August 14, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) heard reports from the World Hunger Appeal and Lutheran World Relief (LWR) during its business session Aug. 13. These efforts are some of "the strongest aspects of our shared ministry," said Carlos Pena, ELCA vice president, because they "change lives throughout the world."

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are participating, including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."

Stories of individual lives battered by circumstances but touched by Lutheran relief efforts were shared by Kathryn Sime, director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, and Kathryn Wolford, president, Lutheran World Relief (LWR).

Sime spoke of Godfrey from Tanzania, one of the 35,000 orphans managing a child-headed household in Africa, a situation often necessitated by the ravages of AIDS. Godfrey ran three kilometers, determined to reach a visiting LWR delegation. He gifted them with one of his household's two chickens.

"This child of God, a teenager with all the responsibilities of an adult, was going to give us 50 percent of his tangible household income... Now that's generosity," she said of his expression of gratitude.

In Florida, the assembly's host state, "Domestic Disaster Response responded quickly and effectively" when four hurricanes struck in 2004, said Sime. "Even today, a year later, we continue to walk with those impacted by the storms."

A video illustrated the aftermath of the terrible tsunami of December 2005. In it, a teacher in India said, "After the tragedy of the tsunami, I found there were many students in my class who were terribly upset and going through psychological anguish. I would do anything to help."

She continued, "The Lutheran church was offering a counseling seminar, and we were taught how to counsel the children to overcome their distress and the problems that they were going through. This has given me a new purpose in life." Gifts for tsunami relief have now exceeded $10 million according to Sime, facilitating development of a five-year response plan throughout the affected region.

The World Hunger and Disaster Appeal acts domestically and internationally to assuage the "silent disaster of chronic hunger and poverty," said Sime. It responds both to emergencies and to the root causes of hunger, she said, and speaks "a prophetic voice in the U.S. and around the world." In action earlier this week, the assembly passed a memorial strengthening the church body's commitment to ending world hunger, calling it "a core conviction" of the ELCA.

Lutheran World Relief is supported in part by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Working through partners and global relief and development networks, LWR responds to emergencies and disasters in 50 countries.

Kathryn Wolford, LWR president, told the assembly that LWR provides "much needed help and hope not only in high profile places," but "places far from the headlines." Referring to the critical food crisis in the West African nation of Niger, Wolford said, "The news media has just arrived, but you were there weeks ago providing emergency assistance in the form of food, tools, training" and more.

Wolford related the plea of a desperate woman in Colombia who said, "In life we are invisible; in death we are a statistic." Through LWR, "You demonstrate that her life counts – that her life is precious to God," Wolford countered.

Bracelets woven by pre-teens, youth and women in Nicaragua were distributed to the assembly as a reminder of the "life- giving tapestry of help and hope" woven through the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. "Thanks be to God for the privilege of being woven together in this ministry," said Sime.

Nancy D. Arnison has been director of ELCA Hunger Program since July. She was acknowledged by the assembly.

ELCA News Service