‘Recipe for Hope’ campaign targets hunger

By United Methodist News Service

Bread for the World has created its own recipe to help address the growing global food crisis.
The "Recipe for Hope" Campaign began on Mother’s Day and runs through Father’s Day on June 15. Bread for the World is a partner with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society in the fight against hunger.

United Methodists also will be among those gathering June 17 in Washington D.C. to take part in Bread for the World’s lobby day. After morning worship and a briefing on hunger/poverty issues, participants will speak with members of the U.S. Congress and their staffs on current legislation for hungry and poor people around the world.

The Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, said there are "simple but critical actions" that people can take to end hunger now as part of the Recipe for Hope campaign.

Those actions range from the personal commitment of prayer and fasting to practical actions such as stocking food pantries, educating others on the hunger crisis and raising funds for Christian anti-hunger programs––to advocating for change by writing letters and calling members of Congress to enact long-term solutions to hunger.

When drought, greed and inaction by world leaders are mixed with misguided government policies, "a recipe for despair" is the result. But, Bread for the World suggests, prayer and food for the hungry can be mixed with "policies that help people to feed themselves and their families" to "stir one another to love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24) and create a recipe for hope.

The Recipe for Hope Web site provides weekly "ingredients" for action and resources for churches, including a bulletin insert, pastoral "prayer nuggets" and a litany and prayer "for a time of hunger."

Global food prices have nearly doubled in the last three years, particularly for basic grains like rice, wheat and corn, according to Bread for the World. The World Bank estimates that as many as 100 million people will join the ranks of 854 million poor and hungry people who currently do not have enough to eat each day. Hardest hit are the children––16,000 of whom die daily due to hunger-related causes, or one child every five seconds. "

As Jesus reminds us, when we share our bread with those who are hungry, God blesses even our smallest efforts," said Beckmann. "Feeding the hungry is itself an act of worship."

More information on the Recipe for Hope campaign can be found at www.bread.org/recipeforhope