2009 Fall Edition

Contents

On Our Cover in recent years, Food for the Hungry has completed 166 clean water projects in Ethiopia.

6:8

Fall 2009, Vol. 12 6:8 is a quarterly magazine of Food for the Hungry that tells stories of physical and spiritual transformation by the grace of God and affirms the role of partners in making a difference in the lives of the poor around the world.

6:8 Magazine An Award-Winning Publication: • Evangelical Press Association 2009 Awards of Excellence • MarComm Creative Awards Platinum Award Winner • The Communicator Awards Award of Distinction President Benjamin K. Homan Vice President Matt Panos Sr. Director, Ministry Partners John Frick Executive Editor Greg Forney Managing Editor Rez Gopez-Sindac Senior Graphic Designer Lisa Lewis Editorial Resource Heidi Hatch Contributing Writers Eileen O’Gorman Jeremy N. Willet Karen Wilson-Johnson Contributing Photographer Robert Bustin Kristin Kawa Brooks

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a rock of hope in ethiopia

A true holistic strategy benefits the poor and helps a nation thrive and survive.

4 From the President The Vision Imperative Helping families and communities see a better future for themselves.

10 Food for the Hungry News 16 Field Reflections Shouting God’s Goodness From the Rooftops Christian band WILLET finds change in a village in Zeway, Ethiopia.

26 Frontliners Dream Heroes Meet people in rural Guatemala who are fighting – and winning – against adversaries of hope.

30 Vision Partners Extending a Hand Up A father and his daughter experience the joy of serving and sharing in Guatemala.

Food for the Hungry

Motivated by Christ’s love, we achieve our mission using a three-dimensional approach: • Speaking out to all people and nations about God’s call to end physical and spiritual hungers.

• Sending people to share God’s love.

• Serving the transformation of communities.

Vision God called and we responded until physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.

Mission To walk with churches, leaders and families in overcoming all forms of human poverty by living in healthy relationship with God and His creation.

Food for the Hungry 6:8 Magazine 1224 E. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85034 This publication is in compliance with the FSC and is printed with soy-based inks.

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Email: 6-8magazine@fh.org Phone: 480-998-3100 Toll free: 800-2-HUNGERS Web: www.fh.org

Scriptural Basis “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

Copyright 2009 by Food for the Hungry. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any part of this publication without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Food for the Hungry thanks photographer and advocate Rodney Rascona for providing us with excellent photography. We also thank O’Neil Printing for their support in maintaining graphic industry standards at reduced costs, allowing us to be faithful stewards of God’s gifts and resources.

Charter Member, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability; Member, Evangelical Press Association.

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Editor’s Letter Of bad days and true hope One night not too long ago, as I tucked my 6-year-old son into bed, I casually asked how his day was. His curt reply, not surprising based on his overall mood that day, was “horrible.”

I asked him why, and he responded by enumerating a litany of what he believed were injustices that had occurred that day. I could tell he had a hard day.

For a few brief minutes that night, I had what is called a teaching moment. It would have been easy to say something like, “That’s all right champ, you’ll have a better day tomorrow.”

Instead, I told him with a smile, “It won’t be your last bad day, buddy.” Pretty encouraging dad, huh?

I went on to explain how life often throws us a curve. I talked about my dad who at the time was four weeks into radiation and chemotherapy for brain cancer. My son and I both agreed that the day we all found out that his grandpa was sick was a “bad” day.

Then we talked about how bad days often reveal what’s inside of us. How they test our courage and character and, ultimately, expose where our faith and hope really rests. I was thankful to God for that teaching moment. I know it helped my son better understand that real life is not always a walk in the park.

Interestingly, it was only a few days later when the story of a total stranger gave me a new perspective on bad days. Rose and her family are among the millions of Filipinos who lost all their possessions when, within a week’s time, two super typhoons slammed into the Philippines, triggering the worst flooding in Manila in 40 years.

When I first read Rose’s story, I noticed how her testimony read a lot like many of David’s psalms, so I took the liberty to call it “A Psalm of Rose.” Just as David cried out to God in distress, and in the same breath praised God for His faithfulness and deliverance, Rose did not deny her fear and anxiety over her bad situation, yet she recognized as well that God was her hope and deliverer.

A Psalm of Rose (from the Philippines) The water is already at chest level and my children are afraid and crying.

We urgently leave the house towards the church as the water is rising so fast.

We lost all that we’ve worked for.

We did not save anything except our lives.

We lost our money, our important documents and our house.

In a matter of a day’s rain, everything was lost.

We do not know how to start again, but still grateful to God that we are alive.

I’m grateful to Pastor Manny for opening the church to be our temporary shelter.

I’m thankful to Food for the Hungry for providing us immediate food and more so prayer.

I become strong whenever people pray for me and my family.

I know we will be on our feet again, with the Lord’s help and those whom He sends to help.

Rose’s story not only encourages me to trust Christ in difficult times, but it also reminds me of how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God. How His grace reaches into the hard places such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Guatemala and Ethiopia, and how He calls organizations like Food for the Hungry to help families and communities turn their bad circumstances around and build a better future for themselves.

Greg Forney GREG FORNEY is executive editor of Food for the Hungry’s quarterly magazine, 6:8. He is also Creative Services director at Food for the Hungry’s U.S. headquarters located in Phoenix. You can email him at greg.forney@fh.org.

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from the president

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The Vision Imperative Why we need to help families and communities see a different future for themselves, their children and their children’s children.

By Benjamin K. Homan

Eyesight is something that’s so easy to take for

granted. Much of what we do assumes a level of vision. My wife, Annette, and I have walked through vision impairment several times over the past 21 years of our marriage. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1985, Annette’s vision is one of the ways that the disease weakens her. Though episodes are infrequent, the resulting symptoms of blurred and/or double-vision can lead to loss of equilibrium or a sense of motion-sickness. In such situations, driving, reading and even walking are out of the question.

Physical vision impacts the whole of life, and so does a different, yet related type of vision – a way of seeing that goes beyond physical sight.

It is this kind of vision that shapes how we, as followers of Jesus, respond to needs that swirl around us and sometimes hit painfully close to home. How Food for the Hungry ministers to a world marred by poverty, hunger, child malnutrition, disease and civil conflict is vitally connected to this different way of seeing what is around us.

No wonder the Scriptures teach us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18).

Without vision, we cannot survive. What does it mean?

Clearly, the verse is not offering a warning about the loss of physical eyesight. The vision loss that Proverbs speaks to – and one that can cause people to perish – refers to an inability to see where one actually is and, therefore, the inability to take an appropriate next step.

Vision to see beyond

Seeing the reality of a current situation while also seeing the potential of a better future destination is the type of vision that can bring lasting change. This is the kind of vision that is so essential to the work of Food for the Hungry around the world.

In the communities where we serve, and where we have the privilege of walking with people, we ask a key vision-connected question, “How can the community and its individual families and children reach their God-given potential?” We encourage the community leaders, local churches and families to discern, “Where are we now?”, “Where is God calling us to go?” and “What barriers obstruct progress toward reaching a God-given potential?”

These questions are not fierce interrogations. Rather, they are designed to help people in villages, farms and ghettos to think about change and dream about the future – and perhaps even to “see” a different future for themselves, for their children and their children’s children.

In some of the places where Food for the Hungry works, developing a sense and hope for the future is no easy task. I think of many contexts that are weighed down with a fatalistic mindset, a framework that says,“We can never change,” or “Our fate is to be poor, and we will anger the gods if we do not accept our lot.” Convincing people to change is a complex and painstaking process. So too is the journey that must be traversed to bring vision to people who cannot even see or recognize a problem. In community after community, Food for the Hungry battles against child malnutrition. We see tragic cases of growth stunting in children.Yet because some communities have lived with stunting for so long, community members may think that stunting is actually “normal.” Our role is to help parents and community leaders gain a vision for how their children should grow and what the “new normal” should be.

One of the great joys of the work of Food for the Hungry is seeing a community or a family change its mindset. I was in one such village just a few days ago, a place called Tomoyo, Bolivia.

When Food for the Hungry first came to work there,Tomoyo’s residents lacked hope. They viewed themselves as “fated to be poor.” The journey has been a long one, but I can tell you now that this is a community that has experienced transformation.

The parents are saving money to educate their children. They are planning for the future. The children, who formerly were passive and listless, now have spunk, a sparkle in their eye – and dream about the future.

