The document discusses the global food crisis, providing several examples of its severe impacts around the world. In Afghanistan, some parents are forced to sell their young daughters into marriage to afford food. In Chile, a single mother spends a quarter of her income on bread alone. At least 14 countries have seen food-related violence. The causes of the crisis include increased global demand, lack of agricultural investment, diversion of crops to ethanol, rising energy prices, and poor harvests. The World Food Program now faces a $750 million budget shortfall. The document calls for actions like educating oneself, contacting government officials, donating, helping local communities, and fasting and praying.

1. The Global Food Crisis "A silent tsunami which knows no borders sweeping the world” - Head of UN World Food Program

2. Whether eliciting stunned eyebrow raises or horrified sobs, grocery bills and gas prices are taking their toll.

3. In Afghanistan, where more than half of all children under age 5 are chronically malnourished, some parents are forced to take extreme measures- — selling their pre-teen daughters as wives for older, affluent men.

4. "We didn't want to sell her," says the mother of 11-year-old Fatima. "We wanted to wait until she was 20. But we were forced to. There was no other way."

5. Fatima is now engaged to a man who gave her parents $6,000. "We have no money," her mother continues. "These days, the high price of food is affecting us in a bad way … we are borrowing money just to buy food."

6. In Chile, the price of bread has tripled since January. As a single mother, Berta spends a quarter of her income on bread alone.

7. She cooks every other day to save on fuel and no longer buys chicken, only bones. "The children get hungry," she says. "Everything is so expensive, and I must give them something to eat."

8. At least 14 countries have been racked by food-related violence. Hungry mobs and violent riots beset Port-au-Prince. Haitian Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis was forced to step down in April .

9. In Bangladesh, more than 20,000 factory workers protesting food prices rampaged through the streets, injuring at least 50 people.

11. The emerging forces of increased affluence and its resultant demand, such as the rising middle class in India and China,

12. the failure to invest sufficiently in increasing agricultural production, "The USDA projects global grain supplies will drop to their lowest levels on record. Further, it is likely that, outside of wartime, global grain supplies have not been this low in a century, perhaps longer." - NFU Director of Research Darrin Qualman

13. the diversion of wheat and corn to ethanol production, Last year 20% of the country's maize crop went to produce ethanol. According to the Earth Policy Institute, by next year almost a third of America's corn crop - which traditionally would feed millions of the world's poor - will go to making ethanol.

14. the drop in the value of the dollar,

15. increased market speculation,

16. the rise in energy prices,

17. as well as poor harvest, are all contributing causes.

18. “ It is certainly a storm that has hit with little warning and has plunged an extra 100 million people into poverty.” -BBC News

19. The cost of aid has risen so sharply the World Food Program is now facing a $750 million shortfall in its budget.

20. USAID officials said that a 41 percent surge in prices of cereals over the past six months has generated a $120 million budget shortfall that will force the agency to reduce emergency operations. That deficit is projected to rise to $200 million by year's end.

21. Congress is considering adding $850 million in funding for food in 2008, but it's still pending.

22. So what can we do? How do we respond? "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat..." — Matthew 25:35 (NIV)

23. Educate yourself… We have posted links to articles on Activate’s blog: www.experienceactivate.wordpress.com

24. Take action… Through World Vision’s website you can contact your congressmen to ask the US government to supply more international aid www.worldvision.org

25. Donate money through World Vision

26. Help those in our community who are in need… Every time you see a “buy 1 get 1 free” sign buy 1 for yourself and buy the second one and store it, to give to the local food bank

27. Join Resonate in a day of fasting and prayer this Wednesday in conjunction with World Vision's day of fasting and prayer

28. So I turned to the Lord God and PLEADED with him in PRAYER and PETITION, in FASTING, and in sackcloth and ashes. -Daniel 9:3

29. Sources: www.worldvision.org www.bbc.co.uk www.washingtonpost.com