The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. Sadly, we have failed to use the connection effectively. Beginning at the end of January the Mission /Outreach Office will begin “organized and unorganized connections” through conference calls, internet blog-spots, and skype calls with those interested in working in partnership on the world hunger issues. To be part of these conversations, contact our office and indicate areas of interests: Asia, Africa, Europe, Caribbean/Latin America or USA.
Many churches are already involved in mission activities with the hungry. Some are doing Relief Work — providing for immediate hunger needs (food packets, Second Harvest). This type of ministry is needed and welcomed. Immediate needs must be met. Other churches are involved in Development — helping people to help themselves in the future (agriculture, business, ponds).
Working together, using The Advance for Christ’s Church and the Western North Carolina Conference’ Advances (WEB ADDRESS) provides options for smaller organizations and churches to get involved with larger organizations and churches. 100 % of all contributions through The Advance go to the program the donor has sponsored. Let’s put the connection to work.
Information on the connection will be in the wncc-enews.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Why are prices High?
- Poor Harvests, lack of fertilizers, and restrictive trade policies — The world production of cereals has not kept pace with the demand. The cause is from droughts, flooding, and a lack of fertilizers (a petroleum product) in many parts of Asia and Africa. As stocks have dwindled, some countries have now placed export restrictions on food to protect their own supplies. This is especially punishing poor countries that depend on imports for much of their food. Stocks of cereal products have dropped from 650 million tons to just over 400 million tons.
- Increasing price of fuel — Food products track energy costs. As the price of oil rose over $140 a barrel, the cost of running a farm rose. Petroleum is a key ingredient in making some types of fertilizer, which is increasingly essential to agriculture in countries where the “ground has been used up” due to the lack of crop-rotation and the constant use of land.
- Diversity of crops for bio-fuels — The expensive fuel costs created more demands for alternatives. In the United States, farmers are devoting more land to corn at the expense of other crops and turning more of the corn they grow into ethanol. Both corn and grain prices have been driven higher (increase of corn used for fuel — 2000: 4%, 2008: 24%).
- Increase in demand — As countries become richer (China and India), people tend to purchase foods such as fruit and meat more than staples, such as rice. As a result, more grain has been diverted to feed livestock than people. Staples for people have risen as a result, as have the prices of meat products, ad the demands go up.
Future Anticipations: Prices are not expected to go down anytime soon. Even though oil costs have gone down, the demands for bio-fuels and the move towards protectionist trade policies have kept prices high. There will be areas of the world with significant food shortages (Asia and Africa) while other countries in the same region may have increases in food production kept within the home-country. Countries with poor agriculture practices will suffer the worst.
Sources: United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization; Agriculture Department; Energy Information Administration; World Bank; International Food Policy Research Institute; and Global Food Price Index.
World Hunger Report # 1 -- Kenya
John Calhoun, United Methodist Missionary in Kenya writes: “Inflation is running at about 15-20% annually with prices rising even higher each month. Food Stables, such as bread, maize, and wheat flour, sugar, milk products, and meats were all up 20% (the first five months of 2008).”
“One factor is the skyrocketing cost of fuel. A gallon of unleaded gasoline now costs about USD 6.12. Naturally, this makes transportation of food products very expensive. At the present time Kenya is not suffering starvation or famine. But the cost of food is eating away at the average income. In the rural areas, there is fear of serious shortages to come.”
“One factor is the skyrocketing cost of fuel. A gallon of unleaded gasoline now costs about USD 6.12. Naturally, this makes transportation of food products very expensive. At the present time Kenya is not suffering starvation or famine. But the cost of food is eating away at the average income. In the rural areas, there is fear of serious shortages to come.”
Mission Initiative: WORLD HUNGER
2008 has been particularly hard for millions of people the world over. High energy prices took their toll, especially among the poor and the working poor. As costs for transportation went up, so did the cost for the most basic of products needed by humanity — food.
Added to the rising cost of food is the impact by disasters — a cyclone in Myanmar, droughts in Asia, and man-made disasters in Africa. In addition, fore-closures of properties in America have closed many family farms in the Mid-west portions of America.
In the face of what is being called the worst food emergency in our life-time, the Commission on Mission/Outreach is calling for the churches and membership of the Conference to place missional priorities on meeting the needs — locally, nationally, and internationally.
Rice, the stable for most of the world has doubled and tripled over the past year. The food banks of North Carolina have been innodated by people needing support — many people who have never needed help in the past. The hard facts of the crisis world-wide exacerbate already appalling and inexcusable realities:
· One out of three children in America go to bed hungry;
· One in four children in America go to school without breakfast;
· A child dies of hunger every five seconds in the world;
· One in four children in the developing countries is underweight;
· American diets of the working poor have shifted to more fatty foods and away from healthy foods.
In this edition of Missions Alive, on the conference webpage, at the District Leadership Conferences, and in the WNCC enews churches and members will be made aware of ways they may be able to end some of the world hunger in the world. Some help will be through “relief” efforts, but it is hoped that most of the help will be through “development” efforts.
For additional information or speakers for local churches, contact the Office of Mission/Outreach. Also, see the Mission/ Outreach Guidebook for Advance Special information
Added to the rising cost of food is the impact by disasters — a cyclone in Myanmar, droughts in Asia, and man-made disasters in Africa. In addition, fore-closures of properties in America have closed many family farms in the Mid-west portions of America.
In the face of what is being called the worst food emergency in our life-time, the Commission on Mission/Outreach is calling for the churches and membership of the Conference to place missional priorities on meeting the needs — locally, nationally, and internationally.
Rice, the stable for most of the world has doubled and tripled over the past year. The food banks of North Carolina have been innodated by people needing support — many people who have never needed help in the past. The hard facts of the crisis world-wide exacerbate already appalling and inexcusable realities:
· One out of three children in America go to bed hungry;
· One in four children in America go to school without breakfast;
· A child dies of hunger every five seconds in the world;
· One in four children in the developing countries is underweight;
· American diets of the working poor have shifted to more fatty foods and away from healthy foods.
In this edition of Missions Alive, on the conference webpage, at the District Leadership Conferences, and in the WNCC enews churches and members will be made aware of ways they may be able to end some of the world hunger in the world. Some help will be through “relief” efforts, but it is hoped that most of the help will be through “development” efforts.
For additional information or speakers for local churches, contact the Office of Mission/Outreach. Also, see the Mission/ Outreach Guidebook for Advance Special information
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