wfn.org | ELCA Bishop Visits North Korea

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>

ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEF

December 4, 1997

NORTH KOREA STABLE, NOT STRONG

The Rev. Howard E. Wennes, bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Grand
Canyon Synod, took part in an inter-religious
delegation to North Korea Nov. 4-8.  "We came away
convinced that this is a nation severely in need
of continued and increased aid, including
partnerships to address the development challenges
that will outlast droughts and floods," said
Wennes, a board member of Lutheran World Relief.
The delegation reports that the hunger situation
in North Korea has been stabilized but not solved.
 "We went anticipating the worst," said Wennes.
"Yet our first report is good news: food and
medicine given by governments and non-governmental
agencies (NGOs) such as ours have helped many
North Koreans fight sickness and hunger.  At the
same time, an aid worker told us the children she
sees now are 'stabilized ... but not strong.'"
LWR has produced a 10-minute video, "Silent Plea:
Inside North Korea's Famine," that gives a rare
glimpse of the suffering of people there.  The
images of weak and suffering children are heart
wrenching, according to Laurel Hensel of the
ELCA's World Hunger Program.  Through LWR and
Action by Churches Together (ACT), the ELCA is
part of North Korea's long-term recovery, Hensel
said.  She encouraged Lutherans to "be a bridge to
the thousands of hungry children in North Korea.
Delegation members pointed to the need for
advocacy around specific issues, including U.S.
military involvement. "North Koreans spoke of the
joint military exercises held by the U.S. and
South Korea off their borders, so we were forced
to see how we have been part of their problem,"
Wennes said.  He called for more work in this
area.  Wennes concluded, "One of our colleagues
described this struggle as 'the last battle of the
Cold War.'  Might it be possible to win this one
for both sides -- with bread, not bombs; with
medicines instead of land mines?  We say yes,
because we are people who share a faith memory.
Hope says it has happened before.  Love says it
can happen again."

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or
NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html