Vision to see the big picture

Appropriate vision also calls for an expansive view of the scene. We must not just see the granular detail of the twigs, but also the entire forest. Such a wide-angle lens on reality will allow us to “see” or grasp spiritual realities that can be applied to situations. As I think through the narrative of God’s redemptive plan, as revealed especially in the Old Testament, I marvel at God’s all-encompassing vision. From the Garden of Eden, He envisioned a Redeemer who would ultimately defeat

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sin. From the humble household of Abram and Sarai, a couple who struggled with infertility, God saw a nation that would birth that Redeemer. Through a flood, through wilderness wandering and captivities, God’s vision has been perfect – and large! A vision for many nations and people!

Every so often I stand outside the imposing Washington, D.C. headquarters of the U.S. Postal Service, across the street from Union Station and within sight of the Capitol Building.

With its pillars and ornate architecture, the structure projects permanence and strength. More than that, the building is inscribed with a visionary statement that connects the postal service to far more than delivery of letters and bills. It exemplifies the notion of seeing how specific, individual actions connect to a much larger and grander purpose, that is, “the Big Picture.”

Carved in stone at the top of the Postal Service building are these words, penned by Charles Elliot: Carrier of News and Knowledge Instrument of Trade and Commerce Promoter of Mutual Acquaintance Among Men and Nations and Hence of Peace and Goodwill Carrier of Love and Sympathy Messenger of Friendship Consoler of the Lonely Bond of the Scattered Family Enlarger of the Common Life If Charles Elliot’s words capture the “big picture” of mailing a letter, just think of the excitement and privilege we share when we help bring true vision to a community trapped in poverty.

Vision to awaken the whole person

Even as God calls each of us to have vision, His call is actually more comprehensive. His call requires seeing beyond what can be eyed physically – and, yes, He desires us to see the larger tapestry of His work. Yet, it takes more than vision or that special kind of sight that peers into the future; in fact, all of our senses are called into action. Augustine put it this way: What does love look like?

It has the hands to help others.

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.

It has the eyes to see misery and want.

It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.

That is what love looks like.

Vision is a starting point, for expressing God’s love calls us to more than just the use of vision and expansive vision. Love involves the totality of our senses, and it embraces the fact that we are called into action.

Vision from on high

As you consider how a keener and more expansive vision may call you to take action, please consider the source of true and focused vision: the Lord. We come before Him in a posture of

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humility, and in the English words of the historic Irish hymn, we sing, “Be Thou my Vision.”

Think of it this way. Have you ever found yourself in a place of almost complete darkness? Perhaps it was a power outage or a camp site far from any town. For me, it was a time in Darfur, Sudan. Alongside the spiritual darkness and the travesty of genocidal violence, there existed no electricity for many, many miles – and our accommodations literally had no roof. We slept under the open sky. I recall crawling under the heavy wool blankets and staring at the heavens.True, the darkness enveloped us. Yet the darkness was not total, and the source of the light – the vast array of stars – reminded me of how light, which is essential for vision, is not produced by me, but rather from external sources. Two verses of a famous hymn came to mind: Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Spiritual optometry

We all need vision – and we must all reckon with the fact that our vision needs adjustment.We are all frail and human, lacking the ability to see perfectly. In short, we are in need of spiritual optometry. While there are many means that God is gracious to use in helping to deal with our need for spiritual vision correction, let me suggest a few possible action points for you: 1. Pray. Ask God to “Be your vision.” Cry out in dependence on the Lord for a new way of seeing.

2. Interact. Find people who see things differently than you do, rather than simply interacting with folks who see eye-to-eye with you. The interaction will expand your vision and sharpen the focus of your own viewpoints.

3. Go. Perhaps a “Vision Trip” is just the thing for you to help accomplish an adjustment to your vision. Food for the Hungry would love to be involved with your own spiritual optometry. And visiting a community overseas that is finding a new vision is a beautiful way to find a new vision yourself.

4. Give thanks. The Food for the Hungry vision says, “God called and we responded until physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.” I remind myself regularly that this compelling vision is not an obligation.

It’s a privilege and an opportunity for which to offer thanks to God. May God grant us His vision. May He be our Vision. And may we all understand more the imperative of vision. 9

Opposite page: One of the joys of the work of Food for the Hungry is seeing individuals and families take action to fulfill their vision.

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FAQs on Financial Stewardship God doesn’t need my money.

In the Scriptures He says, “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. ... If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it” (Psalm 50:9-12).

God clearly does not need your money or your generosity, but He wants your obedience and He wants you to have the opportunity to experience all the joys of generosity (Matthew 6:21). Christians give to God not because He needs it, but because they need it (Philippians 4:17).

I don’t owe the poor anything. God teaches that Christians do owe the poor, although not in the way many people think. In God’s economy, serving those in need is serving Him, and failing to serve those in need is failing to serve Him (Matthew 25:3146).

Romans 13:8 says to owe no debt to others except love, and Jesus teaches that loving others means caring for them in the same way you would want to be loved. How would you want to be cared for if you were poor and in need while others around you had abundance?

Jesus makes the same point in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Providing care for the physically and emotionally wounded; being a parent to an orphan or unwanted child; providing job training and economic empowerment; and providing emergency relief after famine, war, disease, and natural disasters are all possible aspects of paying the Christian’s debt of love. What Christians owe the poor is only what Christians owe Christ himself.

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God loves a cheerful giver, but I am not cheerful about giving, so it’s better not to give at all. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), but He also loves obedience and a willingness to seek His favor, even when it is done with trepidation or mixed emotions. Like so many areas of a Christian life, obedience in giving can be hard. The joy might only come during or after the obedient act. But the same God who loves the cheerful giver promises to give you the grace you need to give cheerfully.

I’m only one person. My gift is no good if no one else is giving. One solitary person can provide a great example for others, even in matters of stewardship. Jesus used a widow’s generosity as one of His most meaningful examples (Luke 21:1-4), while Paul used one obscure, poor group of Christians as an example of generosity for rich Christians in Corinth (2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Acts 4:36-37).

Do not let other’s actions or inactions determine what is right for you or stop you from acts of generosity. Trust God that He can use your gifts in ways you could never possibly imagine, as Jesus illustrated in the miracle of the loaves and fishes (Luke 9:13-17). The giving started with only a few fishes and a few loaves, but Jesus’ power meant the gift was far more effective than anyone could have predicted. Even if those around you are not presently giving, God is able to use your gifts to meet needs and inspire others to generosity.

The tithe does not apply to Christians today, only to Old Testament Israel. Jesus called His followers to give with great generosity, which makes the tithe a good starting point. The tradition of the Old Testament tithe was a mandatory gift equaling a tenth of

one’s income, but had a number of caveats. For example, Old Testament tithing applied to crops and animals from the Promised Land, not to all income in every time and place, nor was it limited to ten percent, for there were three tithes (two every year and one every three years) and many other offerings and gifts that were also part of traditional Jewish life.

The tithe may be a helpful guideline as it reminds Christians to give proportionally to the Lord in accordance with His blessings, since God owns it all. But by New Testament standards, settling for ten percent can position you to neglect true generosity. Biblical generosity calls for loving God with all that you are, loving your neighbors as yourself, (Luke 10:25-37) and imitating the sacrificial example of Jesus (2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 John 3:16-18).

Reprinted with permission from Generous Giving (www.generousgiving.org).

The Practice of Stewardship Stewardship: A Concept or a Practice? The fact that you read the adjoining article probably indicates that the biblical concept of stewardship matters to you. My guess is that this concept isn’t something you just like to read about, it’s probably what has motivated your faithful cash gifts. We at Food for the Hungry are certainly grateful to God and to you for that.

The Forgotten Realm of NonCash Assets. But have you seriously considered the practice of stewardship in another realm?

Generally, we spend a lifetime investing in real estate, stocks, retirement plans, insurance policies and other things to the point where these non-cash assets constitute about 91 percent of our wealth, and yet it’s rare that we carefully arrange for what will happen to them.

In fact, the average American spends just 2 hours of their life deciding where these will go when they die! Certainly not the status quo that God would want His people to follow.

Get it Done and Smile. Make this the day when you start to fully steward all of the assets in your care. If you would like assistance in the process, you’ll find helpful materials on our

legacy gift Web site at www.fh.org/giftlegacy. Of course, I’d also be happy to talk with you or refer you to a trustworthy, professional financial advisor. With God’s guidance and the assistance of a trustworthy professional, you can arrange non-cash assets in a way that will maximize both provision for your family and endowment of the Kingdom work.

With You in His Service,

Sean Mills

Wayne Reinauer Director of Stewardship Gifts Sean Mills Planned Giving Coordinator

Contact us:

Wayne Reinauer/Sean Mills 1224 E. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85034 (800) 248-6437, ext. 1558 sean.mills@fh.org

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FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY News Sara groves and friends build a house for rwandan widow

recent disasters

in cities affected by typhoon ketsana, residents wade through ankle-deep mud as they try to go about their usual daily chores.

