The Entanglement of Conflict and Hunger

Teri Mueller

Where there is violence, hunger often lurks in the shadows. Though not always apparent, food scarcity can serve as a catalyst of conflict as well as a consequence of violent outbreaks. In many ways, the complex relationship between conflict and hunger is a bit ambiguous. Either one may cause the other. Wars may result from the desperation of the hungry or the greed of resource owners, but hunger may also be created from the devastation of war.

Functioning as a catalyst, hunger can fuel conflict due to either an overall shortage of commodities or the exploitation and selfish use of commodities by those in power. Additionally, inflation of food prices can cause high tensions and even riots.¹People compete over land and resources. Hunger provokes conflict as it can be used as weapon. Sieges can damage food supplies. Land and livestock are often destroyed.² Economic sanctions can also severely hurt the food stability in a region as we have seen in Syria. The list goes on and on.

Hunger also functions as a consequence of conflict. An article from a 2012 edition of New Routes: A Journal of Peace Research and Action explains that conflict and social instability impact the “core elements of food security” which areavailability, access, and utilization.¹ Damaged equipment, destroyed farmland, closed markets and displaced farmers and herders all cause the availability of food to be jeopardized. Access to food is impeded when roads are destroyed, which leads to supplies being cut off. The utilization of food is not executed properly when there is a lack of clean water or shortages of certain nutrient-dense foods.¹Prolonged conflict can cause prolonged hunger. Even after the conflict ends, suffering continues due to hunger.

The intertwined nature of conflict and hunger is evident in our world today. A clear example can be seen by looking at the Central African Republic (CAR) where conflict has been heavily present since December 2012. According to the World Food Programme, around 1.6 million people in CAR are currently food insecure. They additionally reported that the 2013 agricultural production rate was approximately 40% lower than in 2012 and that food stocks in the main market in Bangui (the capital city) were only 20% of pre-crisis levels. Children have been hit especially hard by malnutrition. It is clearly evident that people are suffering due to conflict-related hunger. The ELCA is deeply concerned about the situation in CAR and supports the work of our companions in the region in an effort to combat poverty and hunger. (Read more about the work in CAR on the Lutheran Disaster Response blog.)

Hunger and conflict are not new problems, and there is no doubt that the two are closely connected. God has provided abundantly, but humans have created scarcity through the abuse and inefficient use of resources. Scarcity becomes especially prevalent around times of conflict. As Christians, we are called to acknowledge the reality of hunger and conflict in our world today. We are called to love our neighbors who are halfway across the world as well as the people who live next door or down the street. We are called to do our part to combat scarcity by advocating for food in a needy world and encouraging non-violent mediation in the midst of conflicts as we look forward to the day when God welcomes us to the eternal peace of our heavenly home.

Teri Mueller is an intern with ELCA World Hunger.

Pedro Conceicwo & Sebastian Levine, “Breaking the Cycle of Conflict and Hunger in Africa,” New Routes: A Journal of Peace Research and Action 17:3, 2012: 31-33
Marc Cohen & Per Pinstrup-Andersen, “Food Security and Conflict,” Social Research 66:1, 1999, 375-416

Book Review: Peter Singer’s The Life You Can Save

Henry Martinez

Peter Singer, The Life You Can Save: How to Do Your Part to End World Poverty. New York: Random House, 2010.

life you can save

I imagine it takes a good amount of restraint (and/or editorial skill) for a philosopher to present an argument, offer supporting anecdotes, and still manage to deliver an accessible read that comes in under 200 pages. In this account Singer makes the case for charitable giving, specifically charity that is directed toward the most vulnerable people. The argument, as Singer outlines, provides enough of a hook that readers could find themselves intrigued by his case even if they disagree with his underlying assumptions. It can be summed up in this way: “in order to be good people, we must give until if we gave more, we would be sacrificing something nearly as important as the bad things our donation can prevent” (140).

Singer shapes the claim and its premises on a utilitarian philosophy that appears demanding and unsustainable, but coalesces into a realistic approach by the end of the book. Before he gets there, Singer identifies and counters some common objections to giving. In a section entitled “Human Nature,” he tackles some psychological factors for why we don’t give more. Singer uses moral dilemmas to explore these, then highlights examples of philanthropic efforts to explain how cultures of giving are created. Having made the case for giving, Singer turns his attention to the state of aid, providing examples of the work of certain aid organizations. Even here, Singer doesn’t shy away from some of the challenges and difficulties aid organizations face. Of these challenges, he states, “the uncertainty about the impact of aid does not eliminate our obligation to give” (124). His main argument in this section is that significant life-improving work can be done at a relatively minor cost.

