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An Article for Your Church's Newsletter
In 2000, the United States and 188 other countries adopted the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – a set of specific targets for reducing poverty and the immense human suffering that goes along with it. The eight goals are to be achieved by 2015, so now, in 2007, we are at the halfway point.
MDG #1 is to cut hunger and extreme poverty in half. Other goals include reducing child and maternal mortality, ensuring that every child completes elementary school, and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and other deadly diseases.
How is the world doing on reaching the MDGs? The answer is that progress varies widely.
We've had good news from recently-released UNICEF data on child mortality. For the first time since record-keeping began in 1960, fewer than 10 million children under five died in 2005. Though the figure of 9.7 million deaths is still tragically high, it is a vast improvement over where we started. World population has doubled since 1960, and during the same time period, the number of child deaths has been cut in half. If children were still dying at 1960 rates, the death toll in 2005 would have been 25 million.
The 2005 figures do not reflect the benefits of the recent increase in donor funding through the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Gates Foundation; the U.S. programs on AIDS and malaria; and other newer initiatives. Thus experts expect to see significant additional progress on child mortality by 2010.
Many of the children's lives were saved because of relatively simple and low-cost prevention programs – vaccination against measles, more mothers breastfeeding their babies to boost their immune systems, vitamin A drops, and mosquito nets to prevent malaria. Bread for the World members and others who have worked for additional development assistance to pay for these proven initiatives should rejoice at this progress.
There is much more to be done. Countries which have endured conflict and those severely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic face particular challenges in achieving the MDGs. Some sub-Saharan African countries have made good progress in certain areas – for example, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have enrolled many more children in primary school, while Niger, Togo, and Zambia have met with success in controlling malaria. Yet U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and others have expressed concern that without stronger support from the international community, the region as a whole will not meet any of the goals.
The United States has promised to do its part to achieve the MDGs. We must do more to honor those commitments. We have undoubtedly made progress in increasing the resources our country makes available to fight global hunger and poverty. In fact, U.S. poverty-focused development assistance has tripled since 1999. But as a nation, we still contribute well under half of one percent (that's less than one dollar for every $200) of our federal budget to development assistance.
Bread for the World supports an increase of at least $2 billion for poverty-focused development assistance for fiscal year 2008 so that our country can honor its promises to do our share to achieve the MDGs.
Both the Senate and the House have passed their 2008 spending bills for international affairs. The Senate bill includes $14.21 billion in poverty-focused development assistance, an increase of $1.35 billion over fiscal year 2007. The House bill allocates an additional $1.9 billion for development assistance – about $530 million more than the increase in the Senate bill. Next, allocations must be finalized in a compromise bill negotiated by both chambers. Bread for the World is calling on Senate and House negotiators to help meet the MDGs by approving a larger increase in poverty-focused development assistance for 2008.
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by Emily Kuhn, Beatitudes Society Fellow, for Bread for the World (2007)
"Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go."
--Nehemiah 9:12
We pause at the halfway point to the target date for the Millennium Development Goal's to pray for guidance and direction from this point forward—for God to show us the way in which we might go. These prayers reflect a particular liturgical tradition, but they can be used in a variety of ways. You might choose to use them as written or as content for other forms of prayer more fitting to your worship style. The entire set of prayers could be used during a single service or for one specific occasion, or you might choose to divide them up, for example using one petition for a month at a time. The prayers are written for a leader, three readers, and a congregational response in order to capture most fully a set of prayers coming from all of God's children. You could, however, have one person pray all of the petitions (the "Leader" and "Reader" portions), while keeping the congregational response.
Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
***
Opening Dialogue
Leader: When Israel wandered in the wilderness, God showed them the way to go by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. At the halfway point to target date of 2015, let us pray for the Millennium Development Goals, for all combined efforts to achieve those goals, for all people in need, and for God's guidance along the path to achieving these goals.
