wfn.org | Presbyterian Hunger Program project gets hurry-up review

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Note #7158 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

14-May-2002
02176

Presbyterian Hunger Program project gets hurry-up review

Committee provides for continuity in innovative 8-nation program

by Jerry L. Van Marter

CARDENAS, Cuba - An assessment of an innovative new hunger program that links Presbyterian Church (USA) presbyteries, missionaries and area coordinators with partner churches overseas and like-minded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has been hurried along by six months.

With the evaluation out of the way, the program will be able to continue uninterrupted if it gets the go-ahead to continue, as expected.

During a recent meeting here, the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP)'s advisory committee gave a boost to "Joining Hands Against Hunger," a fledgling program designed to deal holistically with hunger issues in eight countries.

Committee members also visited church-aided cooperative farms and urban community gardens where industrious Cubans are striving to overcome chronic food shortages.

The Joining Hands program, which began operations in 2000, is coordinated by the Rev. Lynn Connette, of Charlottesville, VA, and the Rev. Lionel Derenencourt, of Louisville, both of the PHP staff, in cooperation with Worldwide Ministries Division area coordinators and PC(USA) mission personnel in the eight countries.

"By linking presbyteries with WMD and our mission personnel and coordinators, together with our partner churches and NGOs, mutual cooperation, rather than PC(USA) agenda-setting, can happen," Derenencourt said.

The creation of Joining Hands networks in each country has been challenging and sometimes frustrating, Connette said, noting that money often gets in the way.

"My role, almost always, is to change the mindset of U.S. Presbyterians," she said, "because they tend to want to respond - whenever they see a critical need - immediately, with cash."

The PHP coordinator, the Rev. Gary Cook, said Joining Hands takes a novel approach to hunger-relief ministry. In the past, PHP has been essentially a grant-making entity overseas. 
"This ministry is really important," Cook told the Presbyterian News Service, "because we're trying to help with assessments of needs, networking and education, so partners in other countries can set their own agendas, rather than simply chasing the money we're dangling out there."

The countries (and presbyteries) involved in the pilot project are India (Sacramento), Peru (Giddings-Lovejoy), Bolivia (San Francisco), South Africa (Western Reserve), Lesotho (Cascades), Cameroon (Chicago), Israel-Palestine (Greater Atlanta) and Egypt (Des Moines). The PHP provides $3,000 a year to each presbytery to help fund their participation.

"Each country network is at a different place, and so are the presbyteries," Connette said. "They're all beginning with a study of the Biblical foundations for social justice. A new addition - and a real stretch for many of them - is a study of economics: why countries are facing these hunger-related social issues."

By accelerating the evaluation process, Cook said, development of networks in each country can proceed uninterrupted.

A comprehensive review

The review of Joining Hands Against Hunger, conducted at the Christian Center for Reflection and Dialogue, was part of a comprehensive, five-day review of PHP efforts against hunger. "In recent years, the Presbyterian Hunger Program has developed into a far more complex organization," Cook said, "(doing more) than simply making grants and distributing resources."

Some of the other PHP efforts reviewed were:

* Enough for Everyone, a multi-faceted project of PHP, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, Presbyterian Women, Women's Ministries and the Social Justice Program Area that includes: the Presbyterian Coffee Project, which encourages Presbyterians to buy "fair trade" coffee (700 congregations have signed on so far); Sweat-Free Tees - the sale of tee shirts and tote bags guaranteed not produced in "sweat shops" at PC(USA) events (including this year's General Assembly); Investing in Hope, which gives small-business loans at below-market rates to grassroots organizations through an ecumenical agency, Oikocredit; and Electric Stewardship, a program that encourages congregations to be more conservation-minded, particularly in energy usage.

* End Homelessness Project: The Rev. Jean Kim, of Seattle, who runs this program, gave a wrap-up report on the six-year project funded by PHP and Women's Ministries. In those six years, Kim has given 341 presentations in 83 cities in 28 states, focusing on helping congregations respond to the needs of the homeless in their communities. Kim, whose term ends Dec. 31, said she now is focusing on Korean congregations and seminaries. The committee discussed ways of extending the ministry beyond the end of her term.

* Educational resources: The committee discussed recently-produced resources for the support of congregational hunger ministries: "Cents-Ability," educational and interpretive materials for 2-Cents-A-Meal and similar programs; Is There Enough? and A Kid Started It!, children's Bible studies; an "End Homelessness" video in Korean; and PowerPoint presentations on sweat shops and living-wage issues for use by Hunger Action Enablers.

* Enough for Everyone at General Assembly, a PHP-sponsored effort to expand the gift shop at General Assembly from SERRV to include eight to 10 other alternative trade groups.

* Designated Giving Catalog: Advisory committee member Gaylan Freisenborg and his wife, Leona, have volunteered to produce a PHP designated-giving catalog to describe hunger-related projects that congregations can support.
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