In the final section of the book Singer presents “A New Standard for Giving.” Perhaps recognizing one of the deep-seated rationalizations for not giving, he turns his attention to parents’ concern for their own children. He presents a challenge by stating that when we consider moral imperatives we don’t always assume that parents ought to put their children first. This works on a philosophical level, but Singer then points out that if an obligation is going to be accepted widely, we have to recognize that parents will meet the basic needs of their own children before that of strangers. Singer, by looking at how we defend moral obligations, though, argues that luxuries spent on one’s children are not justifiable ahead of the basic needs of others.

Singer avoids sounding prescriptive throughout the book until it comes to laying out his realistic approach to charitable giving. He suggests that people give 5% of their annual income, recognizing that some could comfortably give this amount and more, while others would find it difficult. He goes on to apply a progressive suggested donation based on the income tax bracket, which would, he calculates, raise eight times the amount of money required to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Singer’s recommendation is mainly for those making over $100,000 per year. For those who find themselves under this amount his message is essentially to think about the extra spending money we have and to cut back on luxuries. He demurs at defining this, but the logical conclusion of his philosophy is that a luxury would be anything more than what would be considered a basic need.

Those who are looking to make a case for charitable giving may appreciate the directness and consistency of the argument in this book. It may also appeal to those who appreciate debate, since Singer relies on his premises to pursue his main argument. But it is in the terms of the argument where we see the greatest contrast between Singer’s philosophy and a faith-based one. Singer acknowledges that there is evidence for charitable giving within the teachings of the major world religions, but his argument is not made on religious terms. As a result, his case progresses on a universalist approach, which runs the risk of undermining the efficacy of faith traditions and their competing, contextualized ethics.

Singer’s argument begins, “in order to be good people…” His argument is built on the assumption that charitable giving, specifically to the poorest and most vulnerable, makes us better people. Lutherans would reverse course, arguing that we are justified in Christ, which leads us to be giving. Even though we would start from an entirely different foundation or central claim than Singer, this does not mean his argument is irrelevant. Singer’s presentation essentially points out the reality of sin and injustice: some are very wealthy, many people are suffering, many more can do at least something about it. After reframing his argument, our efforts are better spent answering his challenge from within our own tradition. This book can be helpful in a study of what it means to “be good,” or as a discussion starter for groups looking to study stewardship. From a Christian perspective, one book that raises similar questions is Ron Sider’s Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Like Singer, he points out the disparities between the affluent and impoverished but builds the case for charitable giving from within the Christian tradition. Another book that Lutherans would appreciate for the theological connections is Samuel Torvend’s Luther and the Hungry Poor.

Henry Martinez is an education associate for ELCA World Hunger.

Meet the Summer 2014 Interns!

Teri Mueller

Lisa Burns, ELCA World Hunger Fundraising Intern

Lisa's Picture

My name is Lisa Burns, and I am a rising senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am studying global health with a focus on the regions of the Middle East and Latin America. As such, I have studied both Spanish and

Arabic and the university level. In the fall of 2014 I plan to further my knowledge of the Arabic language and culture through study abroad in Amman, Jordan. I am passionate about social justice and health issues, especially as they pertain to women and children. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in nonprofit work with an international focus. Therefore, I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with ELCA World Hunger this summer. I will be working on the fundraising side of the appeal and interacting with donors. I expect that I will learn a lot from my colleagues and my experiences here!

I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago and love the city. I have three sisters and a brother (who is getting married this summer!) In my free time, I enjoy reading and listening to and playing music. I play classical piano and a smattering of guitar. I like most music, especially when it’s live, and books about almost anything. In the past, I have done volunteer work at hospital emergency rooms throughout the state. I also spent several semesters volunteering with a program in Champaign that sends books to prisoners in Illinois state penitentiaries. These volunteer projects really helped to spark my interest in social justice. A fun fact about me is that I have two differently-sized pinky fingers!