Back-to-back typhoons, earthquakes hit southeast asia

Typhoon Ketsana slammed the Philippines on September 26, triggering the worst flooding in 40 years in the country’s capital city of Manila and nearby provinces. One week later, as Ketsana swept through Vietnam and Cambodia, another storm,Typhoon Parma, struck northern Philippines and caused massive landslides and floods. More than 4 million Filipinos have been affected by Ketsana and Parma.

In Indonesia, two powerful earthquakes rocked the country’s western Sumatra province. The first earthquake, a magnitude 7.6, struck on September 30. Within hours, as rescuers desperately searched through the rubble for survivors, a second tremor hit with a magnitude of 6.8. Untold numbers of houses, hotels, schools and shops have crumbled to the ground.

To help Food for the Hungry provide immediate relief supplies as well as longerterm assistance, please go to www.fh.org or call 1-800-248-6437.

Singer-songwriter Sara Groves and her husbandmanager, Troy, together with their 8-yearold son, a few friends, and a journalist from Christianity Today, recently went on a shortterm mission trip to Rwanda. They visited their sponsored children through Food for the Hungry and helped build a house for a widow. Anne Marie, a widow and mother of five children, had been identified by Food for the Hungry as having inadequate housing for her family.

The trip was a dream come true for Sara, an artist-partner with Food for the Hungry. In the fall of 2008, Sara and Troy founded the Art Music Justice (AMJ) tour. Their vision was to paint a picture for their music audience of what the integrated Christian life could look like. It was also an effort to directly respond to needs around the world, specifically in the community of Gisanga in Rwanda, Africa.

The AMJ tour and its message struck a chord, and the audiences responded with overwhelming generosity, giving more than $50,000 in donations for International Justice Mission and sponsoring over 550 children through Food for the Hungry.

In concerts and personal conversations with music fans, Sara invites audiences to become involved through sponsoring children as well as joining future mission trips.

Children in the community of Gisanga, Rwanda, express thanksgiving for what Sara Groves and her friends are doing to help them have a brighter future.

Preventing the No. 2 killer of children Food for the Hungry is conducting a one-year study to test the effectiveness of an innovative water filter produced by Sawyer Products in reducing the prevalence of diarrhea among children between 6 months and 35 months of age in communities near Cochabamba, Bolivia. Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under 5, killing more pre-school aged children around the world than malaria, AIDS and TB combined.

A study published in The Lancet, a leading medical journal, revealed that the predominant causes of 57 percent of child deaths worldwide are pneumonia, diarrhea, and neonatal disorders.

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An important aspect of the study is the involvement of graduate and undergraduate interns through Food for the Hungry’s Go ED. academic program. The interns will help analyze bacteriological content of household water to test the bacterial removal effectiveness of the filters used in the study.

At the completion of the study, Food for the Hungry staff members involved in the project and key consultants will meet to analyze and discuss the findings. Messiah College will be responsible for the final submission of the study for publication.

The study began in September 2009.

Reducing the prevalence of diarrhea in bolivia • race tio maine • burundi’s national health campaign

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY deworms burundi Last June, Food for the Hungry participated in an ambitious national health initiative organized

by Burundi’s Ministry of Health in coordination with other humanitarian organizations. Food for the Hungry’s Gifts-in-Kind Resources staff members Andrew Crawford and Cameron Calabrese together with Josiah Oslund, a volunteer from Crossroads Nazarene Church, witnessed the national health campaign that included vaccinations against measles, distribution of vitamin A, distribution of mosquito nets, and distribution of deworming tablets.

Food for the Hungry donated 7.8 million antiparasitic tablets (Mebendazole 500mg

chewables) to deworm the entire population of Burundi. Food for the Hungry’s commitment is to supply deworming drugs for the people of Burundi for five years.

The health events were aired on national TV, including the deworming presentation ceremony where the wife of the vice president of Burundi took the first antiparasitic tablet. The deworming pills were distributed nationally through health clinics, hospitals, military camps, and small groups of volunteers.

When asked how such a monumental campaign became possible, Dr. Ndayishimiye Onesime, national coordinator for neglected tropical diseases, said: “I felt the success of

this and future initiatives for Burundi will be because of Jesus Christ.” – Cameron Calabrese, program manager, Food for the Hungry Gifts-inKind Resources

From left: Cameron Calabrese, Jean Nibayubahe, and volunteer videographer Josiah Oslund.

The last mountain on his route, Dan describes Kancamagus Pass as “a steep climb with beautiful scenery and a great downhill.”

‘race to maine’ raises support for children in poverty With his bike’s front tire dipped in the cold Atlantic Ocean, Dan Richbart and his wife, Barb, celebrated the end of “Race to Maine,” a cross-country journey aimed at helping children in the developing world break free from poverty and disease.

Dan, a math teacher at Erie Community College and an advocate with Food for the Hungry, visited the community of Los Botados in the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2007. There he met families and children who struggle to meet basic needs. He decided to do something about it and involve the help of other people either by sponsoring a child in Los Botados or donating toward a vocational center for the community.

And so the idea of “Race to Maine” was born. Two teams – Dan and Barb Richbart and Adam and Michelle Richbart –

racing to Maine, one team by biking and the other by hiking the Appalachian Trail. The teams raised over $5,000 for the children in Los Botados and the AIDS orphans in South Africa.

“For me it was an amazing adventure…God blessed us in so many ways with great weather, safe riding and driving, very minimal bike problems, and physical strength,” said Dan. “But the real story isn’t about biking 4,000 miles or hiking 1,000 miles. It is all about the children and families that live every day in poverty conditions. Our hearts go out to them and we pray that God can continue to use our adventures to bless their lives.”

With Barb driving a support vehicle, Dan biked a total of 4,144 miles over 41 days, beginning in St. Helens, Oregon, and ending in Maine on the 4th of July.

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pastoral livelihood outreach in kenya • christian education in bolivia • 6:8 sunday

new houses built for 2008 typhoon victims

Joseph Salgi, Food for the Hungry pastoral livelihood program manager (left), and a community-based animal health worker sit outside the animal clinic. They help ensure that animals and livestock are healthy.

pastoral livelihood outreach launched in kenyan community

As a sustainable response to the food insecurity problem faced by pastoralists in many villages in the Marsabit district of Kenya, Food for the Hungry started a pastoral livelihood program in the community of Karare.

The tribes of Rendille and Samburu live in this town. Severe drought, poor animal health, and rising food prices push these hardworking people to the brink of starvation. Food for the Hungry staff and community-based animal health workers trained by Food for the Hungry visit village farms and treat approximately 20 animals per day. The Rendille and Samburu people also bring their sick animals to the veterinary clinic manned by Food for the Hungry staff and community-based workers. Through the pastoral livelihood outreach, Food for the Hungry is providing a sustainable solution to many Kenyans experiencing poverty and hunger.

global updates: For additional information on how Food for the Hungry implements sustainable development programs to transform communities, visit www.fh.org.

In June 2008, typhoon Fengshen struck the Philippines, causing landslides and flooding and affecting families in communities in Rizal where Food for the Hungry works.

A year later, volunteers from the University Reformed Church in Michigan and Food for the Hungry’s work team visited one of the affected communities and built 14 houses using their combined resources and a grant Food for the Hungry received.

Several local organizations supported the project. TAO-Pilipinas, a nonprofit group, provided design expertise; Bethel Christian Assembly, a local church, provided some manpower; and Pfizer Philippines, a global pharmaceutical company, donated construction materials and volunteered some of their employees to do construction work. In addition, the company expressed interest in partnering with Food for the Hungry/Philippines to develop a livelihood project for the families.

“We have endeavored on this project to respond to a need, and we believe that this is part of the transformational development FH initiates in this community,” says Charity Lamigo, Food for the Hungry/Philippines disaster and relief development manager. “We pray the beneficiaries will see that they not only have earthly homes for their families but they can be a part of the eternal household in God’s kingdom.” – Charity Lamigo, Food for the Hungry/ Philippines

Skeletal houses have been built for Filipino families who lost their homes to typhoon Fengshen.

The houses have no walls, flooring, doors, windows and toilets. Food for the Hungry/Philippines is accepting donations for the completion of the houses.

displaced pakistanis receive help

Food for the Hungry partnered with the Interfaith League Against Poverty (ILAP) to help provide relief goods, such as sleeping mattresses to those displaced as a result of an armed conflict between militants and government forces in north-western Pakistan. Government and humanitarian sources estimate that there were about 3 million displaced people in camps and with host families. This is an ongoing partnership. Food for the Hungry and ILAP have worked together to bring urgently needed food, relief goods and health care to Pakistanis who were affected by disasters such as the 2007 cyclone and the 2005 earthquake.

