Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Playing for Change

In the midst of a busy period when at times I'm feeling overwhelmed, I came across this great video, posted on YouTube in 2008. This familiar song is part of the award-winning documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music. This rendition of Stand by Me was the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

End Hunger Fast: Britain's 'Circle of Protection' Campaign

Half a million people have visited food banks since last Easter and 5,500 people were admitted to hospital in the for malnutrition last year. One in five mothers report regularly skipping meals to better feed their children, and ever more families are just one unexpected bill away from waking up with empty cupboards. We often hear talk of hard choices. Surely few can be harder than that faced by the tens of thousands of older people who must “heat or eat” each winter, harder than those faced by families who’s wages have stayed flat while food prices have gone up 30% in just five years.
Does this scenario sound familiar? While this situation easily applies to the United States, the description was written specifically about the United Kingdom. These words are part of a letter that a group of Anglican bishops, in partnership with Methodist, United Reform Church and Quaker leaders,wrote to oppose the British government's cuts in safety net programs.

In 2013, British authorities enacted multitude of changes to Britain’s welfare system, including a cap on the level of benefits that people who are employed are eligible to receive. Additionally, job, house and child-related benefits were merged into a single ‘universal credit’ initiative that sharply reduced the entitlements that the country’s lowest-income families are able to obtain.

In an effort reminiscent of the Circle of Protection campaign launched by religious leaders in the United States in 2011., British religious leaders have created  End Hunger Fast during the coming Lenten season and beyond. "On March 5th we will begin a time of fasting while half a million regularly go hungry in Britain," said the letter from the religious leaders, urging the faithful to join them in a fast during Lent.  "We urge those of all faith and none, people of good conscience, to join with us."  Here is the text of the letter

End Hunger Fast logo
"There is an acute moral imperative to act. Hundreds of thousands of people are doing so already, as they set up and support foodbanks across the UK. But this is a national crisis, and one we must rise to," said the campaign Web site. "We call on government to do its part: acting to investigate food markets that are failing, to make sure that work pays, and to ensure that the welfare system provides a robust last line of defence against hunger."

Prime Minister David Cameron disputes that the changes have created the levels of extreme hardship that the bishops suggest. "Mr. Cameron did emphasise his awareness that many families are struggling as a result of the programme, but continually highlighted that the measures were necessary in order to complete the economic recovery of the country and the transformation away from reliance on benefits," said  an article in Money Expert.com

The organizers of End Hunger Fast, point out that Britain is the world's seventh largest economy, and should not be cutting off support for the most vulnerable in society.  are urging the prime minister to take a closer look at the impact of the British government's policies.“We invite the Prime Minister to come and see for himself the foodbanks operating in places like Mansfield, for him to join us in a national day of fasting and reflection on April the 4th, and ultimately asking him to act to prevent the rise of hunger,” said Keith Hebden, End Hunger Fast campaign spokesman and Parish Priest for Mansfield

Monday, February 24, 2014

Local Jazz Musicians to Help Raise Funds for New Mexico Food Bank Association to Buy More Fresh Produce


Sunday March 2, 2014, 5-8 p.m.
African-American Performing Arts Center
New Mexico Fair Grounds      Albuquerque
Free Parking     Free Admission     Catering by the Cooperage

So you're wondering how a free event can be a fundraiser. Dozens of jazz musicians are performing for free next Sunday to raise funds for the New Mexico Association of Food Banks to buy fresh produce.

So if you don't pay admission at the gate, how is money raised?  Hint. Hint. Please bring your checkbook with you (or a wad of cash). All  of the proceeds (that's 100 percent) will go to the purchase of fresh produce.

The sponsors of the event include Faith, Hope and Jazz  (a weekly experiment in jazz worship and community experience, sponsored by Monte Vista Church), Monte Vista Christian Church and the New Mexico Association of Food Banks (NMAFB)

"We are very excited to be the beneficiary of this generous partnership between New Mexico musicians and Monte Vista Christian Church. New Mexico is home to some of the finest musicians in the world, and we’re looking forward to being able to see so many of them playing on the same stage,” said NMAFB director Kathy Komoll. “This event is a wonderful example of the community coming together to help solve hunger in New Mexico.”