Teri Mueller, ELCA World Hunger Education Intern

10 Facts about Me!

I am a senior at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa where I am double majoring in International Relations and Peace and Justice Studies with a minor in Spanish. I really love to learn!
I grew up in Manchester, Iowa and went to school at Maquoketa Valley in Delhi, Iowa.
Traveling is one of my passions. I recently returned from a European tour with the Wartburg Choir in which we visited eight countries and had 18 concerts in 28 days. I also spent a month studying Spanish in Costa Rica in May 2013.
Teasingly called the black sheep, I am the only one of my intermediate family to not be a music major.
I was elected Student Body Vice President for the 2014-2015 school year.
I work as a Resident Assistant at Wartburg and am responsible for planning monthly community programs based on the college’s pillars of leadership, service, faith, and learning.
I have a strong interest in human rights and social justice and have done research focused on restricted freedom of foreign movement, violence against women in Mexico, and various peace activists.
In my spare time I enjoy running, reading, volunteering, traveling, and spending time in the beauty of God’s natural creation.
I love volunteering and participating in service trips and hope to take time after I graduate to work with a service-oriented organization.
I am extremely excited to be the World Hunger Education Intern for summer 2014 and look forward to learning about and assisting with the work of ELCA World Hunger!

Megan Flowers, ELCA Malaria Campaign Intern

Howdy! My name is Megan Flowers and I am a senior community development major at Texas A&M University. This summer I am working as an intern with the ELCA Malaria Campaign. I am thrilled to take part in helping to eliminate preventable diseases. Lately I have learned a lot about caring for people with all you have, especially for those who are in the margins and vulnerable populations.

Megan's Picture 2

Through the ELCA campus ministry at Texas A&M, known as Treehouse Ministries, I have grown passions for poverty, hunger, homelessness, and health. As Team Leader and Office Assistant for Treehouse, I have had several extremely transformative years where I have grown in my faith, servant leadership, justice mindset, and meaningful relationships. This ministry has been a place I can call home, a community of the most loving people you could ever imagine. Yet, it is a group that continues to challenge each other to learn and change and grow. I am excited to take part in leading this ministry again as the fall approaches; for I know it will be another amazing adventure.

The last two summers I have worked at Ebert Ranch Camp, a part of Cross Trails Ministry, in Harper, Texas. As Adventure Coordinator I facilitated the high and low ropes courses, archery, and outcamp (outdoor cooking and camping). Camp was a bit of a scary adventure for me. Initially I had no idea what I was getting into. I had never even climbed a ropes course, and it was one of my first experiences with a ministry of the ELCA. And yet, I absolutely I fell in love with it. For the way camp impacts campers, staff, families, and all those involved, it will always have a special place in my heart.

This summer I hope to learn to love even more, to have a special place in my heart for the ELCA Malaria Campaign, the City of Chicago, and all the new relationships I will make on the way. I am overjoyed to see what the summer brings!

Intimate Partner Violence: A Hunger Issue

Ryan P. Cumming

There are plenty of barriers to employment in the US right now. The exporting of jobs to other nations, the shift from manufacturing to service and technology as central industries, and the rising costs of higher education are often dissected and discussed in articles and books on unemployment and poverty. But what happens when the obstacle to full employment – the kind of employment that can guarantee a sufficient, sustainable livelihood – comes not from market forces or politicians but from the actions of intimate partners?

This is precisely the case for many women, according to a significant body of research. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted in 2010 found that nearly 30% of women in the United States are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).[1] The survey included rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner as examples of violence, but the researchers did not measure other forms of IPV such as sexual coercion, psychological aggression, or control of reproductive or sexual health (like when a partner refuses to wear a condom.) Had they done so, it is likely that the rate of IPV would have been higher.

While people of any gender, sexuality, age, or economic status can be victims of IPV, vulnerability to violence is not the same for everyone. Women are more vulnerable than men (nearly three to one), and women residing in low-income households are more vulnerable than women in middle-income and upper-income households. In fact, women in households with an annual income less than $7500 were more than six times more likely to experience violence than women in households earning more than $50,000 per year, according to a study published in 2007. This isn’t just true of these two levels of household income, however; researchers found that as household income decreases, the rate of victimization increases, particularly for female members of the household. That said, while some groups may be statistically more vulnerable than others, IPV is not merely one more social ill that attaches to poverty. While the rates of IPV among economic classes may differ, IPV is still a reality for women, especially, of any class.

The relationship between violence and poverty for women is complex. Many women who lack the means to support themselves and their children on their own can often feel trapped in abusive relationships. Staying with an abuser may mean suffering physical, sexual, or psychological violence, but leaving may mean living without shelter, without access to food, or without other goods necessary for life. Leaving may also mean placing oneself at risk of increased violence.