(moment of silence)
God of all nations, we join our voices with those all around the world who long for justice and equality for all the earth. As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Leader: We pray for the eradication of extreme poverty,
Reader: For all those people living on less than $1 a day,
Reader: For all those people who are chronically hungry,
Reader: And for those individuals living in poverty and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Leader: We pray for universal primary education,
Reader: For girls and children in minority groups and rural areas,
Reader: For all school-aged children without access to schools or who must work out of necessity rather than attend school,
Reader: And for those children, school systems, and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Leader: We pray for gender equality and women's empowerment,
Reader: For women who have recently become elected officials or simply seek respect in the home,
Reader: For all women who face inequalities in the workplace,
Reader: And for those women and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Leader: We pray for the reduction of child mortality,
Reader: For parents who cry for their weak children,
Reader: For those who provide mosquito nets and needed vaccines,
Reader: And for parents and children and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
Leader: We pray for improved maternal health,
Reader: For mothers at risk during their pregnancies,
Reader: For midwives, skilled birth attendants, doctors, and nurses who assist women in giving birth,
Reader: And for women, children, obstetricians, and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases
Leader: We pray for the ability to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases,
Reader: For individuals affected by these diseases,
Reader: For education, drug research, and access to medications,
Reader: For those individuals and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Leader: We pray for environmental sustainability,
Reader: For all people who care for the earth,
Reader: For ecosystems, clean water, and those who lack access to these resources,
Reader: For those animals, plants, natural resources, and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Leader: We pray for a global partnership for development.
Reader: For cooperation between countries,
Reader: For developing countries, and the children and adults, men and women who live there,
Reader: For those individuals, countries, and areas of the world we now name.
(pause)
Leader: As we step back this year to examine our efforts,
People: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
Closing Dialogue
Leader: Show us, O God, the way to go from here.
People: Be our pillar of cloud by day and our pillar of fire by night.
Leader: Guide us, lead us, and empower us
People: As we seek to make this world a better place for all of your creation.
Leader: In Christ's name we pray,
All: Amen
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Bread for the World's 2007 Offering of Letters calls for reforms in the U.S. farm bill to reduce hunger and poverty, strengthen our nation's rural communities and support small farmers both here and in the developing world.
Since the House passed its version of the farm bill in late July, we are now focusing our efforts on the Senate. In the coming weeks, the Senate Agriculture Committee will take up the bill; a vote on the Senate floor will follow.
Our advocacy has already had an impact on the complex and contentious farm bill debate. The House farm bill includes many positive changes, including a significant increase in funding for nutrition programs and additional resources for conservation. But the House farm bill contains no broad reform of commodity payments. Instead of moving resources to small farmers, the bill protects multi-millionaire farmers.
Senators need to hear from their constituents that the Senate farm bill must do better. In particular, the commodity payment program must be reformed. As senators debate the farm bill at the committee level and on the Senate floor – and later, as the House and Senate negotiate a final compromise bill -- there are still many opportunities for our voices to be heard and our work to pay off.
Sample Letter:
Dear Sen. _________,
As a constituent, I’m writing to ask you to make needed reforms to the U.S. farm bill. Our current farm policy provides large payments to some farmers but does little to help many other farmers and struggling rural families who do not farm. For example, two-thirds of all farmers do not receive commodity payments. Of those who do, the top 10 percent receive two-thirds of the money.
Please work to ensure that this fall, the Senate passes a farm bill that reforms U.S. commodity payment policy to better support farmers and other rural people of modest means. The bill should also increase food stamp benefits so that U.S. families can afford a healthy diet, and invest more in U.S. rural communities, particularly those in greatest need. Large numbers of people would benefit from these reforms.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
Send your letter to:
Sen. _____________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
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Members of your church can help end hunger and show support of Bread for the World and hungry people by sending their friends and family Bread Christmas cards this year. The design features the following inside message: May God's peace be with you this season and throughout the new year.
Packages of 10 cards and envelopes are available for $10, with free shipping and handling. Additional designs can be viewed in our online store. Please place your orders by December 10 to ensure delivery in time for Christmas. Cards can be ordered by visiting www.breadstore.org or by calling 1-800-822-7323 ext. 151.
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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
Regional Organizers in National Office
- Elise Young, Central/Mid-Atlantic 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
- Matt Newell-Ching (1-888-75-BREAD)
Western Organizer
- Suzanne Berman and Seth Wispelwey (1-888-257-0239)
Texas and Oklahoma Organizers
- Ricardo Moreno (1-800-315-3BFW)
Organizer for Latino Relations
- Tamela Walhof (1-800-363-7BFW)
Upper Midwest 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