By the way, the jazz musicians who will participate in this event include Mike Olivola, Dimi Disanti, Micky Patten, Michael Herndon, Lee Taylor, Carlin Veaglia, John Trentacosta, Milo Jaramillo, Stu Sacco, Stu MacAskie, Douglas Cardwell, Colin Deuble, Jim Ahrend, Asher Barreras, Cal Haines, Sina Soul, Sam Reid, Rte.66 Revelers, Scotty and the Atomics, Rodney Bowe, Cathy McGill, Andy Zydrozny, Michael Anthony, Glenn Kostur, Hillary Smith, and Susan Corley).

Saturday, February 22, 2014

A Movie (Like Water for Chocolate), a Delicious Meal (from La Casa Sena), and Support for Santa Fe's Farm to Restaurant Program

 On the menu at La Casa Sena
Remember the movie Like Water for Chocolate?  This food-centric film is the centerpiece of a fundraiser for the Farm to Table's award-winning program Farm to Restaurant. You will also be treated to a gourmet meal prepared with locally sourced ingredients by Chef Patrick Gharrity of La Casa Sena in Santa Fe.

This enticing "food and film" event will be held on Thursday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. at the cozy and historic Jean Cocteau Cinema,418 Montezuma Avenue, in Santa Fe. Tickets are $25 per person. Buy your tickets in advance, as the event might sell out.

So please come out and support Farm to Restaurant, which facilitates local food sourcing between Santa Fe restaurants and area farmers and educates the public about the benefits of eating locally grown and prepared foods.  For more information, contact Nina Yozell-Epstein at Farm to Table.

Friday, February 21, 2014

We Are the Eighth Day: A Celebration of International Women's Day in Albuquerque


New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light and New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps invite you to the third annual, We Are the Eighth Day, an event celebrating International Women’s day. The theme is year is We Are of Water.

Sunday, March 23, 2014, 
3:00-5:00 p.m.,  
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
431 Richmond Pl NE
   
Artistic Expressions
Five women artists will use the visual and spoken word to explore water, earth, climate change and express their spirituality in their art. Numerous artist booths are also featured. Come early and visit with artists and purchase their art. Locally grown and prepared delicious food will be available. 

“We Are the Eighth Day” grew out of the need to shed light on the fact that women throughout the world are disproportionately affected by climate change and yet have the least opportunity to offer their leadership and voice in circles of power," says a promo for the event. "At the same time, women’s creativity holds solutions, resilience and hope in light of environmental challenges---women are the eighth day of creation in the world today.
Please RSVP
The event is free and open to the public, but guests are asked to click on this link to RSVP. A free-will donation will be taken to assist the work of the sponsor organizations. 

Contact joan@nm-ipl.org or nmoxfamactioncorps@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

You are Inivited to a Creative Celebration of Real Food in Santa Fe on March 1

How do poetry, dance, storytelling and other art forms engage with action for community food sustainability?

Join amazing local artists, students and Real Food Challenge for a FREE, fun and inspiring night of creative exploration!

Open To The Public ~ Location: Auditorium next to Fogelson Library, Santa Fe University of Art & Design
(1600 St. Michael’s Drive)

Sponsored by SFUAD and Real Food Challenge. Endorsed by SFUAD Student Voice

Contact: Jeff Ethan Green, (505) 501 5826

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Ordinary Love on the New Tonight Show

Legendary rock band U2 was the first musical act to perform on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on NBC on Monday's series premiere (Feb. 17). Bono, the Edge and Co delivered an acoustic performance of "Ordinary Love", the U2 song part of the biography film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"

Monday, February 17, 2014

Eat at Chili's Today Through Thursday, Help Roadrunner & Other New Mexico Food Banks

There are 16 Chili's® Grill and Bar restaurants in New Mexico, and every one of them is donating a portion of its sales to its local food bank over the next four days. This is part of the restaurant's campaign Give Back Days for Hunger, which runs from today until Thursday, February 20.

So how about it? Order the Santa Fe Chicken wrap at the restaurant in Española and help Santa Fe's food bank, The Food Depot. Or you can dine on Margarita Grilled Chicken at Chili's locations in  Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Carlsbad, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, Rio Rancho and Roswell and support Roadrunner Food Bank (which has locations in both Albuquerque and Las Cruces).