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A displaced Pakistani family cramped inside a tent.

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY News

bringing christian education to classrooms in bolivia Chrysalis International, in partnership with Food for the Hungry and the University of San Francisco Xavier College of Education, conducted a five-day workshop on Christian education for elementary and secondary school teachers in Bolivia.

The workshop curriculum, called AMO, was developed by Chrysalis International and facilitated by AMO™ curriculum specialist Jaqueline Gough. (AMO is an acronym for “Apacienta Mis Ovejas” or “Feed My Lambs.”)

The workshop was designed to train educators who have direct interactions with schoolchildren to bring quality Christian education into the classrooms of Bolivia.

There were 120 attendees to the workshop, including teachers in the communities where Food for the Hungry works, church leaders, and Food for the Hungry staff.

The workshop was held June 22-26 at the University of San Francisco Xavier College of Education in Sucre, Bolivia.

Participants of AMO workshop practice a creative teaching technique, while AMO curriculum specialist Jaqueline Gough (standing) looks on.

HOST A ‘6:8 Sunday’ aT YOUR CHURCH

high-yielding seeds help improve food security in many imipoverished communities.

GOVernmenT GRANTS TO help RETURNING REFUGEES Food for the Hungry received close to $3.2 million in State Department grants through the Bureau of Population Refugee and Migration. The grants will be used to fund multiple programs aimed at improving the living conditions of thousands of returning refugees and host families in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.

In Burundi, seeds, tools and agriculture training will be provided to help improve food security and livelihood for returning refugees and host families. Two primary schools will be constructed to expand education opportunities for children.

Latrines and water systems will be built to encourage good hygiene and sanitation

practices. In addition, tree nurseries will be established as a way to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.

In the DRC, the grants will be used to build latrines and wells as well as facilitate livelihood recovery through agriculture training and seeds/tools packages.

In Sudan, two primary schools will be built to expand education opportunities for children of returnees. These schools will be equipped with sports equipment for physical education. Latrines and washing stations will also be constructed to promote good hygiene and sanitation practices among the students.

Each of these government grants has a project period of one year.

Are you looking for a way your church can respond to God’s call to care for the poor? If so, 6:8 Sunday might be the perfect opportunity for your church. It’s a day dedicated to responding to God’s call as recorded in Micah 6:8 to “…do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” When Jeremy Skoglund of Williston, North Dakota, learned about 6:8 Sunday, he recognized it as a way for his church to get involved. “I sent my pastor a link to 6:8 Sunday in an e-mail. I told him it was something I’d like to talk to him about.”

Jeremy’s pastor at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church agreed that 6:8 Sunday was a great idea, so Jeremy ordered an information kit and began planning announcements. After hearing the presentation at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, a sister church in the area requested the same presentation.

By hosting a 6:8 Sunday, your church can help transform the lives of many impoverished children and families around the world through child sponsorship. Food for the Hungry provides videos, brochures, sermon outlines, and other resources to help make the event more successful.

The 6:8 Sunday date for 2010 is April 25, but churches can pick a different date that works better with their calendar.

To receive your free 6:8 Sunday information kit, please visit us at www.fh.org/68sunday.

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FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY News hiv treatment center opens in kenya

These eight volunteers trekked through the mountains of Colorado to raise tangible support for impoverished families and communities around the world.

will hike for goats

In late June, eight trekkers journeyed 36 miles over three days through Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park in the first Trek for Hope project to support the work of Food for the Hungry around the world. Each of the eight hikers challenged friends and family members to sponsor the trek by buying gift items from Food for the Hungry gift catalog.

Items in the gift catalog include fruit trees, pigs, rabbits, goats, deworming pills, mosquito nets, library books, hygiene kits, Bibles, school supplies, latrines, and agricultural resources.

How does this kind of sponsorship work? Each item has a price in U.S. dollars, and when a purchase is made for a goat, for example, the money is used to buy a goat, which is then given to a family in a poor community. In many villages around the world, raising goats is a viable source of food and income. Food for the Hungry’s gift catalog is one way to bring real hope and practical help to families living in extreme poverty.

A partner of the team is Footpaths of the World in Estes Park (www.footpathsoftheworld. com), responsible for providing guiding services and arrangements.

The eight trekkers received 40 sponsorships totaling $2,000. This donation will go a long way in poor communities around the world. If you are interested in joining the 2010 Colorado Trek for Hope and helping families and communities rise above their struggles, contact Liz Mulhern at lmulhern@fh.org or (970) 590-0923.

Last June, a new HIV/AIDS treatment center opened in Marsabit, Kenya.

This community and surrounding villages are poor, isolated and undeveloped. HIV/AIDS is a growing disease in these districts and people have very limited access to crucial care related to the virus.

The center was funded by Blood: Water Mission, a charity founded by the members of the award-winning band, Jars of Clay. It is run by a local church, and Food for the Hungry is partnering with them to build their capacity to respond to the need of the community for improved medical care. The other partners are the University of Washington, U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company).

Present at the dedication of the health center were members of Food for the Hungry’s global executive leadership along with Warren Buckingham, head of PEPFAR in Kenya and Dr. Francis Kimani, Kenya’s director of medical services.

The center is open to all and is likely to serve 1,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the first year. It will also serve nearly 45,000 people with general medical care.

REHABILITATION WORK IN FULL SWING IN THE CONGO

For the past three years, Food for the Hungry has been implementing food security and infrastructure rehabilitation programs for communities in Katanga, a southern province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The people from this province are suffering from the effects of years of conflict and instability.

Funded through a grant from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM), the completed projects include 84 miles of rehabilitated road, establishment and training of 89 income generation groups (fishing, soap making, sewing, milling, vegetable production, bread making) and providing mattresses and office furniture to health clinics.

Food for the Hungry received another year of funding from BPRM to expand its current activities.

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One of the income-generating groups trained by Food for the Hungry shows off their finished products.

REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN THE CONGO • HIV TREATMENT CENTER IN KENYA • TREK FOR HOPE

flood mitigation project in ethiopia a success

Food for the Hungry/Ethiopia recently participated in the completion of a flood mitigation project in Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region. With Lake Tana and Blue Nile River nearby, Bahir Dar is a flood-prone area. For several years, floods have displaced up to 96,000 people annually in this area.

The United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) provided $2.4 million to multiple nongovernment organizations, including Food for the Hungry, to dig out 56.5 miles of riverbeds and build up riverbanks in order to prevent flooding of valuable farm land.

With less than two months before the start of the rainy season, the partnering NGOs moved quickly to finish the project. Food for the Hungry was first on the ground.

Within 40 days, the project was completed.

UNOCHA hailed the project as one of their “most outstanding achievements in Ethiopia in recent years with regard to collaboration between the local government, UN agencies and NGOs,” according to Fidele Sarasssoro, UN representative to Ethiopia who visited the site and personally thanked Food for the Hungry for its commitment and timely response. – John Connelly, country director, Food for the Hungry/Ethiopia

Representatives of UNOCHA and nongovernment organizations walk to a nearby village on miles of newly built riverbank to discuss with the locals how their lives will be positively impacted by the project.

facts and figures on health Did you know 25,000 people die every day from hunger and hungerrelated causes? Of those, 18,000 are children. One person dies of hunger every 3.6 seconds. That is more than 17 people each minute, which translates into 9,125,000 every year.

Did You Know...

Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities?

Did You Know...

Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment?

Source: Bread for the World; www.bread.org.

Did You Know...

Most of these deaths are attributed to diseases that move in on children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger?

Dr. Jonathan Marquina, Bolivia’s vice minister of health (center) and Dr. Amilcar Rada, chief of the medicinal unit (right), officially receive Food for the Hungry’s donation of antiparasite tablets. Representing Food for the Hungry/Bolivia is country director Oscar Montes (left).

bolivian government, poor communities receive 1.9 million deworming pills Food for the Hungry donated 1.9 million antiparasite tablets in support of Bolivian government’s health initiatives. Of these, 600,000 pills were directly distributed to communities where Food for the Hungry works. Just in the last four years, Food for the Hungry has donated medicines and medical equipment worth approximately $2 million to Bolivia’s health departments and various municipalities that have high levels of food insecurity.

The donation of the deworming treatment Mebendazole and Albendazole represents Food for the Hungry’s support to Bolivia’s health policies promoting nutrition practices and reduction of childhood deaths due to malnutrition. One of the major causes of malnutrition is intestinal parasites. According to a recent investigation, 65 percent of the Bolivian population is infected with multiple parasites.

At the symbolic presentation ceremony, Dr. Jonathan Marquina, Bolivia’s vice minister of health, accepted the donation. He thanked Food for the Hungry for its long history of working with the Bolivian government in improving the living conditions of children and families.