Yet, being in an abusive relationship can also mean facing significant obstacles to escaping a life of poverty. In a 2004 article published in the Journal of Poverty, Lisa D. Brush found a “clear association” between vulnerability to abuse and vulnerability to poverty. While researchers are not sure how violence is related to poverty (Does violence make women more vulnerable to poverty? Does poverty make women more vulnerable to violence?), there is ample evidence to suggest that the two are related. In her study, Brush found a strong correlation between IPV and some kinds of economic challenges. Women who experienced intimate partner violence earned less money, had more difficulty paying bills, and experienced slightly higher rates of food insecurity than women who did not . Brush also found that, for some women, the violence they experienced from intimate partners was specifically related to work. This “work-related violence” included physical beatings, threats, and physical restraint from going to work. As is often the case, control, domination, and abuse weren’t limited to overt violence, however. Intimate partners also sabotaged women’s efforts to work by failing to show up for childcare, stealing cars or keys, or behaving inappropriately at the woman’s place of work.

This is not to say that women in these kinds of situations are totally helpless. Psychology professor Sherry Hamby (Sewanee, The University of the South) described a variety of common “protective” strategies in her report for the National Online Resource Center on Violence against Women. In reviewing recent research, Hamby found that women will protect themselves, children, and even pets from harm in many different ways, including contacting law enforcement, confiding in friends and family, and (even temporarily) leaving unsafe situations. Other “invisible strategies” include opening bank accounts and saving money (which can help increase the other options available to them), coaching children on how to escape from a potentially violent episode, returning to school to increase job prospects, and seeking help from therapists and advocates. Each of these strategies helps women – even when faced with economic challenges – exercise agency in situations that often threaten their well-being and freedom.

The link between IPV and economic insecurity is still real, even if researchers can’t yet document all of its complexity. One step congregations can take is to learn more. This is urgent, not only for congregations with ministries among women from low-income households, but for any congregation. While it is important to understand the complex links between vulnerability to violence and vulnerability to poverty, it’s also important to learn more and help raise awareness about the high rates of IPV among women of all economic classes. The ELCA’s Justice for Women website is a great place to start. There, you can find resources like the 2010 booklet on “Ministry with the Abused,” a joint project of the ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. FaithTrust Institute has excellent resources, as well. And this 2013 episode of PBS’s “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly” is a great way to spark conversations about the church’s role in confronting violence against women. Later in 2014, ELCA members will also have an opportunity to participate in the development of our church’s social message on gender-based violence. The public comment period for this message will be open from mid-September to mid-November. You can read more here.

The other important step is to advocate with victims of intimate partner violence and, particularly, with women. Abusing another human being seems like a personal choice, but even our most “intimate” choices happen within social and political contexts. For women in abusive relationships, that context includes systems which minimize the reality of gender-based violence, legal structures and practices which can become obstacles to women’s agency, and economic structures that still today do not value the labor of women as highly as the labor of men. Gender-based violence is not just a behavioral issue; it is a social issue. And, research indicates, it is a hunger issue. The intersections researchers have found between violence, hunger and poverty may be complex, but they are nevertheless real and challenge all of us to learn more about what accompaniment means for people of faith in this context.

(My thanks to Mary Streufert, Ph.D, for her assistance with this post. Dr. Streufert is Director of Justice for Women project for the ELCA.)

Ryan P. Cumming, Ph.D., is Program Director of Hunger Education for ELCA World Hunger.

[1] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define “intimate partner violence” as “physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse.” CDC, “Intimate Partner Violence” (2014), available athttp://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/intimatepartnerviolence/index.html?s_cid=fb_vv487. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey can be found at www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/index.html.

Women’s Literacy in Liberia

Ryan P. Cumming

It’s a sad fact of history that women’s bodies become “battlefields” in situations of armed conflict. Rape, trafficking, maiming and death are among the immediate threats women face when war breaks out. But the long-term effects of conflict can be severe, too, especially when women face sexual violence during war. This is true of the women of Bong and Lofa Counties in Liberia, many of whom were victims of rape during the civil war in their country. The obstacles they face providing for themselves and their children are serious, especially when coupled with the insufficient education they can access in Liberia.

Recently, the Liberian government has tried to make strides in improving the quality of and access to education, especially for women and girls. Still, though, less than half of the adult population is literate. Recognizing the importance of literacy, the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) in 2014 has started the “Young and Adult Women Basic Bilingual Literacy Project,” intended to help vulnerable women gain the skills they need to feed themselves and their children.

