Story number 2 for 2 Jul 2002

(Democratic Republic of Congo)–Next, despite a positive attitude, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo says nothing was achieved in the latest round of peace talks. He says the toll the ongoing war has had on the country is rising. Food for the Hungry’s Michael Satin agrees that the situation is headed towards a critical stage because people have been driven from their land. “We’ve been responding to those emergencies by using the limited amount of resources we have to address these hot spots, as they’re identified. We do that by distributing seeds and tools to farmers so they can go back to growing their traditional crops so they can feed their families.” Satin says prayer is crucial now because people are not only desperate, but also open to the hope of Christ. “They’ve lost faith in their ability to provide for their children. They’ve lost faith in their ability to go to their churches and understand that God has a plan. Our work here is a lot more than simply handing out seeds and tools-it’s restoring dignity in people’s lives so that they feel like they can make a difference.”