If you happen to be in Clovis  for lunch or dinner on one of the four days, you can eat your meal at the local Chili's and support the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico.  Or perhaps you reside or are traveling to Farmington. A portion of your meal will go to support the ECHO Food Bank in that community.

Each of these Chili’s locations will donate 15% of your check’s total to the local food bank.  You must, however, make sure to let your server know that you are dining there to help as part of the Give Back Days for Hunger campaign.  You can either give the server a flier (which you can Print Here), or simply mention the Give Back Days for Hunger campaign.

Your participation is very important to each of these food banks. According to Roadrunner Food Bank, every dollar that you raise helps that organization distribute more than five meals.

"This partnership is a wonderful example of local businesses joining in to help solve hunger, said Melody Wattenbarger, president and CEO of Roadrunner Food Bank. “We are hopeful our supporters will take the time to visit a Chili’s during one of these four days. They can enjoy a meal and at the same time take an active role in our work helping to supply food to hungry people across the state.”

Sunday, February 16, 2014

2014 Farm Bill: Congress Cuts $8.6 billion in SNAP Benefits; Improves U.S. Food Aid Programs

Remember how this was supposed to be the Farm Bill of 2012? The measure then became the Farm Bill of 2013. After months of endless debate, the Congress finally approved the Agricultural Act of 2014 a couple of weeks ago.

Improvements in International Food Aid
While most of our attention has been focused on the impact on domestic nutrition benefits, let me first mention first the positive impact on U.S. international food aid. The measure makes food-aid programs more efficient, enabling the greatest impact possible while improving food-aid quality and nutrition. This includes increased cash flexibility for development programs and establishing a permanent local and regional procurement (LRP) program with funding up to $80 million a year. We will continue working on this issue in Bread for the World's 2014 Offering of Letters.

On the domestic nutrition front, the news is not as good (or less bad than what had been anticipated?) The Farm Bill cuts food stamp benefits by about US$8.6 billion over 10 years. The reduction in SNAP benefits is not as drastic as the e $40 billion cut that the Republican-led House had proposed in 2013.

While many anti-hunger advocates are relieved that deeper cuts were averted in this climate of tight budgets, we must go beyond the statistics. Real people will be affected by the reduction in food stamp benefits, as the SNAP cuts will be a significant blow to the 850,000 households that will lose about $90 a month in benefits at a time when hunger in America remains at an all-time high.  As Bread for the World President David Beckmann points out in the Bread blog, "Any cut to SNAP is harmful."

Closing 'heat and eat' loophole has little impact on New Mexico
So how will SNAP benefits be reduced? The Farm Bill achieves these cuts primarily by reforming a provision that allowed many states to link the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) with SNAP benefits, in what some advocates referred to as "heat and eat."

New Mexico was among the 15 states (and the District of Columbia) that had been using this formula to provide both heating and food assistance to low-income families via a single application.  However, the closing of the LIHEAP-SNAP "loophole" will have very little direct impact on New Mexican households, which is a good thing because our state ranks near the bottom in food insecurity. A provision in the Farm Bill legislation specifies that low-income residents that receive more than $20 in LIHEAP each month will still be elegible to concurrently obtain SNAP benefits, which applies to the vast majority of the low-income households that participate in LIHEAP each year. The energy-assistance program served almost 65,000 households in New Mexico in 2012.

The picture is not pretty elsewhere. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that the provision in the Farm Bill that tightens this link between food stamps and LIHEAP could affect about 850,000 households, or 4 percent of SNAP beneficiaries. This change will hurt many low-income households in California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, plus the District of Columbia.

21 million fewer meals in Oregon
According to the Oregon Food Bank, struggling families in that state will receive $54 million less next year because of the Farm Bill.  Based on an average cost of $2.59 per meal in Oregon, this translates into 21 million fewer meals next year, or 57,000 each day, said Jeff Kleen, the food bank's public policy advocate.  Read More in the The Bulletin newspaper, based in Bend, Ore.

Low-income families in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and other states on the list face a similar predicament as those in Oregon.

Funding for LIHEAP has dropped in recent years, from $5.1 billion in 2009 to $4.7 billion in 2011 and $3.49 billion in 2013, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the program.