Remember the old saying, “Knowledge is power”? That is certainly true of the women associated with this project, some of whom “were born either before or during the heat of our civil war [and] most of whom are single mothers and solely depend on selling petite market [items] to support their children.” Despite their experiences during the long conflict – many of their children were born as a result of rape, according to the LCL – the women are “breadwinners” and vital members of their communities. Yet, their inability to read, write and count large numbers means that they are often on “the losing end” of transactions in the marketplace. Literacy means not only the ability to read and write – it can mean the difference between sustainable and unsustainable livelihood for themselves and their communities.

To support them in their efforts, the LCL will work with rural women in Liberia to teach them basic math and reading, skills that the LCL believes will not only benefit the women themselves but “have great potential to lift their communities from neglect.” Because of the skills, creativity and industry of women in these communities, the support offered by LCL’s program will have wide-reaching effects.

In addition to teaching nearly 300 women to read and write, the project will also create hundreds of educational resources, train teachers, and establish learning centers in the community. Moreover, the LCL will also teach women and girls basic skills in English, increasing their ability to participate in the marketplace and seek further education.

By listening to the needs – illiteracy, poverty, trauma – and the assets – strong women leaders, industriousness, support for education – in the communities in Liberia, the LCL will implement a program with great potential. As companions of the LCL, the ELCA has been invited to be part of this great work through the support of a grant from ELCA World Hunger. This year, Liberian women will be supported in their work by your gifts to ELCA World Hunger. Together, our communities can move from vulnerability to possibility and from possibility to sustainability. Thank you!

Ryan P. Cumming is the Program Director of Hunger Education for ELCA World Hunger. You can reach him at Ryan.Cumming@ELCA.org.

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants

Henry Martinez

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants

2014

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking grants are available to support local efforts to educate and mobilize ELCA congregations, groups, and/or synods. This particular grant program supports engaging educational and networking opportunities focused on the root causes of and solutions to hunger.

In 2014 we are particularly interested in receiving education proposals that focus on increasing youth and young adult engagement; address racism, sexism and classism within domestic poverty; and increase awareness of the experience of domestic poverty. Education funding can be used for events, educational programs or the development of shareable resources. For networking proposals, congregation-based and synod-based hunger leader trainings will be prioritized.

We are looking for proposals submitted by a non-profit charitable organization classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the Internal Revenue Service, or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3) that must:

Provide a short (2-3 paragraph) description of your congregation, group or organization and a narrative of the context in which the project, event or initiative will take place. This should clearly show what your program, congregation or group is attempting to address and how the proposal relates to the current priorities for ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking.
Summarize how the project, event, or initiative will:
1. Educate and mobilize ELCA congregations, groups, and/or synods;
2. Influence this church body toward better action and engagement against hunger and poverty; and
3. Encourage sustainable participation in the anti-hunger work of ELCA World Hunger
Provide a clear “goal statement” that summarizes the direction and focus of the program and defines the scope.
For education proposals, please list the learning objectives and audience for the event, resource or initiative which the grant will support.
List two or three specific, measurable objectives by which the success of your proposal implementation will be evaluated.
1. At least one process objective: What activities will be completed in what specific time period?
2. At least one outcome objective: What are the expected results—what change, by how much, where and when?
Summarize the implementation strategies and methods and/or sustainability of your plan (identifying additional sources of funding if needed.)
Demonstrate an ELCA connection with one letter of support by an ELCA pastor, bishop, or Lutheran agency/institution that explains how a relationship between the organization and ELCA World Hunger impacts/enhances each other’s work and furthers the objectives and guidelines of ELCA World Hunger.
Include your organization’s name, address, contact person, email, phone number, and tax ID number with your proposal.
The amount of funding you are seeking. Please include a budget for the event, project or initiative using the narrative budget format (example shown below):

Item	Amount	Explanation
Put the line item label here	Put the line item cost here.	Describe how you came to that amount (show your calculations, if relevant). You may also use this section to further explain why you need this cost covered, if you believe that is not clear from the proposal.

Proposals will be reviewed throughout the year. All proposals must be received by December 31, 2014 to be considered for funding.

If you have any questions please email hunger@elca.org.

