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Date: June 10, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com)

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NEWSLINE
June 10, 2005

Church of the Brethren denomination is lead sponsor for Guatemalan food
security program.

June 10, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- Guatemala is the setting of a new interchurch
project in which the Church of the Brethren is the lead sponsor. Located
in 
Totonicapan in western Guatemala, the three-year project is aimed at developing
food security for 570 Mayan families in 20 rural communities.

Components of the project include diversifying food production,
introducing 
greenhouse and patio garden techniques, training in soil and water management,
 protecting watersheds and the environment, developing local markets, and
strengthening indigenous women's organizations. "Given the small parcels
of land
 and lack of alternatives for compensated work, the Totonicapan project
strives  not only to introduce sustainable agricultural practices but to strengthen
the  voice of local peasant groups," said Howard Royer, manager of the Global
Food  Crisis Fund for the Church of the Brethren General Board.

A  coalition formed by Foods Resource Bank and Church World Service has
enlisted  several Guatemalan partner agencies, principally the Conference of
Evangelical  Churches of Guatemala and the National Coordination of Widows of
Guatemala. The	latter is a grassroots movement of indigenous women
widowed during
the country's  internal armed conflict.

Funding for the first-year grant of $103,500 includes $10,000 from the
Brethren account in the Foods Resource Bank, from the proceeds of growing
projects. Other partners are Christian Reformed World Relief Committee,  Evangelical
Covenant Church World Relief, Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite	Central
Committee, United Church of Christ Wider Church Ministries, United  Methodist
Committee on Relief, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  The $51,800
contributed by the churches is matched by a grant from US AID.

The work in Totonicapan is the first Foods Resource Bank program for which
the Church of the Brethren is a lead sponsor. Through the Global Food Crisis
Fund, the denomination’s General Board became an implementing member of the
Foods Resource Bank in 2004. The board has placed volunteers and advocated for
peace and human rights in Guatemala for three decades. For information about
the  Global Food Crisis Fund see
_www.brethren.org/genbd/global_mission/gfcf.htm_ (http://www.brethren.org/genbd/global_mission/gfcf.htm) .

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to
continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith  in
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its  300th
anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil,
the 
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

# # #

For more information contact:

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News Services
Church of the  Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-5100  ext. 260
_cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org_
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org)

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The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl  Brumbaugh-Cayford,
director of news services for the Church of the Brethren  General Board.
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