On September 4, Rev. Barbara Thomas will join the Carolinas Church World Service (CWS) staff as Assistant Director.

Rev. Thomas has served the past 10 years as senior pastor of a Presbyterian Church in rural New York State. During that time she has been active in organizing her community’s CROP Hunger Walk, and has involved her congregation in CWS’ Blanket Program and it’s Gift of the Heart Kits Program.

In her work as pastor, she was instrumental in bringing churches, businesses and government officials together to meet local hunger needs. She organized and administered a successful free summer lunch program. She also co-founded a transportation program that serves the elderly and needy.

She states that the most rewarding aspect of her work is in “bringing the community together to meet local needs and to reach out globally.” Those who have worked with her describe her style of leadership as “collaborative, seeking to identify and build on the strengths of team members.”

Rev. Thomas initiated a group that began a global partnership and exchange program called “Uganda Heritage Roots.” Last year, rather than sending a US mission team abroad, she mobilized the town to bring members of a group from Kampala to the United States on a “reverse mission” tour.

A graduate of Duke University’s Divinity School, she also holds a degree in pastoral counseling. Rev. Thomas did her pastoral internship in western North Carolina. Her parents live in Brevard. She looks forward to moving to Charlotte and joining the ministry and work of CWS in the Carolinas.

Welcome, Barbara!

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Providing Micro-loans

In the outlying villages of Mirpurkhas, in southern Pakistan, women who have been traditionally excluded from participating in small business endeavors are receiving help from Church World Service. Through a small, local, non- profit agency called the Lower Sindh Rural Development Association, women take out small loans averaging $40.  Many are using that money to purchase a goat.  In a year’s time, a goat grows and fattens, and may be sold for about $100. In repaying their loans, the women have been more dependable than many large corporations; and they are proud of that fact. 
 
One of the villagers, when asked how she planned to invest the profit she made on the sale of her goat said, smiling: “ I’m buying & raising another young goat!” 
 
And why not? The women recognize a good business deal when they see it!
 
Micro loans are one of the most effective tools in supporting the world’s poorest; among which are Pakistan’s women and their children. CROP Hunger Walks help make these life-giving projects possible.

Earthquake Recovery

On October 8, 2005 a devastating earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, leveled towns and cities in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province.  One of the hardest hit was the town of Mansehra, north of the capital Islamabad.

At 8:50 in the morning, in just one hour, 75,000 people were killed, half of them were children who had just arrived at school for their morning classes.  Poorly constructed buildings collapsed.  The earthquake left approximately two and a half million people homeless.

The children pictured here are living in Jabba Camp in Mansehra where 3,000 people have just spent their second winter - and the Himilayan winters in northern Pakistan are cruelly cold.  The day after this picture was taken, four feet of snow fell on the camp. Jabba camp is just one of three camps where Church World Service is providing shelter, clothing, food and trauma counseling to the survivors. As part of recovery efforts, CWS has also set up 3 training centers and is graduating 164 men every 8 weeks in key building trades: masonry, carpentry, plumbing and electricity.  The graduates receive government certificates in those trades. 

CROP Hunger Walks help make this possible. 

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Malaria is a killer in the developing world.  Just $10 will purchase a mosquito net, under which a number of people can sleep safely, protected from the insects that carry the deadly disease.

The United Methodist Church, teaming up with others, has come up with a marvelous project: “Nothing But Nets,” and to date has collected enough money to purchase nearly 800,000 mosquito nets for villagers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more about it at:

http://www.nothingbutnets.net/partners/united-methodist-church

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Suzanne Dysard.

A packed house of Presbyterian Women (and a few men-folk, too) gathered last month at Selwyn Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, to be inspired and informed by a Colorado CROP Hunger Walker, Suzanne Dysard. Dysard, formally of Charlotte, is the top online fundraiser for the CROP Hunger Walk and a committed volunteer and leader of the Boulder, CO, CROP Hunger Walk. A delegate on two separate CWS oversees trips, Dysard shared with her audience both motivational first hand examples about the great work accomplished thanks to CROP Hunger Walks as well as practical tips on increasing participation in CROP Hunger Walks.

Dysard’s presentation titled, “CWS and CROP Hunger Walk funds in Action – Helping people Help Themselves”, was a tribute to the people whom she met on a recent trip to see CWS projects in Kenya. Her photos and stories about the reality of schools that backed up onto garbage dumps, young women caring 40lb water containers, and orphans of HIV/AIDS, touched the hearts of the audience. In response to the harsh reality, Dysard offered photos and stories about true hope and joy and hospitality from the Kenyan’s who welcomed her and the CWS delegation. In sharing examples from the micro-credit program for women, the community building projects for orphans and vulnerable children and the water for life projects that improve the lives of entire villages, Dysard left the crowd motivated and enlightened.