Still, LIHEAP is targeted toward vulnerable populations, which means that the elderly, families with very young children and the disabled, could lose access to SNAP via this method. When the proposal first came up in the Senate Agriculture Committee in 2013, the Food Research and Action Center expressed its opposition to cutting the link between LIHEAP and SNAP.  "This is in recognition that too many st ruggling Americans face an impossible choice between paying for food or paying for energy," said a FRAC study.

A 'Reasonable' Tradeoff? 
Some anti-poverty advocates, even progressives like Robert Greenstein of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, believe that this was a reasonable tradeoff to keep Congress from cutting benefits altogether from recipients who receive food stamps directly.

"Some states are stretching the benefit formula in a way that enables them not only to simplify paperwork for many SNAP households, but also to boost SNAP benefits for some SNAP households by assuming those households pay several hundred dollars a month in utility costs that they do not actually incur," Greenstein wrote in a recent article

"Congress did not intend for states to stretch the benefit rules this way, and longstanding SNAP supporters like myself find it difficult to defend.  Moreover, a future Administration could close off this use of the rule," added Greenstein, in reference to a practice by some states to give anyone who qualified for as little as $1 in LIHEAP concurrent access to SNAP benefits.

Miranda Everitt, a graduate student at the Goldman School of Public Policy (University of California) offers a different perspective in a piece she wrote for the Berkeley Blog. "While we might prefer an across-the-board increase in food-stamp benefit levels rather than allowing states to use a “loophole”; Congress is unlikely to agree," said Everitt. "In a time of decreasing public commitments to anti-poverty programs, ending the practice of heat-and-eat deals a serious blow to impoverished citizens that the Obama administration has committed to assist."

An editorial in The Washington Post supported the closing of the loophole, but also suggested that Congress should have made deeper cuts elsewhere."Considered in isolation, this trim is both modest and justified; it closes a loophole that enabled states to award extra benefits by fiddling with recipients’ household budget data. It was preferable to the larger cuts Republicans wanted," said the editorial. "But attached to so much corporate welfare, it’s hard to swallow, especially when that corporate welfare isn’t rigorously means-tested."

Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, had a mixed reaction to the bill. "At a time when hunger and poverty continue to plague small towns and big cities across America, it is unconscionable that this bill cuts $8.6 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," Rep. Lujan Grisham said in a news release. "And while I am pleased that none of these SNAP cuts directly affect New Mexico beneficiaries, the reality is that hunger and poverty are exploding in our state, and we must do more. Congress should be expanding nutrition assistance, not slashing it."

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Global Friendship Day

 Roses from One World Flowers
The celebration of Valentine's Day is both about romantic love and universal friendship. It's not that the love between two people is not important. (It is for me. I have a wonderful wife with whom I celebrate this day). It's just that a global approach to this day is just as important. I like the name for the holiday in Mexico and Venezueula: Día del Amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship).  In other Latin American countries, this same commemoration occurs on other dates

In that spirit, how are you bringing the world into your Valentine's Day celebration? Two thoughts. If you are going to give your special person a traditional gift, think about fair trade flowers and chocolates. That way, you celebrate both love and global friendship. 

But there is also the option of rethinking the whole concept of giving flowers.

Church World Service tells us why....
Again, I don't mean to rain on anyone's Valentine's Day Parade. After all, there is a whole industry that depends on flower sales (including those who benefit from fair-trade sales in Colombia, Ecuador and Kenya). At the same time, it's important to remind ourselves that not everyone has the same access to water that we have in the Western countries (even in drought-prone New Mexico).

So, on Valentine's Day it's important to also remind ourselves of our solidarity with those who do not have access to clean water as well as our friendship with Mother Earth.

But if you must buy flowers today, please opt for the fair-trade option.

Happy Global Friendship Day!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

A Healing Spirit More Powerful than Any Darkness

"There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful than any darkness may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, too much pain. Then suddenly the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways." 

- Mother Teresa

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Michael Pollan Interview with Bill Moyers (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this series, we posted excerpts from journalist and author Michael Pollan about food justice in Truthout.  The post also included the first half of an interview of Pollan on the Bill Moyers Journal. We now bring you Part 2 below.  (And here are links to Pollan's interviews on the The Colbert Report (2006) and (2009)Real Time with Bill Maher, TED, and University of California-Davis. Or if you prefer, you can find these links and more on a single site).