“These medications will be distributed nationally to impoverished communities through the network of health centers,” said Marquina.

“Together, with the cooperation of all the people who work for the good of our country, we can provide hope for these kids.”

Representing Food for the Hungry/Bolivia at the ceremony is country director Oscar Montes. “Food for the Hungry is in a mission to defeat all forms of human poverty,” Montes remarked. “It’s an honor to be able to contribute to the well-being of the most vulnerable population …to contribute to their physical and intellectual growth…and help them reach their potential.”

Smaller distributions of antiparasite tablets also took place in El Alto (near La Paz) and at the Cochabamba health office.

Food for the Hungry has been working in Bolivia since 1978. – Marcelo Alvarez, Food for the Hungry/Bolivia communication officer. He can be reached at malvarez@fh.org

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field reflections

The world needs to know that change is happening in the darkest of places – even in the hardest of hearts.

By Jeremy N. Willet d tin Willet helpe , Jeremy and Jus ll of a Food wa e (From left) Jordan th on 6:8 h rse Mica en paint the Bible ve e in Ethiopia. The verse is writt fic for the Hungry of nal language of Ethiopia. natio in Amharic, the

(Editor’s Note: Jeremy N. Willet is the lead singer and oldest of three brothers who compose the band WILLET. In 2006, the band partnered with Food for the Hungry to promote child sponsorship. The band recently returned to Ethiopia after first visiting in early 2007.)

CHANGE. You find it in unlikely places.

Sometimes in your pocket, other times on your dresser, under the couch, or in the backseat of a car. I recently found change. It was hidden in a village in eastern Africa called Zeway, Ethiopia.

Two years ago, my brothers ( Justin and Jordan) and I traveled to Zeway as a band to learn about this village.

The children in Ethiopia changed our lives in such a way that we could not stay silent about the poverty we had witnessed. Upon returning to the States, we promoted child sponsorship at every concert and event and, so far, we’ve seen more than 500 children from Zeway sponsored! Praise God! This year, we raised our own funds and led a mission trip with our family and friends so they could see how God is at work in Zeway.

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After spending the first night in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, we woke up early to meet with Food for the Hungry (FH) staff and drive three hours to Zeway. Twenty-four years ago on that day, I was born in a clean hospital in Westminster, Maryland. Since then, I have had clean water, food, medicine, shelter, education, and a Bible translated in my language. My birthday this year would be spent with children and families who have gone without those essential items most of their lives, and I couldn’t think of a better place to be!

Upon arriving in Zeway, we learned how God is expanding His ministry there through improved infrastructure, a growing child sponsorship program, better HIV/AIDS awareness and more cooperation among churches and pastors.

Change is happening in Zeway. Our prayer is that this will have a ripple effect across the entire country of Ethiopia for the glory of God.

God’s heart for the poor

Last year, as a band, we released a concept project called “Virus,” which included 10 songs written during our first trip to Ethiopia, a documentary, 100 photos, and an e-book about the songs’ lyrics. On the record was a song we wrote called “For orphans and the King.” The chorus of the song says:

Till the poor will have hope Till the broken find peace And the hurting will know There is help on the way Till the hungry are fed Till the children go free We can’t sleep We are for orphans and the King As I sat in a small room in Zeway surrounded by FH staff, the words of this song came to life. The Bible is full of verses showing that God’s heart is with the poor, the lost and the broken, and if we want to experience the fullness of God, we are to live for those people.

Sitting in that room, I was humbled to be in the presence of those who have surrendered so much in their own lives for the sake of saving lives!

At our hotel in Zeway, there were many days we woke up with no running water or electricity. Honestly, our initial reaction was that of disappointment and frustration, but as we tried to remain open to what God was teaching us, we turned each of those moments into opportunities to thank Him for what we did have and to remember those who would go without.

This was especially true on the day we visited Jiddo. The image that many of us saw that day will never be forgotten. After visiting a small school, we accompanied FH staff as they visited people’s homes. After driving an hour and a half, we stopped at a desolate place with crying children lying in the dirt with no clothes on. Soon, a frail woman emerged from the hut and sat on a small stool. Through our translator, we learned that this woman only weighed 90 pounds and was seven months pregnant!

We felt sorrow in Jiddo, but this was soon replaced with joy as we visited our sponsored children. Regardless of how many times I visit those children,

The Willet family decided to sponsor another child, Genet (in front), in lieu of exchanging Christmas gifts last year.

I will never be able to wrap my mind around the beautiful relationship built through simple letter-writing, photos and prayer.

Change is happening

On this trip, each team member had the opportunity to use his or her talents to serve. Some of us were musicians and led worship at team devotions and churches in the area; others were pastors and facilitated pastor-development sessions; while others were teachers, nurses, students or bankers, and were great with children. Each member served with an open heart and spread the joy of the Lord around the village of Zeway. My family and I also had the privilege of meeting Genet, a girl we decided to sponsor last Christmas in place of exchanging gifts. Genet is an orphan living with her aunt, and she has great dreams for the future.

During the debriefing session at the end of our trip, we realized how God has been orchestrating the plans for this community of Zeway. Back home in the States, prior to this trip, we had begun planning a nationwide concert tour

named “The 500 Faces Tour,” because our goal was to have 500 children in Zeway sponsored by 2010. We learned from the staff that day that 500 was precisely the number of children left to be sponsored in Zeway!

Change is happening in Zeway, and change is happening in my life. God revealed to me some things in my life that I could go without, like my cable TV, so I could afford to sponsor another child. On the last day in Zeway, I wrote some lyrics for a song included in our latest record, “Somewhere In Between.”

The song is called “And Shout from the Rooftops:” When poverty and wealth collide, It hits harder than a plane crash And spreads love to the lost and forgotten places.

I found God today; He was right where He said he would be.

Here in the brokenness, here in the brokenness.

Learn more about WILLET and the band’s ministry to American youth and churches at www.willetonline.com. 9

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cover story

THE MASSIVE RoCK-HEWN CHURCHES of Lalibela, Ethiopia, stand as monuments to amazing 12th century tenacity and ingenuity. Simultaneously, the headquarters of today’s African Union, located in Ethiopia’s capital city, is a reminder of the role of this country in Africa today.

By Eileen O’Gorman ell me, please, who is the prophet talking about?” The question was posed by an Ethiopian reading the book of Isaiah as he crossed paths with the Apostle Phillip in the first century A.D. The book of Acts goes on to say, “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35).

Phillip soon found himself baptizing a new believer who had begun a journey of trust in the words and work of a Messiah for all nations.

One can only imagine the rest of the story of the new Ethiopian believer in Acts 8. The passage shows that he immediately wanted to be baptized and that he “went on his way rejoicing.” His next steps must have included a forward march to bring the good news to his homeland. Today, he stands with many who continue to live in a manner that is motivated by the good news of the Gospel in Ethiopia, seeking an end to physical and spiritual hungers in Africa’s second most populated country.

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during the 1980s, Food for the Hungry began work in Ethiopia in response to extreme famine.

Amid its ancient and modern grandeur, an unfortunate Beyond “Live Aid”

In 1985, a rock concert titled “Live Aid” became one of largest television broadcasts of all time, as rock stars performed a worldwide appeal from London and Philadelphia to alert the world of the needs of the suffering people in Ethiopia. An estimated 400 million viewers across 60 countries watched the performance as photos and footage of starving children flashed on their TV screens.

The food crisis, which stemmed from a combination of drought and civil war, pushed into starvation those who already struggled to meet basic needs.While the crisis was eventually alleviated, one million lives were lost. Around the world, questions were asked such as, “When so many have more than enough, how can some still starve?”

While the famine was in full force, along with the media attention, Food for the Hungry was on the ground in Ethiopia, heavily engaged in relief efforts to provide basic needs including food, shelter and water.

The chronic risks faced by the Ethiopian people following the 1984-85 famine compelled Food for the Hungry to shift efforts from short-term relief work to longer-term sustainable development. Since then, Food for the Hungry has been helping families, churches and communities build their capacity to overcome poverty.

aspect of the history of Ethiopia is the poverty that it still contends today.

Addressing Food Insecurity

One of the greatest issues facing Ethiopia is the fact that the population has grown at a rate that the food supply cannot support. More than 90 percent of Ethiopians live in rural areas. Livelihoods are almost completely tied into subsistence farming.Yet, in the words of Food for the Hungry/Ethiopia’s program director Andrew Simons, “The land is used up.” This depletion of the land comes from a number of factors including erosion, degradation through over-farming and simply a limited number of acres that can be farmed to feed a large country.

