ELCA Synod Hunger Leaders Focus on World Issues

HICKORY, N.C. (ELCA) -- About 190 Lutherans committed to ending hunger globally and domestically convened July 17-19 for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering at Lenoir-Rhyne College, one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA. The meeting brought together representatives of 50 of the ELCA's 65 synods.
The gathering, held in conjunction with an ELCA Global Mission Event, focused on ideas for eradicating hunger, working with domestic hunger and poverty issues, and the Stand With Africa campaign -- a three-year Lutheran campaign of the ELCA, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), and Lutheran World Relief (LWR), that focuses on banishing hunger and building peace in sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty-five youth also participated in youth track and World Hunger sessions during the three- day event.
Sister Judith Bukambu, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, spoke on poverty, AIDS orphans and the reality of the current AIDS epidemic in Africa.
"HIV/AIDS is a reality. To many of you, HIV/AIDS is a myth. Where I come from, even a two-year-old kid has tasted the effects of AIDS," said Bukambu.
Sister Bukambu also talked about the challenge in educating her people about AIDS, because communication in Tanzania is difficult.
"A small percentage of people [in Tanzania] have access to television," said Bukambu. "Several people in communities have radios, but they do not have enough money to buy batteries. Therefore, giving people information is not easy."
AIDS is the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, according to Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). An estimated 2.3 million people died of AIDS in 2001. This means 6,000 people died of AIDS each day, a planeload each hour, and four people each minute.
Overcoming HIV/AIDS is a part of the Stand With Africa campaign. As Stand With Africa enters its second year, the campaign's focus turns to hunger.
Lita Brusick Johnson, director of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, reiterated the appeal's goal of doubling the income from $12.5 million to $25 million by 2005. Johnson said that there is "good and there is bad news for 2002."
"Giving has increased to $16.5 million, but the number of congregations participating has plateaud," said Johnson. According to Johnson, the number of congregations participating in giving is 7,200, down from a peak in 1992 at more than 8,000. That leaves more than 3,000 congregations in the United States that have not contributed yet.
In addition to hearing keynote presentations, the gathering was also a time for forming strategies on fund raising and why some synods and congregations are not participating in the World Hunger Appeal program. A discussion among participants brought forth some reasons, including: priority for local issues, individual pastor choices, priority for missionaries and a general distrust in the larger church and synods.
Three North Carolina ministries presented how they are helping local domestic hunger needs through World Hunger funds. Eloise Kaeck, Messiah of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Greenmountain, N.C., spoke on how the congregation used a "seed grant" to help integrate their work with the local community.
"This money will be loaned to someone who will in turn better his or her condition. This includes education and small business opportunities," said Kaeck.
Lutheran Services for the Aging and Helping Empower Local People delivered presentations.
John Arnold, Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank of Western Michigan, Comstock Park, presented research on food banks in a workshop. His research was conducted in conjunction with Michigan State University.
"Overcoming hunger in the United States is achievable," said Arnold. "Dealing with hunger is like playing chess in that there are similar playing pieces. Hunger keeps winning because it plays its pieces better. What you have to do is question -- are you playing your pieces better than hunger?"
Arnold has proposed some recommendations for changing the approach communities use when combating hunger. Recommendations include making sure enough agencies are distributing food to the economics of replacing food drives with fund drives.
Other workshop topics ranged from the process of domestic hunger grants to offering advice on Africa travel.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, talked with participants about what they can do to help the church see hunger and poverty issues more clearly.
"I think of you in this room as marathon runners and the church as sprinters. We need to train sprinters in the race to end hunger," he said.
The Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine), expressed thanks for aid received from the World Hunger Appeal. He spoke of some injustices placed upon Palestinian people and how education is being affected drastically by Israeli occupation in Palestinian-populated areas.
"Israeli occupation is a sin against God and humanity. We are people who are searching for justice," said Younan. "We want our children to enjoy what your children are enjoying. We want nothing more."
Younan talked about the importance of education and how this has been hindered in past months. According to Younan, Lutheran schools educate one-sixth of the student population in Palestine despite the fact that Christians make up only two percent of the entire population. "We must empower our people to get an education, to be advocates for their own causes. They can only do this through education," he said.
Younan also spoke at the ELCA Global Mission Event (GME), which was held in conjunction with the World Hunger Gathering. A GME is an annual gathering of congregations, families and youth working together to celebrate the mission of the church around the world.
"It was an experiment to link the two events. It seemed to work with people who would have learned a lot more than in a single event," said Stephen H. Padre, associate director for Internal Communication, ELCA Department for Communication.
The Rev. John L. Halvorson, ELCA World Hunger Program coordinator, said the event was fitting for this year.
"I think it was a very good idea to do this year, because of the convergence of themes, particularly because of Stand With Africa in its second year and current Middle East issues," said Halvorson.
Next year's World Hunger Gathering will be held July 19-22 in Winnipeg, Canada, in conjunction with the Lutheran World Federation's Tenth assembly held July 21-31.

* Jenny Davidson is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, and Nathan Kerl is a junior at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. Both are interns this summer at the ELCA churchwide offices in Chicago.

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