Faith forum

What can faith groups do to help end world hunger?

People exposed to hunger more likely to help

Doug Heacock, contemporary worship leader, Lawrence Free Methodist Church, 3001 Lawrence Ave.:

It should be noted first that much is already being done by faith-based groups to relieve hunger in impoverished areas of the world. There are numerous organizations that are wholly devoted to help eliminate hunger around the world.

To the extent that they are funded, some are remarkably effective in making efficient use of donated money and resources (see www.worldvision.org and www.samaritanspurse.org, for example).

But the funding is limited, and those organizations rely on people who care enough to share what they have. Sometimes people who care enough to do something are in short supply.

Perhaps if everyone who doesn’t live with hunger were to share resources with someone who does, much progress could be made. But most of the hungry people in the world are in faraway places, and the average American believer typically hasn’t spent time with people who are genuinely destitute. This, unfortunately, makes it all to easy to ignore the problem.

One approach a church can take is to participate in short-term missions projects in impoverished places. Leaving the comforts of home behind and living among the very poor, serving them in various ways, even for as little as a week or two, can have a powerful and unforgettable impact on a person’s life – we’ve seen this happen repeatedly in our church. Those who develop a broken heart for the poor and hungry can also influence many others to enlist themselves in the battles against hunger and other problems associated with poverty.

One final thought: People whose hearts break for the poor share something in common with the heart of God, and it always makes sense to be on God’s side of an issue. Proverbs 14:31 says, “Those who oppress the poor insult their maker, but those who help the poor honor him.”

– E-mail Doug Heacock at dheacock@lfmchurch.org.

Caring for others is the goal of every faith

Dave Whetter, vicar, Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 N.H.:

On June 6, a group of more than 40 religious leaders gathered at the Washington National Cathedral to participate in the first Interfaith Convocation on Hunger. This group represented more than 100 million people of many faith traditions, and what was so incredible is that they were in agreement that all people of faith must call for an end to hunger.

Ending hunger must be made a priority in all of our lives. Caring for the poor, the hungry, the homeless and the marginalized is a mandate of every faith community.

As people of faith, we know that there is no such thing a society-less individual.

People of faith believe that they are all called to care for the poor. The question is, “How?” From the perspective of the three great monotheistic faith traditions (Jewish, Christian and Muslim), it is maintaining a priority of proper distribution of our wealth.

Wealth is not only for the rich. In Exodus 22:6, God instructs the people to ensure that justice is provided for all, including the poor. In the Koran (59:7), God says that wealth should not only circulate among the rich.

As people of faith in this country, we must ensure that programs that are designed to feed the poor and care for the marginalized are maintained, and we must let our elected officials know that it is on these issues that we will or will not elect them. This is not only an issue our government should be required to solve.

In our own congregations, we must make sure that we are placing our personal and congregational priorities on assisting the poor and the hungry.

Our priority must be to care for those in need. In a world that has been created with abundance, there is no reason for hunger to be an issue.

If we make it a priority, hunger can be eliminated.

– E-mail Dave Whetter at dwhetter@tlclawrence.org.