One of the ways Food for the Hungry is helping improve lives is by introducing effective agricultural methods and livelihood opportunities, as well as providing solutions to fill “food gaps” that arise when the harvest is not sufficient for the coming year.

Kebede Endalemaw is representative of the many Ethiopian farmers in this northern area who have access to a plot of land to farm, but have struggled to produce enough food to feed their families. The land where Kebede lives has been farmed for generations. It lies in

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[ a rock of hope in ethiopia ]

Today, three years after Kebede started partnering with Food for the Hungry, he has improved his sources of income to the point where he has been able to build a better home and also construct two small homes in the nearby town, which he rents out. He says he feels “equipped” to care for his family.

above: Kebede and his family enjoy a meal together. RIGHT: The terracing shown on the hill in the background was built to prevent erosion and increase crop production.

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a hilly and rocky area and has eroded. As the years have progressed without crop rotation, yields are down. Kebede witnessed how the land stopped producing as much food as it did for his father and grandfather.

Additionally, erratic rainfall put Kebede and his family at risk of having no harvest at all. Kebede had few resources aside from his small farm to gain income for his family.

When the harvest was insufficient, which was often, Kebede would gather wood in the countryside to sell to others for fuel. He would also hire himself out as a day laborer. “We struggled to feed our family,” Kebede says. “We had two meals a day of potatoes, the cheapest food we could buy.” But he also says, in his native tongue of Amharic, “Things are different for my family now.”

One way Food for the Hungry helps people like Kebede is by providing small loans to buy sheep and seed. Additionally, Food for the Hungry trains farmers with better farming practices to increase crop production and grow highly nutritious vegetables such as chard and bitter root. From raising sheep, farmers like Kebede are able to sell wool and invest in more sheep. In turn, they are able to repay the loans obtained through Food for the Hungry.

Today, three years after Kebede started participating in the projects of Food for the Hungry, he has improved his sources of income to the point where he has been able to build a better home and also construct two small homes in the nearby town, which he rents out. He says he feels “equipped” to care for his family.

In addition to small loans and education, Food for the Hungry provides “work for food” opportunities such as building terraces and roads in northern Ethiopia. The goal of this community outreach is two-fold. As community members work, they are able to have a viable source of income, especially during lean months. In tandem with addressing income needs, the work itself builds the infrastructure of the countryside. Terracing the hilly countryside combats erosion and increases arable land, and building roads improves transport to and from markets, schools and churches. (Continued on page 22)

Population: 66,557,553 Average life expectancy: 41.24 years Area comparative: slightly less than two times the state of Texas Coastline: landlocked Environmental issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas Economy: based on agriculture, which accounts for half of gross domestic product, 85% of exports and 80% of total employment.

Ethnic Groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1% Religion: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages: Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools) Literacy (over age 15 can read and write): 42.7% Gross domestic product - per person: $750 (2002 estimate) Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

Source: CIA-The World Factbook

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above: a teachertraining led by Food for the Hungry. Far Right: Biniam at home in his village in western Ethiopia during a break from Bahar University.

Serving Marginalized Children

These once “hard to reach” children are not only learning to develop the mind that God has given them, but also know that God’s people around the globe care about their well-being.

the gumuz people are some of the most remotely located ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

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In the town of Belo Jeginfoy, in a western region of Ethiopia, resides a group of people called the Gumuz. By appearance, the Gumuz people seem more Sudanese than Ethiopian.

Their presence in Ethiopia is one reminder that the modern Ethiopia represents more than 80 different ethnic groups, each with their own culture and history.

Food for the Hungry began working among the Gumuz people nine years ago and remains as the only humanitarian organization serving these people who are often viewed with animosity by more dominant groups in Ethiopia.

Today, the first generation of Gumuz children are going to school. In partnership with the local government and churches, Food for the Hungry serves more than 2,000 children and their families in the Belo area through child sponsorship. These once “hard to reach” children are not only learning to develop the mind that God has given them, but also know that God’s people around the globe care about their well-being.

Food for the Hungry works in partnership with the 11 schools in the Belo area by providing training for teachers. Over the past nine years, enrollment in these schools has jumped from 3,044 to 7,212 students. Two new schools have been opened, two primary schools have been upgraded to secondary schools, and classrooms have been equipped with more than 1,000 desks.

Food for the Hungry also serves local church leaders through Bible training, a vital need in an area where many embrace Christianity, but have had little access to fuller Christian teaching.

Because Food for the Hungry child sponsorship addresses community challenges on many levels, many parents are becoming equipped with farming practices for livelihood and general parenting skills.

Biniam Mengesha, a former sponsored child from the area, and now a university student, remembers when Food for the Hungry staff first began to develop a relationship with his family. Biniam was raised by his mother, who earned about 200 Ethiopian birr a year through farming (approximately $20). His brothers also helped support the household as they struggled to meet daily needs. Biniam says that as staff members gained a connection with his family and grew to know him better, they asked him, “Biniam, what do you want to be?”

As Biniam progressed in school, he saw his aptitude in mathematics and his vision for his future grew. Today, he is majoring in accounting at Bahar Dar Univeristy, a state university, and is active in a campus Christian fellowship. As he nears graduation, he has aspirations, but not to make a big name for himself or build a career in the city. Biniam wants to serve the Gumuz people who live in even more remote locations than where he grew up. “I want to be a model for them to show them what is possible. I have a mission,” Biniam says.

Even as Biniam works toward the fulfillment of his vision, he already inspires the children in his village who look up to him. Just like Biniam, many children today, who have stood on the periphery of Ethiopian society, are receiving and giving a message of hope.

[ a rock of hope in ethiopia ]

Fighting Against HIV/AIDS

For decades, Ethiopia has struggled with the lack of natural resources along with internal and external conflicts; however, in recent years, a new threat has encroached on an already poverty-stricken people. An estimated 980,000 people are HIV-positive in this nation.With each infected person, a family and community are affected, resulting in one of the greatest challenges the nation has ever faced.

In Zeway, Ethiopia, a city that lies south of the capital of Addis Ababa, a 12-year-old girl named Tigist is learning to overcome the pain and crisis HIV/AIDS has brought to her own life. Translated into English, her name means “patience.” But Tigist is not only patient, she is brave.

When Tigist was 8 years old, she lived on the street with her mother and younger brother. Her mother, whose name is Tsehay, was HIV positive and suffered rejection and discrimination. Tsehay could find jobs, but she was terminated as soon as employers or customers discovered she had HIV. Discrimination also affected the family’s housing situation. Over the course of eight years, the family lived in 12 rented spaces.

At a desperate point in this family’s journey, young Tigist heard that Food for the Hungry was helping children like her. Not wasting time, she went to the organization’s office and told the staff about her family’s situation.

Shume Dore, a Food for the Hungry staff in Zeway, says he still remembers when Tigist appeared asking for help. After the first meeting,Tigist took Shume and other staff members to her mother. The staff learned that Tigist was not in school, the family was homeless, and Tsehay was sick and pregnant.

The Food for the Hungry staff in Zeway immediately responded by offering friendship, connection to a local church, insight into available government resources, monthly food staples, and regular contact to ensure that the most essential needs of Tigist and her family were being met. (Continued on page 24)

At a desperate point in this family’s journey, young Tigist heard that Food for the Hungry was helping children like her. Not wasting time, she went to the organization’s office and told the staff about her family’s situation.

right: Tigist, a girl who has suffered much but also accomplished much.

BELOW LEFT: Tigist with her mother, Tsehay. RIGHT: An excellent report card for an excellent student.

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food for the hungry staff in northern Ethiopia.

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[ a rock of hope in ethiopia ]

Tigist was soon assigned a counselor through Food for the Hungry’s child development program. However, it became clear that Tigist did not want to go to school.

When Tigist is asked about her lack of interest in school, she says, “I thought that my mother was going to die and that I would just become a hired worker for someone else, so why should I go to school?”

Tigist, however, has since changed her perspective. Today, she ranks third in her class of 70 students. Her report card shows marks in the 80s and 90s. The space for her teacher’s comments says, “Excellent work!”

Tigist is also learning about Jesus at the local Mekane Yesus Christian Church.

Looking back on the past few years, Tigist says, “I have been very happy since I joined FH.” Life is still challenging for Tigist and her family. They live in a one-room home that is partitioned by a hanging cloth. Tsehay earns some income by weaving traditional Ethiopian baskets. Her middle child is also HIV positive.Yet, it can be said that the change in their circumstances has been radical.

Dawit Kassaye, Food for the Hungry’s project director in Zeway, says such change comes as Christian people in Ethiopia and around the world live out the biblical call to care for those who are outcast in society. He says, “Those who follow Jesus are called to love their neighbors and to have special care for those who are vulnerable. We must be characterized by our love for the needy, which certainly includes the masses of people who are suffering directly or indirectly from HIV/AIDS. We can offer both physical help and spiritual hope in Christ.”

