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Covenanters to Advocate for the Hungry
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 27, 2003) - Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant
World Relief, and three Covenanters represented the denomination from June
22-24 at Bread for the World's National Gathering in Washington D.C.
Bread for the World (often known just as "Bread") is a Christian
non-governmental advocacy organization focused on domestic and
international issues of hunger with 47,000 members (including 2,000
churches) nationwide. Sundholm is a member of the board of directors.
"Covenant World Relief has become extremely conscious of the importance of
needing relief food," said Sundholm. "But far beyond that, the challenge to
allow local people to provide for themselves through a wide variety of
ministries is something that both we and Bread care about."
Sundholm, North Park Theological Seminary student James Amadon, seminary
graduate Liz Mosbo VerHage and Peter VerHage attended Bread's biannual
gathering to participate in workshops, roundtable discussions and advocacy
training. More than 300 people from various churches attended the event. A
major focus of this year's national gathering was advocating for the
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), legislation that is currently supported
by bills in both the U.S. House and Senate but that has yet to
reach the floor for a vote.
Bread's National Gathering concluded with Lobby Day 2003, held on Tuesday.
Attendees visited their representatives and senators as constituents
advocating for passage of the MCA legislation.
"We partner with Bread to lobby for the MCA because we realize that this
legislation would bring resources to the poorest qualifying nations in the
world," explained Sundholm. "This work would help meet the Millenium
Challenge Goals set in 2000 by our country that include cutting hunger in
half by the year 2015."
On Lobby Day Sundholm visited aides for District 55 Representative Martin
Sabo and Senators Coleman and Dayton of Minnesota. Amadon and both VerHages
visited aides for District 5 Representative Rahm Emanuel and Illinois State
Senators Peter Fitzgerald and Dick Durbin.
"It was a great experience to be taking such an active part of our
political system as a person of faith," said Liz VerHage. "The foreign
policy aide for Fitzgerald that we met with said it was unusual for
constituents to lobby for legislation that did not directly benefit them,
but that would benefit others. That is why Bread is such a necessary group
- following the biblical mandate, they advocate on behalf of the poor and
hungry who have no other voice."
To learn more about Covenant World Relief, contact
jim.sundholm@covchurch.org. For more information about Bread for the World
and MCA legislation visit
www.bread.org
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