“CROP Walk funds are being used appropriately and with great impact,” said Dysard to the crowd.

To emphasize the point of impact, Dysard explained the various effects of installing a well in a village. She told a story of one village she visited. The women and children used to walk 15 miles for water, “some Kenyan women spend 1/3 of life collecting water,” added Dysard. “With a CWS well, the walk is now only 4 miles so there is time to do other things and the women can now afford to use water for additional uses such as cleaning and bathing since its easier to fetch. Relieving the burden of fetching water for girls means they have time to go to school”. In rural Kenya, the typical age for a girl to be married is 13 yrs old, unless she is in school. Dysard explained that, “Providing water gives the girls an opportunity to postpone this child marriage. With new wells installed, we find that more girls are going to school and staying in school,” added Dysard.

Whispers of increased CROP Walk goals could be heard in the post presentation meet and greet. Pastors and Assistant Pastors spoke with local CROP Walk agency reps about how to motivate the congregation and Dysard was asked to plan another vacation to Charlotte in the fall to speak with more groups about her CROP Walk experience and insights.

Carolinas CWS greatly appreciates Susanne Dysard’s support and looks forward hearing more of her inspirational stories in the fall!

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Vivian Blackwell, smiled warmly at me when I first met her, and I wasn’t sure why.

She and her husband, George, the Co-Coordinators of the 2006 Martin County CROP Hunger Walk, were walking in from the parking lot of First Christian Church in Williamston, in order to attend a CROP Hunger Walk organizing meeting.

I approached her and introduced myself as the Regional Director of Church World Service in the Carolinas, the organizer of the CROP Hunger Walks in NC and SC. She was still smiling.

“Do you know Rev. John McCullough?” She asked me directly; a twinkle in her eye.

“I do,” I answered animatedly. He is the CEO of Church World Service. He’s our Director.”

“Well, I worked with John at the United Methodist Global Board of Global Missions for many, many years,” she said proudly.

(Oh-oh, I thought. I’d better watch myself. This smart lady knows my boss!! )

Vivian passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 28th in her home in Williamston, NC.

All of us at Church World Service are saddened by her sudden departure from us, and we hold her husband, Rev. George Blackwell, and all her family in our kindest thoughts and prayers.

She might tell us, even as we work to end hunger, to keep smiling.

Joe Moran, Regional Director

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Church World Service is issuing an urgent appeal for “Gift of the Heart” School Kits. With so many requests for the kits since the first of the year, the supply at the US based storage facility has dwindled. Only a small number of the School Kits remain available to meet new requests.

 Hunger News Alert - School Kits: From Kenya to Kannapolis (PDF file 109 Kb)

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Competition has always been a part of human nature and is given much credit for accomplishments in science, the arts and business. Now people in Greensboro and Durham believe that it will help the hungry, locally and globally.

 Hunger News Alert (PDF file 113 Kb)

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by Deb Stanford, RN

Sunday October 8, 2006, was a perfect day for walking in Greenboro, NC - Not too hot, not too cold, and no rain. 4,000+ enthusiastic walkers - the 2, 4 and 6 legged kind - showed up at First Horizon Park for Church World Service's 2006 CROP Hunger Walk.

Six legged? Well, yes! One, new volunteer from St. Pius X Catholic Church, Pam Jordan, walked with her wheeled walker and inspired everyone who saw her.

From start to finish, Pam was her usual determined and optimistic self. She raised and collected over $500 in pledges before the walk even started. One church member was so touched by Pam’s determination that he left the fellowship hall of the church where he was serving refreshments and went to get cash from an ATM machine to give her a donation.

I walked with Pam and saw how she gave it her all! I could see how even a mildly steep terrain becomes mountainous when using a walker.

We weren't sure just how far we ultimately walked, but when it was over Pam shared, "I've never walked that far, Deb."

Great job, Pam!

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For 12 days in January, I traveled in Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay – visiting CWS projects and seeing first hand the great work that is accomplished thanks to CROP Walks. I met our amazing partner agencies and the hopeful people for whom they are working. In the following months, I will be updating this site with photos and stories of the inspiring people I met and projects I saw. So, visit this site every now and then and learn more about CWS work in Latin America.