10 Facts on Women and Hunger

Henry Martinez

1. In developing regions, the proportion of people living on less than USD $1.25 a day fell from 47 per cent in 1990 to 22 per cent in 2010. Extreme poverty is also falling in every region.¹

2. Hunger and poverty remain stubbornly ‘feminized’ – globally, 70 percent of people living in absolute poverty are female.²

3. Surveys in a wide range of countries have shown that 85 to 90 percent of the time spent on household food preparation is spent by women.³

4. Women are much more likely to earn poverty-level wages than men. In 2011, 32 percent of women earned poverty-level wages or less, while 24.3 percent of men earned the same.⁴

5. Globally, malnourished mothers are more likely to give birth to underweight babies. Underweight babies are 20 percent more likely to die before the age of five.⁵

6. Women’s labor force participation in Latin America and the Caribbean region has risen 35 percent since 1990 (a more dramatic rate than any other region). It is estimated that between 2000 and 2010 extreme poverty in the region would have been 30 percent higher if not for women’s participation in the labor force.⁶

7. Women make up the majority (66 percent) of sub-minimum wage workers (earning $2.13 an hour) in tipped restaurant occupations, compared to 48 percent of the non-tipped restaurant workforce (earning $7.25 an hour).⁷

8. Higher education opportunities for women and girls are crucial for battling poverty. The gross enrolment rate for girls at lower secondary level increased from 69 to 81 percent between 1999 and 2010, and from 43 to 58 percent at the upper secondary level in the same period.⁸

9. Researchers estimate that rural women produce half the world’s food and, in developing countries, between 60% and 80% of food crops.⁹

10. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that if women had the same agricultural access to resources and markets as men yield gaps would be closed by 20-30%, reducing the number of undernourished people by 100-150 million.¹⁰

Sources:

1 http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/mdg-momentum#MDG1. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, 7. Access: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/report-2013/mdg-report-2013-english.pdf.

2 Bread for the World Hunger Report (2014), 160.

3 http://www.wfp.org/our-work/preventing-hunger/focus-women/women-hunger-facts

4 Lawrence Mishel, Josh Bivens, Elise Gould, Heidi Shierholz, “The State of Working America,” 12^th Ed. (Cornell University Press, Noevember 2012), 193.

5 “Progress for Children: A World Fit for Children Statistical Review,” UNICEF, (December 2007), p.7.http://www.unicef.org/progressforchildren/2007n6/files/Progress_for_Children_-_No._6.pdf

6 “Gender at Work: A Companion to the World Development Report on Jobs,” the World Bank Group (2013), p. 8.

7 “Tipped Over the Edge: Gender Inequality in the Restaurant Industry,” Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, 2012 report, 9.

8 “From Access to Equality,” United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Report (2012), p.22.

⁹FAO Focus on Women and Food Security, prepared by the Women in Development Service, FAO Women and Population Division, FAO, Access: http://www.fao.org/sd/fsdirect/fbdirect/fsp001.htm.

¹⁰ “The State of Food and Agriculture 2010-2011,” Food and Agriculture Organization report,http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i2050e/i2050e00.htm.

Food for Families at Spanaway Lutheran Church

Henry Martinez

Food pantries get started in a variety of ways. For Spanaway Lutheran Church, it was when Lawanna Lee, founder and co-pastor of El Shaddai Christian Ministries in nearby Tacoma, Washington called to ask about the possibility of developing a partnership. Shortly after a visit to Tacoma, and approval from Spanaway’s congregational council, they were on their way to starting the Food for Families program. The congregation is one of 384 organizations addressing hunger and poverty to receive an ELCA World Hunger funded domestic hunger grant in 2014. Of those 384 organizations, 45 are receiving funds for food pantries.

One thing that makes Food for Families unique is that it is open on Sundays following the worship service. The congregation saw that opening the pantry on Sunday would serve a couple important needs. The first being the acknowledgment that hunger doesn’t rest. Spanaway Lutheran serves an area with a 16.3% poverty rate (numbers from 2012 census data). Other food pantries nearby are open Monday through Friday, but oftentimes during hours that are not the most convenient for families who have to work during the week.

According to congregation member and Food for Families director Edna Coonc, the congregation has served 250 families (about 1,200 people) in almost two years since the program started. Approximately 80% of the clients are families with children. The congregation purchases enough food for ten families each week (about 700 pounds of food) from El Shaddai Ministries, while also receiving donated food from the congregation. This allows them to serve fifteen families each week. The families can choose what they need for the week from a selection that includes meat, produce, pastries, and other staple items. Food for Families also benefits the before and after school education (BASE) ministry of the congregation, a program serving Kindergarten to 5^th grade students.

The second reason for opening the pantry on Sunday is for community and the opportunity for fellowship that wouldn’t be available during the week. Coonc says, “We invite the people who come into the food shelf to stay for a cup of coffee. I’ve heard people say, ‘you guys aren’t judging us’ and ‘we don’t feel like you guys are pointing us out.'” This has provided the opportunity for relationships to develop where patrons of the food pantry have joined the congregation and become volunteers of the ministry. It requires a communal effort with congregation members giving financial and material donations as well as their time. Coonc reports that approximately 20 volunteers help keep the ministry going.