Monday, February 10, 2014

Michael Pollan: Our Food is Dishonestly Priced (Plus Part 1 of Interview with Bill Moyers)

“When you buy cheap food, the real costs have been externalized. Those externalized costs have always included labor. It is only the decline over time of the minimum wage in real dollars that’s made the fast food industry possible, along with feedlot agriculture, pharmaceuticals on the farm, pesticides and regulatory forbearance. All these things are part of the answer to the question: Why is that crap so cheap? Our food is dishonestly priced. One of the ways in which it’s dishonestly priced is the fact that people are not paid a living wage to process it, to serve it, to grow it, to slaughter it.” 
-Michael Pollan,
Journalist Michael Pollan has written several thought-provoking books about our society's policies and attitudes toward food and eating. He is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto (2008), The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (2006) and The Botany of Desire (which as been made into a PBS documentary). Pollan is also a regular contributor to The New York Times Magazine.

In an interview with Amy Dean of Truthout (reprinted by Moyers and Co.), Pollan addressed equitable food pricing, farm worker rights and industrial agriculture’s role in casting the food movement as elitist. In the interview, Dean asked  Pollan about the arguments from opponents of fair wages, who claim that increased farm worker pay will result in higher food prices.
 
 “That argument has been used to thwart all kinds of reform in the food industry,” Pollan replied. “If we clean up our act, in any way, we’re going to have to pay more at the register. There’s a kernel of truth. If you raised the price of wages to people in the food industry to, say, $15 an hour in fast food, no doubt it would add to prices — although the claims of how much it would add to prices are exaggerated. However, those people would be able to afford more. That’s why we need to pay people more so they can afford it. There’s a virtuous circle of paying people more so that they can afford better stuff.” Read full piece on Truthout and on Moyers and Co.

Below is Part 1 of an  interview of Pollan on Bill Moyers Journal, which aired in 2008.  Part 2 will follow in a separate post.  

Sunday, February 09, 2014

You Shall Pursue Social Justice

Tzedek, tzedek tirdof – justice, justice you shall pursue
Image from Temple Beth Eloim, Wellesley MA

These familiar words have been long embraced by so many of us working for tikkun olam. So long, in fact, that we take for granted that everyone understands what our words mean. But in the case of “justice” – particularly the term “social justice” – I no longer think we can make that assumption.

Today, I hear people using “social justice” to describe any attempt to improve our society. But not every good deed, meaningful and worthy as it is, can be classified as social justice work. Suggesting that it is creates confusion at best; at worst, it marginalizes true social justice efforts.

An activity to meet the immediate needs of individuals – collecting and distributing food, donating clothing, building homes – is social action . It is vitally important work that is primarily intended to provide a temporary benefit. The work of social justice , on the other hand, seeks to effect long-term change in pursuit of creating and sustaining a just society – one in which we are all treated fairly and equally. It is painstaking work that forces us to examine how we have always done things and to accept a better approach.

-Abby J. Liebman,
President & CEO of  Mazon: a Jewish Response to Hunger
(Read her full reflection in Mazon News, Fall 2013)

Saturday, February 08, 2014

Jewish-Christian Dialogue's Spring Colloquium to Highlight Importance of Food in Our Traditions

Healing the World: Both Jews and Christians advocate for social justice. For Jews, Tzedekah means charity and justice, and Tikkun Olam, healing the world, is a mandate. Catholics have Corporal Works of Mercy. Protestants are active in advocacy for the poor and disenfranchised. How do we differ in our approaches, and what are the similarities?
Jewish Christian Dialogue of New Mexico presents its Annual Interfaith Spring Colloquium. This year, the topic will be Food for Thought: Healing Mind, Body, Spirit, and World.

The event will feature reflections from  
The moderator will be Kathy Freeze, Community Outreach Liaison for Catholic Charities, and there will be a special presentation by Carlos Navarro, Grassroots Anti-Hunger Advocate and Journalist.

Registration: $40 / community. $20 / students. Includes breakfast, lunch, and refreshments.

