August 01, 1985 by

Dr. Tetsunao Yamamori & Food for the Hungry

Born in Japan just prior ID this outbreak of World War II, Dr. Tetsunao "Ted" Yamamori has experienced hunger firsthand.

'AL age seven,! came out of World Waril half dead because of extreme," he says. 'The doctor informed my parents that I was too far gone.

'The war tom city of Nagoya had little to offer to keep everyone a] is alive God spared my life, but! have been haunted by the face of hunger ever since.'

From his earliest student and professional days. Yamamori has been vitally concerned with the Christian ministry's approach to the total needs of mankind.

After 18 years of college teaching and administration. Yamamori left the academic world in 1981 to join Food for the Hungry as Executive Vice President He was named President Elect in 1982. and was inaugurated President, to replace founding President, Laity Ward, on June I. 1984.

Food for the Hungry

Ward founded Food for the Hungry International (FHI) in 1971 to offer, in thename of the Lord Jesus Christ, both disaster relief and long range self help assistance to those in need of food.

Says Yamamori, "People are spiritually starved. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can satisfy that hunger. 'People are physically hungry. 'Man cannot live by bread alone'...but he must have bread. 'Our success in the world will depend on our commitment to meet both of these hungers." Yamamori likes to speak of this twopronged ministry as "symbiotic." Symbiotic ministry implies that both ministering to spiritual hunger and ministering to physical hunger, though separate in function are inseperable in relations  and essential to the ministry of the Church.

In other words, though physical hunger is different from spiritual hunger, and though two different kinds of food are needed to overcome thea hungers, the church is not adequately obeyia God or fulfilling its role if it merely loves God (evangelism) without loving its 'brothers (social action), or if it merely loves its 'brothers' without loving God.

Yamamori is quick to point out that, from a strategic perspective. 'The physically hungry and the spiritually hungry of the world often overlap geographically.

"In those cases, evangelical organizations like Food for the Hungry an in a unique position. The residents and refugees within these countries are often in dire need of assistance which relief and development agencies such as out, can provide. When this occurs, we may be asked to provide aid even though traditional career missionaries are not allowed to enter.

"Having gained entrance, we are able to minister to both physical and spiritual needs:

Food for the Hungry seeks to enable churches and mission agencies to minister to food related needs; it seeks to pioneer new places of service where churches have not already been established and where other mission agencies are not already working; and to catalyze new movements in splits" and physical ministries.

The International Hunger Corps provides opportunities for Christian men and women. primarily college graduates and young professionals, to serve in ThirdWorld countries in some of the areas of greatest need.

The International Institute for Relief and Development located in Geneva, Switzerland helps establish invaluable links between Christian mission agencies and U.N. and other international agencies based in Switzerland.

The Desen Center near Scottsdale, Arizona provides conditions similar to those in which 67 percent of the world's hungry live. It is a research, demonstration, and training facility that works at solutions to the problems associated with living in semi arid regions. Small animal husbandry, hydroponics, and vertical gardening are just a few of the innovations being used, developed, and taught at the Center.

The Desert Center is open to church groups, local schools, and other groups interested in learning about world hunger. It is in the process of being expanded to a full range seminar and retreat facility.U.S. headquarters of Food for the Hungry are located in Scottsdale, Arizona, the international coordination center is in Geneva. Other major bases may be found in Japan. Norway, and Australia.

Food for the Hungry has continuous programs in 12 countries. Additional relief and research projects are found elsewhere.