The World Conference Against Racism NGO Forum was held August 28 through September 1. People from all parts of the globe came together to stretch their thinking around the issues of racism and discrimination, to meet and speak with many different people and to learn from each other how these issues impact their own lives. It was an opportunity to create a plan of action surrounding these very difficult issues.

As PW's vice-moderator for justice and peace concerns, the many ways that racism and discrimination intersect with issues of gender and poverty particularly interested me. In the coming months the Churchwide Coordinating Team's justice and peace committee will address some of these issues in this newsletter.

I left South Africa with many strong directives. Education—not only formal education for all on an equal basis, but also informal education concerning basic human rights for all people—is one area that needs our advocacy. We must ensure that the curricula in our schools are inclusive, covering antiracism training and cultural diversity, as well as basic human rights. The Christian education material we use in our church school classes must teach the diversity of God's creation. Presbyterian women must advocate for education in developing countries, especially for women and girls. Education is not a one-time issue, but one that must be continually addressed. With the antiracism training that Presbyterian Women is conducting this fall, we have begun the education process. We have a long way to go.

We must question ourselves as to where we are in the process of being open and inclusive of all people. We must have a sense of purpose as we expand our skills and knowledge to address this very difficult task. Then we must move forward with determination as we continue to work to eradicate racism and discrimination. As Presbyterian women we will need to focus our efforts and have patience with each other and with the systems that impede progress.

Peace and Joy,
Gerry Tayler
vice-moderator for justice and peace concerns

In Sudan, an 18-year-old civil war, reckless oil exploitations and a severe drought that has affected both the north and the south are a lethal combination, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. In April of this year, the UN World Food Program (WFP) estimated that 600,000 people are in urgent need of food assistance. A total of 2.9 million people will need assistance to make it through 2001. WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate a 49 percent food deficit in the region. How is the PC(USA) responding to the crisis? The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is responding with both material assistance and efforts to address the root causes of the crisis.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is providing $250,000 to help provide shelter, food and non-food items, tools and nutrition/supplementary feeding supplies, and support to improve conditions for health clinics.

The 213th General Assembly (2001) approved a resolution to

1. condemn the killings and persecution going on in Sudan
2. urge Congress to pass the Sudan Peace Act (HR.931 and S.180) and to take whatever measures are in its power to bring about peace talks in Sudan that will stop the injustices and killings
3. urge that the 11,000 plus congregations of the PC(USA) send an offering of letters to Congress expressing support of the intent of HR.931 and S.180
4. urge additional giving of a minimum of $50,000 for humanitarian efforts in Sudan

Commissioners to the 213th GA also added Talisman Energy Inc. of Canada, a major purchaser of Sudanese oil, to its list of corporations whose stock is subject to divestment until the company ends its operations and withdraws its investments from the Sudan. Oil revenues help to finance the northern-based militant fundamentalist Sudanese government's oppression of the population in the southern regions of the country. The Assembly also instructed the Stated Clerk to inform Talisman of this decision and urge its withdrawal from Sudan until a just and lasting peace is achieved.

Sudan disaster assistance giving may be sent through your church or presbytery with a notation on your check for Sudan—#9-20000043 to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Individual Remittance Processing, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.

To order this resource call the Presbyterian Marketplace at (800) 524-2612. Ask for item #7434000001.

Significant progress is being made in the AIDS pandemic despite staggering statistics. Churches, governments and community organizations are banding together to provide basic care to those in need.

AIDS has created 13.2 million orphans —children under fifteen years old who have lost their mothers or both parents. A large percentage of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is working to improve the lives of children at risk. The PC(USA) is in partnership with the Community-Based Orphan Care Program (CBOC) in Malawi. The overall aim of the CBOC is "to facilitate a community-based approach in advocating and promoting the survival, good health, loving care, intellectual, physical and spiritual development of orphaned children." The PC(USA) is one of their main sources of financial support.

A commitment has been made by the Worldwide Ministries Division of the PC(USA) to engage in advocacy in "The Massive Effort" initiative combating diseases of poverty, which include HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Organized by the World Heath Organization, the project includes faith-based communities as an integral part of its work. For more information, call the Office of International Health Ministries, (888) 728-7228, x5279.

You can support the effort to fight HIV/AIDS by contributing to an Extra Commitment Opportunity, ECO #047914 (Children in Crisis, International) and ECO #862706 (AIDS Crisis Overseas). For more information on specific programs or on how you can help, contact Janet Guyer in the Worldwide Ministries Division, (888) 728-7228, x5278.

by Helen Sears

For an additional $1 billion a year—a penny per day per American—the United States could lead a global initiative to cut hunger in half in Africa by 2015. Bread for the World's "Hunger to Harvest" campaign is urging Congress to support a United States commitment to reduce hunger in Africa and back up this commitment with appropriations that will increase annual funding for poverty-focused development assistance to Africa by at least $1 billion. It's a fact: Africa is the only region of the world where hunger is widespread and increasing—186 million people suffer from chronic hunger and at least 24,000 people will die from hunger today.

Yes you and I can do something about it.

1. Bread for the World urges you to support the "Hunger to Harvest" resolutions: write, telephone and/or e-mail your congressional representatives to support House Congressional Resolution 102 and Senate Congressional Resolution 53. These bi-partisan resolutions call for sustained United States commitment to reduce hunger in Africa. Visit Bread.org for more information.
2. Visit the Internet daily and go to The Hunger Site then click on "give free food" to send free food to a spot in the world (usually Africa) at no cost to you. The advertisers you will see listed on the Hunger site pay the cost of the food.

How can we do any less? So, spread the word—support the Hunger site (which can only be used once each day) and support Bread for the World's "Hunger to Harvest" initiatives.

Miriam Gachago from the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and Dinah Abbey-Mensah from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana joined Global Exchange Committee at their October meeting to begin to plan the itinerary and look at the pressing issues in those countries.

The members of the Justice and Peace Committee of the PW Churchwide Coordinating Team encourage you to pray* for these women and to become a part of the exchange by learning more about these countries and the many difficult issues facing the women of Africa.

Here's how to begin—

• check the Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study information on Ghana and Kenya
• visit the Web site by the Washington Office on Africa — the site focuses on economic justice issues in Africa, including questions of aid, trade and debt
• read the Stewardship of Public Life series, Africa, which is published quarterly—available from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002; (202) 543-1126
• subscribe to the Bread for the World newsletter, especially the January and April 2001 issues—call (800) 82-BREAD or e-mail bread@bread.org to get your copies
• read Feeding the Ghosts by Fred D'Aguiar or The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
• order a copy of The Will to Arise edited by Musimbi Kanyoro or Daughters of Anowa by Mercy Amba Oduyoye

*Watch for the 2002 Global Exchange Devotional Booklet!

What Your Church Can Do

• Serve fairly traded coffee and tea at church events and make it available to members for home use.
• Offer gift baskets of fairly traded coffee or tea to new members, as Christmas presents or on other occasions.
• Design fund-raising projects in your church offering fairly traded coffee and tea.
• Discuss fair trade issues in Sunday school and study groups.
• Provide local businesses with information about offering fairly traded coffee from Equal Exchange. For more information about the Presbyterian Coffee Project, visit their Web site , call (888) 728-7228, x5626, or write Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), attention: Melanie Hardison,100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396.

The Presbyterian Coffee Project brochure is available by calling the Presbyterian Marketplace at (800) 524-2612. Request Item #74360-01-316.

To order fairly traded coffee, contact:

Equal Exchange
251 Revere Street
Canton, MA 02021
(781) 830-0303, x228
interfaith@equalexchange.com