But the community aspect runs deeper than just getting bodies for a particular ministry. Pastor John Schier-Hanson feels that having the Food for Families pantry open on Sunday allows for something else to happen. He says, “Charity has become institutionalized in this country. The giver and receiver have become disconnected. But I think there is a redemptive quality for both giver and receiver to experience here— for the receiver it’s knowing that someone cares for them, for the giver it functions to feel they are not just giving to a cause, but to a person and family. It helps us realize that we are part of the same body. We’re all in this life together.”

Movie Review – Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert (HBO)

Henry Martinez

“She flies with her own wings.” With these words, Katrina Gilbert translates her tattoo and sets the tone for the remaining 73 minutes of the documentary. Her story is one of many untold stories in America. As the movie states in the opening, 42 million women in America— one in three— are living in poverty or teetering on its brink. More than 15 million are mothers of children. Katrina is the mother of three children, separated from her husband of ten years with, in her words, “nothing to show for those ten years but three beautiful children.”

Katrina works full time as a Certified Nursing Assistant, earning $9.49/hr. As she ticks through a mental list of payments she needs to make, we get an idea of how quickly her paycheck is carved up and what little she has left after bills. There is a certain practicality and planning her situation demands as she manages her family’s finances. This takes shape as she considers financial matters and recreational options for her children, like not letting them play outside when it is wet and cold because she can’t afford to miss work (thus not get paid) if they get sick. Facing demands from work and family, the documentary shows Katrina as one who carries out her duties with tireless devotion. The movie clearly illustrates this comes with a price, and we see the toll it takes on Katrina’s health.

At times it seems the documentary wants to show her as a woman just trying to hold on. As a result, hope seems elusive. In one scene she learns that she’ll be receiving money back from a tax return and excitedly comments, “I can pay off my car!” She quickly names things she could put the money toward, and by the end of the list both excitement and money seem all but spent. There is another scene where her joy at being admitted to a local college is tempered by a rejection of her financial aid application. We keep waiting for something to go her way. We see someone to root for instead of someone to pity. And we want to root for her because she is doing it the way it “should” be done.

This isn’t a picture of someone who is struggling with her own bootstraps. It is a story of someone who firmly has them in hand and is still barely able to cope. As Katrina’s story unfolds, the directors emphasize (implicitly) the need for a more nuanced conversation about poverty, specifically one that doesn’t end with mere employment. Instead we are asked to consider the importance of access to education, quality and affordable childcare, medical care and a living wage. While the movie does not present a clear call to action, it presents a story that is decidedly – unfortunately – American.

Katrina’s story critiques the assumption that economic stability is within reach for most Americans if they simply work hard. The directors want us to see that her story is not merely an aberration in an otherwise reliable system, but that the system we have relied on for economic mobility is a failure. Rather than the exception, Katrina’s story is rapidly becoming the rule in an increasingly harsh economy.

Of course the extent to which the viewer identifies with Katrina Gilbert is subjective. If her story is just one of the one in three women in America, the chances are likely there are Katrina Gilberts in our congregations and communities. Our challenge is whether or not we see her story as one that is the backbone of our future and intrinsically connected to our own well-being. It is recognizing that economic vulnerability is a reality in our midst. As a result, people of faith will find this movie particularly useful if they are willing to explore what resources are within their midst not only to help people like Katrina weather the storms of their lives, but to put their energies toward seeking systemic change. It calls to mind the work the ELCA is doing to strive for gender justice and fair minimum wage standards. The movie puts to rest the question of whether the systems of support in our communities are adequate, and leaves room for us to imagine how we might care for our neighbors who are weary from flying alone.

Availability: Currently the movie can only be streamed on HBO GO; you can also find more information about the movie, see a trailer and discussion guide from HBO.

Henry Martinez is Program Associate for Hunger Education with ELCA World Hunger.

Carrying the Cross in Public

Ryan P. Cumming

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Used with permission from Boston at en.wikipedia

In the summer of 2012, Junior Garcia carried a 12-foot wooden cross from his home in Texas to Washington, DC, in an attempt to share the gospel in the public square.

In February of this year, a secular group filed a lawsuit to remove a 40-foot tall cross from public land in a suburb of Washington, DC. A quick Google search will reveal lots of similar stories.