Entry #3 - Walking for Corn

In Suarurito, Bolivia, I met Angela Barrios and her daughter Maria. The farmers in Angela’s village grow corn… and they, along with farmers from fifteen surrounding communities, now use a new agricultural center for processing and storing the corn. Our partners provided the expertise of agronomists and small grants for buying the milling and storage equipment. The farmers supplied the labor for the construction. The farmers share the machinery used to process, mill and bag the corn.

Until the center was built, farmers only grew enough corn for their own family’s needs. Now with CWS seed grants and the center’s new corn silos, the farmers can increase their production and hold onto the corn and sell in their local market and to larger markets when the price is higher.

As Angela worked on crafting a palm basket, I asked her how life was different now that the farmers in her community were working cooperatively. She said that before, she had to walk ten kilometers or more once a month to buy a supply of corn for her family’s meals (that’s about 6 miles). This meant leaving at 8 o’clock in the morning and not returning until the afternoon, after paying a price of 60 pesos. Today she buys her corn from the corn cooperative in her village of Suarurito – and for only 40 pesos! No more walking – which means more time for her family or to do things such as making handicrafts which she can sell and earn additional income for her family.

Hearing her story of walking, I immediately think of the folks back home who make a difference by walking in their local CROP Hunger Walks… By walking in the Carolinas, they have made Angela’s walk shorter.

Angela’s community is just one of many indigenous communities in the Chaco with whom CWS is working to gain legal title to their lands and organize into cooperatives, which enables them to improve the use of the land. Some cooperatives like Angela’s have chosen to grow store and sell corn. Others have chosen different community ventures – growing peanuts, sweet potatoes, and community gardens or raising livestock such as chickens, pigs or cattle. Whatever the choice, the coming together and working in community has been a real way to provide a better life and future for these native people.

Entry #2 – Sustaining life

Freddy

The next person I’d like to write about is Alfredo Cortez. Everyone calls him “Freddy” and he is the captain of his community of Weenhayek people. The Weenhayek are hunters and gathers who for centuries have sustained their lives by fishing the Pilcomayo River. Sitting in front of his modest home, I listened to Freddy tell how Oil and mineral exploration and exploitation are slowly polluting this life source for his community. The river gives them less fish each year and the land along the river gives less plants and animals. Now they are forced to find news ways to live and prosper. With the support of CROP WALK funds, CWS is working closely with a partner agency CER-DET to help the Weenhayek to organize to fight the companies and practices that threaten their land and way of life. CROP WALKs are helping these natives to secure titles to the land – titles that give them the right and the option to grow the food they will need to survive.

Freddy sang a song for us that he wrote – he is a talented musician who has been trying to recover the ancient music of the Weenhayek and encourage the youth to take pride in their cultural heritage.

Entry #1

I spent most of my time in Bolivia –one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries. 64% of the country is below poverty line. The average income is a little more than $7/day. I visited several communities of indigenous people of the Chaco region of Southern Bolivia– after centuries of colonization and forced labor, these native people are working to reclaim land so they can form communities and build brighter futures.

Orlando Corzo

Orlando is a Veterinarian on staff with CWS Partner agency CER-DET. With his help, the members of a l

Orlando Corzo

ocal cooperative of Guarani people have learned a better way of raising pigs. The common method is to let the native Creole pigs roam free in the palm grass and trees of the valleys, foraging on whatever they can find. These pigs are susceptible to diseases, which can be passed to humans in some cases.

Thanks to CROP Walk funds, Orlando is able to provide technical assistance in how to raise a superior breed of pig by using pens and shelters. Members control the animals’ nutrition, breeding and sanitation. The best of the pigs are raised for breeding stock for the center and the rest for sale for breeding or consumption. A female pig will cost $150 to $160. While I was there, Orlando showed me the HUGE male pig they had recently purchased for $500.

Eight families participate in the cooperative and each takes a two-week shift in caring for the pigs. They feed the animals, clean the pigs and pens, and keep records of diets, shots and weight. (The young boy in the picture with Orlando is Juan Miranda – his family is part of the cooperative and he helps care for the pigs and is learning veterinarian skills from Orlando).

The cooperative operates an animal-sharing program, in which a piglet is given to a family to raise with the understanding that when the pig gives birth, a piglet from the litter will be given to another family to do likewise. Dare we call this a “piggy bank?”

Speaking of piggy bank – 12 yr old, Tate Arges, from Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, didn’t put his allowance in his piggy bank last week– instead, during a presentation I was giving on my trip, he placed two $5 bills on the table with instructions to give it to the people in Bolivia. What a wonderful show of genuine generosity!

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