For more information, please contact Pam Fraser-Walters (505) 291-8115 pamfraserw@aol.com
 

Friday, February 07, 2014

Renown Chef Tom Colicchio Seeks to Make Hunger Visible, Hold Elected Officials Accountable

"When you have a sixth of the population that can't really participate in the American dream, you start questioning whether the American dream is pretty much over," -Chef and activist Tom Colicchio
You might remember Tom Colicchio from his brief appearances on the documentary A Place at the Table.  In this video, he talks with  CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour about his efforts to bring visibility to the issue of hunger, and hold elected officials accountable through his new organization, Food Policy Action. The mission of the organization is to "promote a healthy, sustainable food system through public education, issue advocacy, and publication of the National Food Policy Scorecard (PDF)." (In this interview on the food site Eatocracy, Colicchio  talks about the issue of childhood hunger).


Thursday, February 06, 2014

A Chance to Flourish

The secular world needs to understand that what would "free us from anxiety" is opening up to the poor and otherwise marginalized the chance to flourish. This cannot happen if there is hunger, unfair political arrangements, ongoing assaults on the environment, and no safety net to protect the sick, the unemployed, and the frail. 

- Paul Farmer

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Soweto Gospel Choir to Perform at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque in April


What does Albuquerque have in common with Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Omaha? They are among the handful of lucky cities on the North American tour for the Soweto Gospel choir.  The choir--known as an ambassador for Nelson Mandela's 46664 campaign--will be performing at Popejoy Hall on the campus of the University of New Mexico on  Friday, April 4.

The 46664 campaign is a wonderful effort established by the late South African leader to prevent and create global awareness about HIV/AIDS.  Nelson Mandela was sent to prison on Robben Island in 1964; he was the 466th prisoner to arrive that year. He was given the prison number 46664. Thirty-eight years later, Mandela gave his number to a global HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness campaign as a reminder of the sacrifices he made for a cause he believed in. 46664 (pronounced "four, double six, six four") was established in 2002 as an independent, not-for-profit organization.

The Soweto Gospel choir is also involved with other important efforts, including education (1Goal), crime prevention (SHOUT), poverty eradication (United Nations Millennium Development Goals), integrity of medicines and pharmaceuticals (Interpol's Proud to Be campaign).  The choir has also served as UN Envoys for Africa and has founded its own AIDS orphans foundation, Nkosi's Haven Vukani, to assist organizations that receive little or no funding.

While activism is part of the core of the Soweto Gospel choir, its songs of celebration, energy and inspiration are its essence. The 52-member choir, under the direction of Beverly Bryer, draws on the best talent from the many churches in and around Soweto, South Africa. The choir is dedicated to sharing the joy of faith through music with audiences around the world. Since their inception in 2002, the group has won numerous awards and performed with many notable musicians.

The choir's performances have touched audiences around the globe. "From performing with U2 and Peter Gabriel, to special performances for Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, and Desmond Tutu - The Soweto Gospel Choir has been called the best international act for a reason," said a recent promo for its North American tour (scheduled for Feb/ 4-March 19). "They have seen every stage, and collaborated with the best. Their charitable contributions are unprecedented, and they connect people around the globe with an inspirational message of fellowship and humanitarianism (a message that is potent in their music). It is an exciting time when the Soweto Gospel Choir heads to the United States for they carry with them a spirit that lights up the entire nation."

More on Albuquerque performance
The Soweto Gospel Choir will perform at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque on Friday, April 4, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets are available online or at the Popejoy box office. (You can get balcony tickets for as low as $20)

Check out this video of choir members offering a tribute to Nelson Mandela at a public site.

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Dorothy Day: Change the World with Food, Clothing, Shelter

Casa de las Comunidades Catholic Worker House

What we would like to do is change the world -- make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended for them to do. 

-Dorothy Day 
Catholic Worker, June 1946



Monday, February 03, 2014

Course Examines Ecumenical Relationships Among Christian Denominations

How are Christian denominations relating to each other?  The Ecumenical Institute for Ministry (EIM) will explore this question in a four-session class on Tuesdays, February 11, 18, 25, and March 4. The class, which follows up on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, will be taught by Jennifer Murphy-Dye (the EIM's community outreach coordinator), and Judith Todd (coordinator of the EIM's Ecumenical Education for Discipleship program)  The Christian unity week included a touching service in Albuquerque on Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. Registration cost is only $40 for all four sessions. For more information contact JudithATodd@aol.com or leave a message at (505) 873-4399 ext. 229.

Sunday, February 02, 2014

Prayers and Actions on Behalf of the People of the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is almost 8,000 miles from where I sit in Albuquerque. The huge distance makes it very easy not to be aware of the crisis that has developed in the former French colony, a landlocked country of more than 4.4 million.