Dawit and the rest of the staff members of Food for the Hungry reach out to the poor and needy in Zeway, serving 2,100 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. They conduct biblically based abstinence and faithfulness teaching for young people to help inform and empower the next generation to stop the spread of HIV. While the challenges remain daunting, their vision for life-giving work in this community has never been more ambitious, and so they continue to shine the light of Christ’s love in both word and deed.

Seeking the Good of Ethiopia above: Dawit Kassaye, Food for the Hungry’s project director in Zeway, Ethiopia. RIGHT: A garden started by Food for the Hungry to teach gardening skills and provide vegetables for orphans and vulnerable children.

In the ancient, yet modern context of Ethiopia many are struggling in poverty and facing ancient, yet modern issues. However in the modern day, the Ethiopian believer noted in Acts 8 is joined by masses of Ethiopian believers who are following Jesus and seeking the good of their country.

“The poverty we face is deep and wide. So we must respond in a way that is deep and wide,” says Dawit Kassaye. “There is no quick fix; yet, we are not hopeless because Jesus is our hope.” 9

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frontliners

Meet some young people in rural Guatemala who are fighting – and winning – against adversaries of hope.

Interviews by Rez Gopez-Sindac

Can any good thing come from a country still reeling

under the weight of a brutal past?

For 36 years, Guatemala suffered through a civil war (19602006) that left its people with shattered dreams and an uncertain future. Thirteen years later, the memories are still painful and peace remains fragile, but in many indigenous communities where Food for the Hungry works, hope is rising as a young generation – schooled and ambitious – stakes a claim at a positive future.

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Food for the Hungry began its work in Guatemala in 1976 in response to relief needs after a major earthquake hit the country. Since then, Food for the Hungry has been reaching out to the Mayan population with practical and sustainable solutions to poverty and health issues while at the same time inviting them to come to the knowledge and love of God. Here, four young Guatemalan adults share their bumpy past and how they have come a long way in their resolve to build a better life for their families and communities.

against many odds, Carlos Lem graduated from the university with a degree in education. As a local pastor and Food for the Hungry staff, Lem inspires individuals and families in his community to pursue their dreams.

Carlos Lem, 36 Food for the Hungry Staff and local pastor

The Lord also called me to be a pastor of a church in my community of El Rancho. I have been pastoring for 6 years now. What I learn at FH, I share with my congregation. My church is not big, but we have many professionals who are active members.

Working with FH is exciting. I don’t get tired. I consider it as my ministry. My prayer is that God would continue to use me and that through His work on my life, others may be drawn to Him.

I started working at Food for the Hungry when I was 19, one year after I got married.

My first job at FH was as a promoter. I had finished only sixth grade when I was hired, and I soon understood the importance of continuing my studies.

A big part of my job as a promoter was visiting families and encouraging parents to victor jom, 27 support their children’s education. It became food for the hungry staff a challenge to me as well, and so even though My mother was pregnant with me during the civil war. It was I had a busy job and a growing family, I one of those chaotic days, all the families were leaving town, decided to finish high school, after which I running for their lives. My mom – who was about ready to went to the university to become a professor. deliver – also fled, not knowing where to go. She ended up My parents never went to school, not giving birth to me at a park in San Cristobal. even first grade. But because of my example, When I was 18 months, my mother died. My father decided my family’s perspective changed. My younger he could not take care of six children on his own, so he remarried. sister and younger brother finished high But my stepmother had no love for me and my siblings. As a school and they now are teachers. child I was always sick. One family, however, wanted me badly I wasn’t a Christian when I got a job at Food enough to adopt me. My new family allowed me to go to for the Hungry, but someone at work lovingly school, but I did not have time to do my homework because I and patiently shared with me the Gospel and was always working. I felt more like a slave than a son.

I learned about Food for the it impacted my Hungry when I was in fourth life. Back then I grade. Some Americans and staff had no vision for members came to my school to my life; I was just teach us and play with us, just going around in like what our staff do today. But circles. God used during that time, the older people him to open my in the community did not want mind so I could understand that God us near any Gringos. They told us had a plan for me and my family. that Gringos come to town to eat My wife, like most people – carlos lem the children. But I did not believe in the community, came from a food for the hungry staff and local pastor these threats. Besides, Food for the family that didn’t understand the Hungry workers were nice to me. importance of education. When we got married, she had finished only second grade. But she had a They encouraged me to continue my studies. They reminded dream. At age 24, she enrolled in third grade. She was 28 when me that God loved me and that there was hope for me.

When I finished sixth grade, my family said that was enough. she finished primary school; at 31, she finished middle school.

They warned that if I continued going to school they would She is now 35 and plans to finish high school.

Food for the Hungry is leaving San Cristobal to move kick me out of the house. I decided to follow my dream and to another community that needs our help. We’ve served left home. By God’s mercy, an American missionary took me in San Cristobal for 19 years, and we have seen change. The and supported me through two years of middle school. Then I communities know that the time has come for them to do enlisted in the military, where I learned English.

After five years in the military, I returned to San Cristobal. things on their own. The foundation has been laid for them to build on. I know they will continue to embrace the values that I decided to visit FH just to thank the staff. But God had a blessing waiting for me: FH was looking for a security guard, they learned from FH. I never thought I would be doing what I am doing today. and I got hired. In that same year, I got married.

“my prayer is that god would continue to use me and that through his work on my life, others may be drawn to him.”

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Victor Jom helps children understand that God loves them and has a beautiful plan for their lives.

After a year as a security guard, I became a promoter and was assigned to the community where I used to live. I worked with seven women who were interested in learning how to do handicrafts. By the end of the year, there were 40 women working with me.

Working at Food for the Hungry allowed me many opportunities to learn about God’s love and His plan for my life. I was able to gain knowledge, but I also understood that I

needed to put action to my faith. By God’s grace I have since reconciled with my father and adoptive family, and everything is peaceful between us.

Right now, my goal is to finish university and for my wife to finish middle school so we can be good examples to our community. But as we wait, we continue to gladly share God’s love to young boys and girls in the community. I pray that God would also use me to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Maria lopez has blossomed into a smart, confident young woman.

marida lopez, 23 bilingual teacher I was a sponsored child with Food for the Hungry since first grade. When I was in fourth grade I received news that my sponsor, Dr. Brad Titus, would come to see me. I got scared because I didn’t know what to expect. But I was very happy to meet him.

I was a very shy person, but as I started to have friendship with my sponsor and the FH staff, I became more confident about my uniqueness and what God could do through me.

My favorite sports are soccer and basketball. I like to run. At my school I always took first place in sports.

When I finished primary school I wanted to continue my studies, but my parents hesitated because they believed that a woman’s only job was to get married and raise a family. A Food for the Hungry staff came to visit my parents and explained to them that I

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had the same rights as a man, and that with a good education I could have a better future.

Finally, after lots of prayers and discussions, my parents allowed me to continue in middle school. My sponsor was very happy to learn that I was back in school. Every year, he came to visit me and my family.

After graduating from middle school, I wanted to go to high school and have a career. The cost was more expensive, and my father didn’t have a job. But my older brother understood my desire and he supported me to the best of his ability. It was a

difficult time, but I persevered. Today, everybody is very happy with my accomplishment. I was the first one in my family to finish high school. I am now a bilingual teacher, teaching in Spanish and Pokomchi, my native language.

I am very happy because I have accomplished something that I knew God had planned for me. But I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of Dr. Brad Titus, my sponsor. I have a lot of gratitude and respect for him. Because of his love and generosity, I too can be an example of courage and hope to many young people in my community. angel mo is the first person in his community to reach a college-level education.

angel mo, 24, teacher I was a sponsored child with Food for the Hungry. I grew up in the community of Saraxoch, in the municipality of San Cristobal. My parents never went to school and they always struggled to find a stable work, but they made my education a priority. That’s why I studied hard to prove to them that they were not wasting money on me.

There is no middle school in Saraxoch, so when I finished sixth grade, FH helped me and the other children in my class to continue our studies through a study-at-home program in partnership with an institution called America Latina. After graduating from middle school, FH provided me a scholarship so I could go to the city of Coban to finish high school.

I graduated from high school with a specialty in bilingual education and, almost immediately, found a job as a primary

teacher at a school in my community. But I did not stop there.

I enrolled in the university to get a higher degree, supporting myself with my salary as a teacher. I am the first in my community to reach this level of education. Today, I am a middle school teacher. I help support my younger siblings so they can also achieve their dreams.