What does it mean to bear the cross in public? This is a question that has been on my mind a lot as I prepare to join other Christians in Washington, DC, for Ecumenical Advocacy Days this weekend. I sincerely doubt that many of us will show up with literal crosses on our backs. And erecting a marble/wooden/plastic cross on the National Mall doesn’t appear on my copy of the agenda. Yet, many of us will travel to Washington believing that people marked by the cross have something worthwhile to say in the public square. We will carry the cross in public, to the halls of our government.

Too often, Christians have carried the cross in public with a steady supply of nails, ready to pin down and condemn their neighbors. The public face of Christianity in America, it seems to me, is too often a posse of crucifiers, rather than a communion gathered around the crucified. To bear the cross in public does not mean fighting over monuments or carrying literal crosses, and it certainly does not mean entering political life with a readiness to put others on the cross. As Lutherans, we believe that we are marked by the cross in baptism and shaped by it for our whole lives. We are a cruciform (“cross-shaped”) people, who bear our mark in private – at home or church – and in public – as workers and citizens. And this must mean something more profound than either of the alternatives above.

To bear the cross, to enter politics and public life as one shaped by the cross, is to be marked by three qualities: humility, honesty and love.

Humility

The cross is a problem that confounded early Christians and continues to confound us. Christian history is filled with attempts to explain the cross, but the cross is nothing short of a scandal. To bear the troubling cross is to carry with us the humble awareness that we don’t have all the answers. The cross restrains those who would enter the public square with a triumphalist Christianity as much as it chastens those who believe that any human government or policy or law can ultimately solve all the world’s problems.

The first person who reveals Jesus’ true identity in the Gospel of Mark is the most unlikely of characters: “Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!'” (Mark 15:39). In the Gospel of Luke, it is from a common criminal, executed with Jesus, that we hear a clear pronouncement of Jesus’ innocence and a sustaining faith in the coming Kingdom of God (Luke 23:39-43).

To be marked by the cross is also to recognize that wisdom and clear sight are gifts God grants in unlikely places, to unexpected people. Cross-shaped advocates recognize this and remain open to this wisdom wherever it arises. This means being open to dialogue and discernment with a variety of people. Being shaped by the openness that comes from humility, we know that public life is lived in common, among people with diverse gifts.

Honesty

To bear the cross is to be marked by honesty. We know as well as Isaiah did that “truth stumbles in the public square” (Is. 59:14). Yet, as cross-shaped advocates, we are called to speak the truth from a long tradition of truth-tellers, ancestors like Moses, who “spoke truth to tyrannical power” (Paul Hanson, Political Engagement as Biblical Mandate, p. 32) and Amos, who refused to be silent in the face of injustice.

Most of us know the famous story of David and Bathsheba. David saw Bathsheba bathing, desired her and so arranged for the death of her husband. After David had claimed her for his own, the prophet Nathan told him the story of a rich man who cheated a poor man out of the one small lamb that the poor man had raised (see 2 Samuel 12:1-15). “Who is this man? He deserves to die!” David exclaimed, to which Nathan, in an ironic turn, shouts, “You are the man!” Nathan holds a mirror up to David to reveal to the king his own injustice. Sent by God, Nathan dares to speak the truth when power becomes corrupt.

The cross, too, is a mirror. We see in its torturous use the oppressive power of the Roman empire. It reveals to us the depth of human sin which would lead us to kill our own savior. There is nothing joyous or triumphant here; there is simply a body broken by the political and religious power that sin corrupts. To bear the cross is to hold up a mirror to a sinful world. This means channeling Nathan and speaking the truth in the face of injustice. It means telling the stories many don’t wish to hear. Truth demands that we speak up, with and, sometimes, for those who really are “left behind”: the poor, the marginalized and the excluded.

Love

Yet, to carry the cross is also to be a loving presence within the public square. The cross reveals the depth of human sin, but it also reveals the more profound depths of God’s love. And the empty cross reveals that, in the end, it is God’s love – and not human sin – which wins out. The cross reveals a broken humanity, persons whose lives are one long via dolorosa, who cannot overcome injustice on their own. To carry the cross in public is to accompany in love those who are treated unjustly.

To be a Christian advocate for justice demands – and offers – much more than dogged pursuit of a policy or a position. Perhaps by taking up our cross as Lutherans, we can showcase a faithful citizenship that is loving, just and worth listening to.

Ryan P. Cumming, Ph.D., is the Program Director of Hunger Education for ELCA World Hunger. Ryan.Cumming@ELCA.org