Photo:  Larry Malone, president of the men’s affiliate of the World Methodist Council, joins Ray Buchanan, founder of Stop Hunger Now, during the executive committee meeting of the council in Santiago, Chile.

SANTIAGO, Chile––The men’s affiliate of the World Methodist Council (WMC) has invited the Wesleyan Christians within the World Methodist Council member churches to help feed hungry people around the world.

Larry Malone, president of the World Fellowship of Methodist and Uniting Church Men, invited the WMC executive committee to encourage support and provide funds to package and deliver 13-ounce Stop Hunger Now food packets to hungry families.

After boiling in water for 10 minutes, the rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and 21 vitamins and minerals in each Stop Hunger Now plastic packet provide six nutritious meals at 25 cents per serving.

Over the last 10 years, the Raleigh, N.C.-based hunger-relief agency has already provided over $56 million dollars worth of direct aid and 15 million meals to more than 70 countries.

After comparing the $500 weekly amount a typical four member family in Germany spends on groceries with $1.23 that a six-member family in Chad spends each week on food, Malone challenged the 200-member executive committee to address these inequities and declare a “Wesleyan world war on hunger.”

“If only one million of the 78 million members of the world Wesleyan family were to commit a sustained sacrificial giving gift of $1 a day,” we could sustain 4 million lives, while addressing both poverty and global health issues” said Malone who also serves as a staff executive on the General Commission of UM Men.

The WMC men’s affiliate hopes to raise $1 million so when the council meets in Durban, South Africa 2011, the conference attendees will be able to package and deliver 1 million packets to the host nation.  A designated account for Wesleyan giving has been established by Stop Hunger Now, at www.stophungernow.org/WMChunger.

Malone’s report was received with enthusiasm by members of the executive committee. "Stop Hunger Now offers Wesleyan Christians all over the world a glorious opportunity to feed starving people," said North Georgia Area UM Bishop Mike Watson.  "We can do this in answer to Christ's call upon us to reach out in love to the least of these who are members of our human family."

The Rev. Dr. Ray Buchanan, a member of the Virginia Conference is the founder and chairman of Stop Hunger Now. He attended the meeting in Chile and was warmly received and encouraged by the support for this global initiative.  “Stop Hunger Now has a vision of ending hunger in our lifetime. This is a big step in turning that vision into a reality,” said Buchanan.