I thank Food for the Hungry for all the support and encouragement that I received since I was in grade school. I won’t forget that very crucial moment when a staff read Joshua 1:9 to me. [Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.] I memorized this passage as a child, and it was the hope that carried me through some very difficult times. It’s my all-time favorite verse. 9

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VISION PARTNERS

A father and his daughter took a short-term mission trip to Guatemala and experienced anew the joy of serving and sharing.

By Karen Wilson-Johnson Traveling to a remote and somewhat rugged region for a week of hard work and program discovery is not something a typical senior citizen would put on their to-do list.

I smile as I write this because describing Duane Wilson as typical, or even as a senior citizen is amusing.There is nothing typical about my father, least of all acting his age. Any concerns that fellow team members might have had about traveling with a 79-year-old quickly disappeared as he effortlessly turned acquaintances into friends. I had an advantage: my father has long been my friend and a great traveling companion. This trip was right up his alley, and I was pleased to be on it with him.

Our two-flight journey from Denver to Guatemala City began early and ended late. It was followed by a full day of traveling into the high, lush terrain of the Alta Verapaz region. It was cool and raining gently as we climbed into the clouds. By

mer , a 79-year-old far Duane Wilson of any ne yo an s ite inv from Colorado, the and offer hope to age to reach out . rld wo e th in le peop most vulnerable

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late afternoon, we arrived at a small hotel on the outskirts of San Juan del Chamelco – our home far away from home, although we would spend little time there in the coming days.

Our host, Food for the Hungry/ Guatemala country director Victor Cortez, had planned a busy week for us. We would meet and work alongside community leaders and families in the nearby village of Santa Cecilia.We would help plant more than 250 citrus and avocado trees to mitigate erosion into the community water sources.

We would help village women learn to pack soil and seedlings as part of a reforestation project. We would hold a Vacation Bible School for an estimated 150 children (more than 400 people actually showed up).We would drive into the highlands and hike steep, narrow footpaths to meet sponsored children who would receive us into their humble homes. Occasionally that week, we would sleep.

This was not a vacation. So what would make Duane Wilson park his motor home and pack his bags for Central America to dig holes and help strangers living in poverty a world away?

(Editor’s note: Duane’s words in handwritten text) I have the time now and can afford to do some things ed I couldn’t before. Liz and Dick Mulhern, who organiz tural agricul the about ted motiva me got this trip, really aspect of this trip to Guatemala and how I might lend I some expertise to what they were doing down there. d sounde it t though I but offer to much had I didn’t think interesting and worthwhile.

My father was born and raised on a farm in Colorado, purchased by his grandfather in the 1890s. Absent only long enough to serve in the Korean War, he returned home to farm.

He built a small feedlot, which he grew to a 70,000-head lamb-feeding operation. As a practical means to manage waste, he began composting. It expanded into a stand-alone organics recycling company, which became the primary family business

and the largest organic recycler in Colorado. Liz and Dick thought he had something to offer, even if he didn’t believe it himself.

Their [FH Guatemala] restoration projects, using things like worm castings and so on were something I actually understood very well. And I had some good conversations with their agronomist, which I think maybe helped him some. I hope so.

I know they were on the right track by getting those trees set in there properly. And if they follow through, they will grow some very healthy trees. What I saw was a very sustainable reforestation project, one they can build on each year.

In the Mayan villages throughout Guatemala, firewood is still used as the primary fuel for cooking and heating. That will not likely change soon, which makes Food for the Hungry/ Guatemala’s reforestation efforts very important. Malnutrition is also a chronic problem in the indigenous villages – one that has more to do with the quality rather than the quantity of food available. Corn is their primary food source, but it doesn’t provide adequate nutrition for proper growth. In general, their diet lacks good nutrition. Food for the Hungry is addressing this through education and collaboration with community leaders on multiple fronts. Improving farming methods is one; another is working with mothers to increase awareness about nutrition and health.

through food for the hungry’s multiple programs in Guatemala, such as livelihood development and health training, families are equipped and empowered to make positive lifestyle changes.

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on such densely It’s tough to grow corn that high and d – a few here, a tere forested land. Corn stalks are scat not an area that simply few there – among the trees. It’s introduce other to is will produce commercially, but the goal better feed can they so crops and effective farming methods fruits of ty varie A their families. And that can be done. there. grow will value l and vegetables with good nutritiona enge chall a be will It .

Remember, they do everything by hand . uries cent for s thing to change the way they’ve been doing way, right the s thing t Victor and his staff are going abou very impressed by how letting the elders take the lead. I was s of the community elder well-managed their projects are. The r to learn, and eage and seemed fully committed – excited people. their g they are so passionate about helpin

provide enough food for their families. by learning better agriculturAL practices, farmers are able to

In Santa Cecilia and other villages we visited, mother-groups get together to learn and support each other in ways that will significantly improve the health of their families. They bring their babies and small children on a regular basis to be weighed and measured by Food for the Hungry staff. Food for the Hungry bases their work on biblical principles and they are making measurable self-sustaining improvements in the lives of the people they are committed to helping.

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The passion Victor and his staff have for their people and for their projects was very inspiring to watch. Food for the Hungry is light years ahead, in my opinion. They don’t just teach a man to fish – they teach a whole village to fish. It doesn’t create dependency. It’s about educating and creating sustainability – we heard and saw that over and over. The thing Victor asked us to give was our knowledge and encouragement.

We were there to extend a hand up not a hand out, and I think that’s exactly right. We worked side by side with the leaders of the community. They have a great passion for what’s going on and are really trying to lead their people. I was really impressed by that.

[ vision partners ]

One morning our group visited Guachcob, about an hour away. It was a community in which Food for the Hungry had worked for nearly 20 years, a community from which they were in the process of disengaging because they were no longer needed there. And my father’s view on that?

Food for the Hungry has a philosophy that’s working.

It was a view shared by the entire group.

For three afternoons, Christ’s “let the children come” was another biblical principle we experienced, as 400 mothers and children poured out of the hillsides and down the dirt road to fill the bright green church courtyard, in anticipation of the Bible school program we offered. As soon as the doors opened, every bench was filled and every heart was blessed – especially ours.

At first blush, seeing kids come from everywhere, you’d think, well sure, they’re coming for the entertainment. But watching closer, you could see in their faces they were like little sponges, absorbing everything offered. They wiggled a bit, every kid wiggles, but they were so good, so attentive.

You’d never see many kids behaving that well back home. It was the same in the school we visited. Kids in every class were extremely well behaved. School is a privilege there and those kids realize it. They want to stay in school as long as their parents are able to let them.

There is public education in Guatemala. Villages like Santa Cecilia, however, typically have just one primary school. Sixth grade is as far as a rural indigenous child can go, unless they travel to another community. Some children do, either by walking many miles each way each day, or by paying room and board. It is a rare few who can do either. Most of the children we saw will be lucky to complete six years of education.

One very important component for children sponsored

by Food for the Hungry is education. It is incentive for the whole family. Perhaps the most amazing part of our week was the time we spent with sponsored children and their families.

They welcomed us into their homes and spent what little they had to offer us cups of purified water and something to eat.

We talked, we shared, we prayed, we cried. We brought a gift for each sponsored child, carefully and perfectly selected by Food for the Hungry staff. The big smiles on their faces, as they unwrapped the backpack for school and the large colorful blanket, was a gift to us – far greater in value than what we could ever given them.

I don’t know why my childhood was so richly blessed. I only know that the 79-year-old man who made this trip to Guatemala with me has always been at the core of that blessing. The week we spent together in Santa Cecilia with Food for the Hungry was, in equal parts, sad and joyous, challenging and uplifting. It was, in full measure, an experience that added many new friends to our lives and drew us both closer to our Father God. What a privilege it was for me to become a small part of the huge difference Food for the Hungry is making in Santa Cecilia ‑ one of too many hard places in the world. I would encourage anyone, of any age to go on a trip like this with this awesome organization.

I couldn’t agree more. Late in the afternoon, at the end of another long day, I watched from the steps as my father stood in the church courtyard, surrounded by beautiful Guatemalan children, holding a plastic wand in his hand making giant soap bubbles. It is one more cherished memory, one more gift, one more blessing this child will forever treasure.

Karen Wilson-Johnson is co-owner of Wilson Johnson Creatives, a graphic design firm and commercial photography studio, speicalizing in portraits and documentary work for foundations and nonprofits. She contributed her photography work on her recent trip to Guatemala.

View her work at www.wiljohn.com/karenwilsonjohnson.html 9

Below: Duane and the rest of the team plant more than 250 citrus and avocado trees to help mitigate soil erosion. RIGHT: Making giant soap bubbles is as enjoyable to Duane as it is to these Guatemalan children.

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MAILING INDICIA HERE

www.fh.org DOING…LOVING…WALKING