As an anti-hunger advocate, I try to stay on top of the important issues. But chances are the CAR would not have crossed my mind this Sunday were it  not for a recent article by Rev. Jim Wallis in Sojourners, who said, "as I have followed the reports coming from Central African Republic (CAR), I am heartbroken over the suffering of a people the world seems to have forgotten."

To be fair, there has been some media coverage of the conflict in the CAR, but in this day of information overload, the crisis might have become just one of many revolving issues on a ticker-tape menu of coverage. 

Mega Crisis
Speaking to the BBC in the capital, Bangui, John Ging of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the country was in a "mega-crisis". Mr Ging said that many in the population were living in fear because of religious and ethnic attacks. He said the concern now was that matters could worsen further. Last week the UN warned that the country faced disaster because of people fleeing the conflict to pack into overcrowded camps with poor sanitation. BBC on Jan. 15

So who are these armed rebels and why are they attacking innocent civilians? An AP article (in  The New York Times) offers an explanation: 

Christians and Muslims have lived peaceably in Central African Republic for generations, but political struggles between former President François Bozizé and Michel Djotodia, who ousted Mr. Bozizé last year with the backing of Muslim militias, have engendered sectarian strife. Mr. Djotodia’s departure this month and the installation of an interim president, Catherine Samba-Panza, have not brought relief to civilians. United Nations officials continue to warn of the risk of genocide. Children have been recruited to fight. Roughly one in five people have fled their homes, and the World Food Program estimates that a majority of the country’s 4.6 million people are eating one meal a day.

A Prayer from CRS
Is this a religious or political strife? Can you claim to be a devout Muslim or devout Christian and commit murder in the name of self- (or group) preservation?

I offer excerpts this prayer from Catholic Relief Services.

Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga and Imam Omour Kobine of Bangui pray together during a tour promoting tolerance and reconciliation in Central African Republic. (Photo by Sam Phelps for CRS)
Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga and Imam Omour Kobine of Bangui pray together during a tour promoting tolerance and reconciliation in Central African Republic. (Photo by Sam Phelps for CRS)
Loving God,

We ask that your spirit touch the peoples of the Central African Republic.
That brother no longer turn against brother.
Nor sister against sister.
May your children learn to live side by side:
To forgive
To reconcile
To build and not tear down.
And so may we all.
Lord, who calls all peacemakers blessed,
Empower all peacemakers inside and outside the Central African Republic:
To stand up for the vulnerable
To harbor the refugee
To aid the afflicted
To comfort the frightened
To work and advocate for justice
To say “No more!” to violence.
 (download full prayer in PDF)

Rev. Jim Wallis on Why We Should Care
And here is some perspective from  Rev. Wallis:
So what can we do? And why should we care? CAR does not have in-demand exports. Even before the crisis began, CAR ranked 180th out of 187 on the UN’s Human Development index. There is no economic or political reason why the suffering in CAR should capture our hearts.

But that is why, as people of faith and followers of Christ, we should care. Jesus said, “whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.” (Matthew 25:45, CEV). It violates our deepest moral principles when we fail to speak out for the common good for all — not just our particular groups, tribes, or sects.

The example of our sisters and brothers working for peace in CAR should inspire us to advocate for a resolution to this crisis. We should contact our members of Congress and ask that our embassy be reopened — not only as a sign of our support, but because its closure impedes the work of peace in the country. And we should remind our elected representatives that our best values tell us that children — no matter what country they’re from — should be protected from war, not recruited to fight it.

So on this Super Bowl Sunday, when we are distracted by many other things, I urge us to keep the people of the CAR in our hearts and in our minds.

Saturday, February 01, 2014

Bread for the World's 2014 Offering of Letters Urges Congress to Reform Food Aid

Bread for the World has released the video for the 2014 Offering of Letters, which urges Congress to reform food aid. Click here to learn more about the campaign. (And if you live in the Albuquerque area, please join us at our Offering of Letters workshop on Saturday, March 15). 

Faith Leaders Sign A Letter Urging Governor, State Legislature to Address Poverty in New Mexico (and we need more signatures)

As of Friday afternoon, 116 faith leaders in New Mexico (both clergy and laity) had signed an open letter to Gov. Susana Martinez and the State Legislature urging them to get serious about addressing hunger and poverty in our state.

