance for 2007.
- Give a Reason
The world has enough food for everyone, yet 852 million people are undernourished. The United States should do its share to give hungry and poor people better opportunities to support their families.
Sample Letter:
Dear Sen. _________ ,
I'm writing to express my concern for more than 850 million people worldwide who are undernourished. Sufficient food is produced to feed everyone, yet six million young children die each year from hunger-related causes.
For fiscal year 2007, I urge you and other senators to approve an additional $5 billion in poverty-focused development assistance. In 2005, the United States promised to double assistance to developing countries by 2010. In order to get the country on track to honor this promise, Congress needs to approve a significant increase this year.
Good nutrition, clean water, health care and basic education help parents build a better future for their children. The United States should give more hungry and poor families these opportunities by increasing poverty-focused development assistance.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
Send your letter to:
Sen. _____________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
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The ONE Campaign, which seeks to win an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget for programs that fight hunger, poverty and disease, is getting a powerful boost from denominational partners. Both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church have named the ONE Campaign a top priority. In the past few months, they've launched the ONE Lutheran and ONE Episcopalian campaigns.
ELCA has distributed thousands of ONE Lutheran cards that introduce the initiative and list the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Fifteen Lutheran colleges and seminaries have started advocacy groups that will work closely with ONE, and in time, ELCA hopes to have a ONE Lutheran leader in every congregation nationwide. Web site resources and presentations at denomination-wide events are other components of the outreach effort. For example, ONE Lutheran was featured at this summer's ELCA Youth Gathering, which drew 40,000 participants.
The Episcopal Church has asked all its congregations and dioceses to endorse ONE. ONE congregations pledge to observe a "ONE Sunday" and carry out related activities such as devoting a sermon to the MDGs, organizing an Offering of Letters, using ONE resources in Christian education classes and meeting with members of Congress. A new line item of 0.7 percent of the Episcopal Church budget will be devoted to achieving the MDGs. This is the percentage that donor governments have long promised to allocate to development assistance.
ONE Lutheran and ONE Episcopalian will also contribute to the ONE Campaign by activating their large networks of supporters when Congress is considering legislation to fight hunger and poverty. For more information on ONE Lutheran, visit www.elca.org/advocacy. For details on ONE Episcopalian, visit www.episcopalchurch.org/ONE.
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Bread for the World Sunday is a time for churches to renew their commitment to ending hunger in God's world. Celebrated on October 29 or a Sunday of your choice between World Food Day on October 16 and Thanksgiving, Bread for the World Sunday is a chance to reflect on God's gifts, pray for people in need and take steps to help reduce hunger.
Six ways to celebrate Bread for the World Sunday:
- Pray and reflect. Solidarity with hungry and poor people is one way for a community to grow in faith and serve God.
- Take advantage of hunger resources. Order your free Bread for the World Sunday resources.
- Integrate advocacy into your hunger ministry. As faithful citizens, raise your concerns about hunger in the United States and around the world with the people who represent you in Washington.
For example, at the United Church of Underhill in Underhill, VT, the director of the local food pantry spoke during a worship service, and afterward worshippers wrote letters to members of Congress.
- Make a commitment to Bread for the World by becoming a Covenant Church or giving financially.
In Belle Fourche, SD, parishioners of St. James Lutheran Church brought loaves of bread to the altar. At the end of the service, everyone was invited to take loaves of bread and make a gift to Bread for the World.
- Engage youth. Tap into the energy and enthusiasm of students and children. Musicals, fasts, CROP Walks and volunteering at a local food bank have great potential to energize the congregation and celebrate your commitment to seeking an end to hunger.
- Be creative. Church newsletters, education classes, displays, moments for mission, bulletin inserts, soup suppers, hunger meals, fasts, baking bread are just a few possible activities to make people of all ages more aware of hunger.
Members of Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, MI, performed a Bread for the World chancel drama during worship – to rave reviews! At the First Baptist Church in America, Providence, RI, activists reported that the most enjoyable part of the service was the Breads OF the world used in the communion service. There was a procession of breads brought to the communion table by people in traditional dress, as members of the mission committee read scripture.
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Bread for the World's staff can offer tips on letter writing, brief you on legislation, assist your church's hunger ministry, and put you in touch with others who are working on these issues.
Bread for the World National Office: 1-800-82-BREAD
Church Relations Staff
- Sarah Turner, National Church Outreach
Regional Organizers in National Office
- Elise Young, Central/Mid-Atlantic Organizer
- Erin Luchenbill, Campus Organizer
Bread for the World Regional Offices
- Mariah Priggen (1-800-447-0-BFW)
Illinois, Indiana and Missouri Organizer
- David Gist (1-800-315-3BFW)
California Organizer
- Ricardo Moreno (1-800-315-3BFW)
Organizer for Latino Relations
- Tamela Walhof (1-800-363-7BFW)
Upper Midwest Organizer
- Lew Hille (1-888-257-0-BFW)
Texas/Oklahoma Organizer
- Elizabeth Coleman (1-888-BFW-0073)
Southeast Organizer
- Larry Hollar (1-800-619-9239)
North Central Organizer
- Derrick Boykin (1-866-238-0507)
Northeast Organizer
