HOTLINE - week of March 10, 2008

In Nicaragua, women and men from 170 families in the municipality of Mateare are increasing and diversifying food production, with the help of CWS and the Center of Inter-Ecclesial Theological and Social Studies. They are learning how to manage family gardens and micro-irrigation systems, and are growing vegetables, banana plants, other fruit trees, root and tuber stock. The goal is to improve family nutrition and be able to grow produce year-round. Any seed or root stock loaned to them, the families pay back to the local seed bank.

In Honduras, some 80 women and men farmers in the municipalities of San Isidro and Pespire, northern Choluteca department, are developing small cooperatives, improving their production of seed and root stock, and learning how to better market their produce, with the help of Church World Service and long-time partner the Christian Commission for Development. With the cooperative providing rural credit, the farmers are also learning basic finance and project administration.

In addition, Church World Service is supporting two new three-year food security programs, in Rio Coco, Nicaragua, and Nueva Frontera, Honduras.

"The continuing violence and suffering experienced by Palestinians and Israelis is hindering progress on the peace process," say leaders of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant church organizations comprising the coalition of Churches for Middle East Peace, of which Church World Service is a member. The violence and suffering "also create conditions that pose a particular threat to the small Christian community in Gaza," say the leaders.

In a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the leaders have called for urgent diplomatic action to "resolve the Gaza crisis and enable substantive progress forward on peace negotiations," as they express concern for civilians on both sides caught in the conflict.

Church World Service Emergency Response Specialists have been in continuous contact with local, state, and national leaders to identify areas where CWS training and project support assistance may be needed. CWS Recovery Tools and Training workshops are likely to take place in mid-April.

Some 5,600 families in 27 counties in Arkansas and Tennessee have registered for federal assistance in the wake of tornadoes and severe storms that damaged their homes earlier this year. In addition, families in 15 counties in Kentucky are now eligible for individual assistance. Long-term recovery groups are forming in these states, as well as Alabama, though that state did not receive a federal disaster declaration.

In addition to supporting long-term recovery with training and emergency grants, CWS has helped to provide relief and recovery supplies in some of the affected communities.

Donate to this recovery effort.

Church World Service is helping to meet the needs of families by providing 250 CWS Blankets, 300 CWS Baby Kits, 750 CWS School Kits, and 2,250 CWS Hygiene Kits each to Christian Ministries in Africa, Kenya; Bright Hope Organization, Ethiopia; Celebration Center, Zimbabwe; and Partners in Harvest, Malawi, through partner the Global Assistance Program.

Church World Service continues to respond to the needs of people displaced by post-election violence in Kenya.

Your prayers and support - and your participation in CROP WALKS and the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program - make possible these and other life sustaining programs. For information on how to get involved, please call your Church World Service/CROP Regional Office toll-free at 1-888-CWS-CROP, that's 1-888-297-2767.

For information about free loan videos, please call 1-800-297-1516, ext. 338, or e-mail us at: videos@churchworldservice.org.

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