The effort to get the signatures is led by Rev. Holly Beaumont of Interfaith Worker Justice-New Mexico in Santa Fe, with some support from Carlos Navarro from Bread for the World New Mexico in Albuquerque.

We are continuing to gather signatures, and we hope to have 200 names by the start of next week.

How do we define faith leaders?
If you are a self-identified person of faith, clergy or laity, who has or continues to provide leadership in your faith community or the community-at-large, please sign this letter.  If you would like to sign the letter, drop a note by email to hbeaumont@iwj.org

Please include the following information:
Your name and title (if appropriate)
Your faith affiliation, either congregation, denomination or organization
Your city/town of residence where you live and vote

The Text of the Letter
January 27, 2014

As the 2014 Legislative Session gets underway, we, the undersigned, faith leaders representing religious traditions from across our state are compelled by our convictions to express our concerns regarding the challenges facing our state.

In June 2013, the annual Kids Count report ranked New Mexico last in the United States in child well-being — slipping down from 49th in 2012. An estimated 40,000 New Mexicans seek help from a food pantry or food bank every week; among those 40,000, 54 percent said they must choose between paying for food and paying utility bills. Our state minimum wage is $7.50, when it takes $14.42 per hour to afford a modest two bedroom apartment.

At 22.2 percent, New Mexico has the highest share of poor people of any state, and income inequality in New Mexico is now the worst in the nation. Clearly, we are poised at a crossroads and must choose a new direction.

We all share the responsibility to lift our children and families out of poverty and dependency and allow them to recover the dignity of self-sufficiency, whether we are the governor, legislators, voters...or faith leaders.

As people of faith, our lives are shaped by our sacred texts that point to universal principles. God’s command is clear and unyielding – economic justice grounded in equity and compassion is at the heart of our life together.

The words of the prophet Amos echo across the ages calling us to “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a living stream.”

In the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus warns that nations as well as individuals will be judged, for “what you do to the least of these you do to me.” (Matthew 25:40)

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. embraced the biblical truth that “we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.” What affects one, affects us all, for we are our brothers and sisters keepers.

Pope Francis spoke with similar passion: "Every economic and political theory or action must set about providing each inhabitant of the planet with the minimum wherewithal to live in dignity and freedom, with the possibility of supporting a family, educating children, worshiping God and developing one's own human potential…in the absence of such a vision, all economic activity is meaningless." Money must serve, not rule.

Drawing from our deep moral, ethical, and religious convictions, we acknowledge that the decisions reached at this legislative session will impact the future for all of us. Will this generation be provided with the resources they require to fulfill their dreams and potential? Or will they be sacrificed for a future generation that seems never to arrive?

We believe that the opportunity to take important steps toward addressing the crisis of deepening poverty and widening income inequality in New Mexico is within our grasp by passing fair, compassionate and reasoned public policies during this legislative session, including but not limited to: 

SRJ12 which allows voters to approve funding for Early Childhood Education that guarantees all our children will have the social and emotional skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

SJR13 which allows voters to approve a cost of living increase to the minimum wage, recognizing that we are far from a Living Wage that would allow workers to sustain themselves and their families without depending upon public and charitable services.

HB115, the Wage Theft Prevention Act, strengthens every worker’s right to be paid all the wages they have earned for work completed.

SB51, increases the state Working Families Tax Credit and helps families achieve a sustainable income while making New Mexico’s tax system more equitable. These public policies have been tested and proven to address income inequality and help to lift people out of poverty, benefiting all of us with a more just and vibrant economy and paving the road to a better future for our State.

The Bible speaks of the “fullness of time” when it becomes clear that the old order is giving way to something new and fresh. We know these policies are controversial, but the time has come when the families of New Mexico must no longer bear the costs of concession and compromise. We believe we are privileged to be living in one of these rare moments as together we reclaim a vision of fairness and compassion in all walks of life.

Our personal prayers as well as those of our faith communities will be with our legislators and Governor as they listen to the cries of the heart across our state and take bold and courageous action to do what is right and just for all New Mexicans.

(Please note: The congregations and/or organizations listed below are for identification purposes only. These signatures represent the position of the individual clergy and religious leaders who have signed on in support).

Faithfully,

(List of names to be posted later)