|PIC1|Hunger and poverty have struck the world as a critical issue this year as the G8 Summit and Make Poverty History campaign highlighted. In addition, the Dec. 2004 Asia tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake as well as Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. Gulf Coast, showed to the world the thousands of people who struggle in poor conditions everyday. It is a problem millions of people around the world face everyday, yet something that is only realised certain days out of the year.

"The problem is trying to get people to realise that hunger is not just something there for a day, week or month – but for the whole year! 365/24/7!" said Paul Montacute, director of Baptist World Aid, to The Christian Post on Friday.

During the month of October, Baptist World Alliance observed World Hunger month, calling churches to stand up to the challenge and support the hungry and poor.

While responding to world hunger has often been a priority for Baptists around the world, BWAid has a special hunger appeal each autumn, said Montacute, with the observed month varying among the 211 BWA member bodies.

World Hunger month mobilises member churches to take up the Micah Challenge in engaging with the poor and influencing government leaders to fulfill their public promise to eradicate global poverty in half by 2015.

|TOP|"By adopting the Micah Challenge, and encouraging Baptist bodies and individuals around the world to do the same, we are trying to emphasise that overcoming world hunger is possible," commented Montacute.

"Never before has the world been sensitised to the poverty and hunger of the world," said a released statement by BWA.

Collected offerings during the special appeal had fallen in 2000 and 2001, according to Montacute, but jumped back up with double the amount in the past three years. Last year, US$88,912 was collected as BWA funds designated for hunger.

Although contributions for the South Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Pakistan earthquake may reduce funds directed specifically toward world hunger this year, World Hunger month called for a time of reflection, prayer and action that would open the world's eyes to the daily fight of millions, said Montacute.







Daniel Blake and
Lillian Kwon
Christian Today Correspondents