DISASTERS, HUNGER, AND HUMAN SUFFERING

[nChrist]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Advocacy Group Urges Christians to Respond to Hunger Crisis through its Recipe for Hope Campaign

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

WASHINGTON D.C. (ANS) -- Bread for the World today called on people of faith everywhere to respond to the growing hunger crisis all over the world.

The organization is asking that people add their voices to the Recipe for Hope campaign which runs May 11 through June 15.

“Of course the crisis cannot be solved within six weeks, but we want people of faith to know that they can make a difference by taking a series of simple but critical actions to end hunger now,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World, speaking in a news release.

He added, “Together we can turn the recipe for despair into a recipe for hope for thousands of mothers and fathers struggling to feed their families."

The campaign is being conducted against the backdrop of a global hunger crisis that is fueled by rising food prices. Global food costs have nearly doubled in the last three years, with largest spikes for basic grains like rice, wheat, and corn.

Bread for the World said 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 in the news release. “Feeding the hungry is itself an act of worship.”

The Recipe for Hope campaign involves activities like stocking food pantries, educating others on the hunger crisis, fasting, prayers, raising funds for Christian anti-hunger programs, focusing worship services on hunger issues, and writing letters and calling members of Congress to pass long-term solutions to hunger.

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging America’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

For more information go to www.bread.org 
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[nChrist]

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

While in China, Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse Respond to Earthquake Destruction
Relief Group Also Helps Cyclone Devastated Myanmar and Tornado Victims In United States

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

SHANGHAI, CHINA (ANS) -- Within hours of a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that crumbled buildings and killed thousands of people in the Sichuan Province of western China on Monday, international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse responded to the crisis.

According to a news release, Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is currently on a 10-day visit to China where he is meeting with government and church leaders in Beijing, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai.

When he learned about the devastating earthquake, Graham committed $150,000 to assist with the immediate disaster response. The relief organization is continuing to look for additional ways it can contribute to earthquake relief efforts.

According to the news release, Graham met with Elder Fu Xian-Wei, chairman of the Three Self Patriotic Movement, and Rev. Gao Feng, president of the China Christian Council, at the organizations’ national headquarters in Shanghai.

“This donation is very important to the people of China because it shows the love of God for all people,” said Gao in the news release. “This will encourage more Chinese people to do the same, and to reach out to their neighbors in need. Franklin Graham's visit is bringing us much more understanding and encouragement for each other.”

Graham said in the news release, “On behalf of my father, Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we want the people of China to know that we are praying for each person impacted by this disaster. Recovery efforts are underway, but you can never recover the loss of a life. We want to do anything we can to assist with this crisis, so we are committing these funds for initial support of the local church as they assist with the relief efforts.”

Graham said he has been impressed with how the Chinese government has responded to the earthquake. He said that he is meeting daily with officials in China to assess the need and offer assistance.

Graham added, “I would ask all Christians in the United States to pray for the people of China and the church here, as they reach out to their fellow citizens with God’s love and compassion.”

According to the news release, China’s earthquake is just one of several major natural disasters Samaritan’s Purse is responding to around the world.

The organization has also been helping in Myanmar, where the United Nations estimates that more than a million people who survived Cyclone Nargis are now in life threatening danger because of hunger and disease.

According to the news release, Samaritan’s Purse currently has an airlift scheduled to transport about 20 tons of relief supplies from Bangkok, Thailand to Yangon, Myanmar. This is the first of a number of planned upcoming flights. The relief supplies include water purification systems, plastic for temporary shelter, blankets, clothing and mosquito netting.

In the United States, after a series of deadly tornadoes raked across several states over the weekend, Samaritan’s Purse has deployed its Disaster Relief Unit to help with recovery efforts.

According to the news relief, Samaritan’s Purse is focusing its initial response on Georgia, where at least half a dozen tornados damaged an estimated 6,000 homes. The Samaritan’s Purse tornado relief convoy includes tractor trailers filled with plastic sheeting, construction equipment and building materials which will be used to help make emergency repairs to homes and remove storm debris.
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[nChrist]

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

China Aid calls upon world churches to pray for earthquake victims

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CHINA (ANS) -- A ministry to the people of China is calling upon the churches of the world to pray for and provide aid for the victims of the earthquake in Sichuan province.

China Aid Association (CAA) says in a media release that it "mourns with the suffering Chinese people during this moment of great loss."

CAA is actively collaborating with the Chinese house churches to send love gifts to help survivors.

Meanwhile, CAA says it has learned that in the past two days, in spite of the attention garnered by of the rescue efforts for victims of the earthquake in Sichuan province, one house church Bible School in Hebei was raided and forced to close.

Church sources informed CAA that at 10:30am on May 13, 2008, a Bible school located in Yanjiao town, Sanhe city of Hebei Province was raided by more than 30 officers from the Sanhe City Religious Affairs Bureau, Sanhe Public Security Bureau, Langfang City Public Security Bureau of Hebei province and local PSB officers, led by the Chief of the Hebei Religious Affairs Bureau.

CAA says three computer hard disks were taken and the students were dispersed back to their hometowns forcefully. Pastor Gao Er Qiao from Pingdingshan City, Henan, Ms. Jiang Mei Hao from Inner Mongolia and their Korean interpreter Piao Zhihui were taken and interrogated from 4pm to 9pm. They were all released after the interrogation.

This particular Bible school was established in 2006 by missionaries from South Korea. The school consists of more than 100 students representing multiple provinces in China.

In addition, CAA says that at 10am May 12, 2008, a house church meeting in Daxing town, Tailai County, Qiqihaer City of Heilongjiang Province was raided by Chief of Qiqihaer and three other people.

They claimed it was an “illegal gathering” and took away 6,000 Yuan ($859USD) of offering from the church without following proper legal procedures. The church received a ticket of “receipt” stating that the church was officially shut down.
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