Coalition member initiatives
The Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition is comprised of a diverse array of ecumenical NGOs, ministries, alliances, denominations, and organizations. While we collaborate closely on addressing hunger and nutrition, each member also leads their own independent initiatives that contribute significantly to our shared mission. These efforts are well worth exploring and supporting, as they offer unique approaches and solutions to combat hunger and improve nutrition.
Join us in learning more about these impactful initiatives and discover how you can get involved.
This campaign aims to raise awareness and support for humanitarian crises that are often overlooked by the media and policymakers. By highlighting these neglected crises, the Integral Alliance works to ensure that those affected receive the necessary aid and support, emphasizing the importance of prayer and action in addressing these urgent needs.
An annual ecumenical celebration that runs from September 1 to October 4, the Season of Creation invites Christians worldwide to renew their relationship with God and all creation through prayer, sustainability projects, and advocacy. This initiative emphasizes the interconnectedness of environmental stewardship and the fight against hunger and malnutrition.
The ENOUGH Campaign is a global initiative to end child hunger and malnutrition. By advocating for nutritious food for every child and mobilizing communities to take action, World Vision aims to ensure that no child goes hungry. This campaign highlights the critical role of prayer, community involvement, and policy change in achieving food security for all.
Artwork
Over the past three years, the Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition has commissioned unique pieces of art from diverse artists around the world. These works are designed to enrich our spiritual reflections and inspire action against hunger. Each piece invites us to engage visually and spiritually, deepening our understanding and commitment to the cause. Explore these powerful artworks and let them propel you towards meaningful action.
Ronald Abdou
2023
Bio: Ronald Abdou, often known as Ronald Ngum or Abdou Kiloh, is a young emerging multimedia artist from Cameroon, and completed his Bachelor in Fine Art at Michaelis School of Fine Art, South Africa in 2023. As a multimedia artist, his practice encompasses; paintings, photography, video art, film, sculpture and sculptural installations.
Predominantly, he explores the different forms of knowledge that define who people are and how they interact with the world. These reflections extend from his personal life experience to communal experiences and cultural tensions within human spaces.
Instagram handle - @ron.abdou
Artist statement: Inspired by Isaiah 58: 6-12, This image juxtaposes ideas of oppression and oppressive food systems, with possibilities of liberation. As the prophet calls for active work against injustice, a reimagination of oppressive food systems today is depicted. Reading from the choice of plants which echo less overt geographies and histories of oppression (and the environmental impact) to a breaking of physical chains. Moreover, food here is suggested in different stages; unprocessed versus processed. This questions not only the types of food one eats but also the types of food one can access and eat.
Part of the Whole
Reflection by Bishop Rosemarie Wenner.
What a colourful image! There are many details to explore… signs of pain and signs of hope. Look at the chain: Will it be taken to shackle people? Or, are shackles broken and forever put aside? Look at the sun. It stands for the source of life, for light, a sign of hope after a dark night of fear and pain. Yet, the power of the sun is also hurting as we face terrible damages from global warming.
The future starts today, if we opt for justice, compassion, love, and togetherness. Basically, it is about realizing that I am part of the whole creation. Look at the illustration of Ronald Abdou: I depend on the sun that shines without me paying for it. I need the trees to produce oxygen and to provide fruits. The bird takes seeds of corn and vegetables from one place to the other. People whom I don’t know built the house I live in. I am, because there is this vital net of interactions in God’s creation and within humankind. I – together with others of good will - can honor God by sharing food with the hungry, by providing shelter for the poor wanderer, by setting the oppressed free and by seeing God’s image in the face of the other. This is the dawn of a bright new day. I wish to draw myself into the picture, come to the cross in repentance and thanksgiving, and realize how I am interwoven with God’s creation. I will invite others to make the choice towards a blessed life. By sharing what we received and by protecting God’s creation, we will live into God’s shalom.
Rosie Hilditch
2024
Bio: Rosie is an artist and Religious Studies teacher, living in Cyprus. Her work is inspired by the processes and forms of byzantine iconography. Having completed her Bachelor’s degree at the London School of Theology, Rosie is passionate about the role of visual art in the church.
Artist statement: The image-making process began as I gathered various pieces of paper ephemera: seed packets from my many failed attempts at growing food with my young children; a copy of Isaiah 58:1-8; leaflets from the World Council of Churches’ Food for Life Campaign. All of these pieces of paper ephemera are collaged into the background of the painting and washed over with thin, pale coloured paint, tying the background together but also obscuring the details of the paper. The painting itself is impacted by the bumps and inconsistencies of the collaged background. Cutlery is a theme that has come through my work for a number of years, the replacement of these with the gardening tools are a reflection on the processes used to bring forth nutritious, life-giving food from the soil.
Table Blessing
Reflection by Rev. Judy Davis
Whenever my church family gathers for a fellowship meal, it is truly a time for celebration and sharing. I am blessed to be part of a very culturally diverse congregation, which is reflective of the community where I live in Geneva, Switzerland. As families arrive and lay their food offerings on the tables, it quickly becomes a “feast for the eyes.” Alongside the familiar salads, hummus dip and brownies lay the cassava cakes from the Philippines, mandazi from Tanzania and Kenya (also known as “puff-puffs” in Nigeria), pakora, fish cutlets and curry channa from India, guacamole, beans and rice from Latin and America, salmon and rice from Japan, olive bread, quiche, to name but a few.
It is our church’s custom to offer up a table blessing before the meal by singing together, “Bendice, Señor, Nuestro Pan.” The words and tune are simple, easy to catch on for those who are new, yet deeply meaningful:
“Bendice, Señor, nuestro pan / Y da pan a los que tienen hambre / Y hambre de justicia a los que tienen pan / Bendice, Señor, nuestro pan Lord, bless the bread you have given / Give bread to all who are hungry / Give hunger for justice to those with bread / Lord, bless the bread you have given”
It is a holy moment, to be gathered in faith, giving thanks to God for the gift of abundant food before us, while remaining mindful of those who hunger. The simple words of this song-prayer echo the plea of the prophet Isaiah, to satisfy the needs of those who hunger and to provoke a hunger for God’s righteousness among those who have plenty.
Food is a gift from God, given for us and for all God’s creatures – to be nourishment and provide joy, to share with others, so that all may flourish. At the table in fellowship, not only do we share food. We also share our stories. We listen to each other’s stories, and through these encounters we experience grace, as we give and receive in relationship together. In the words of theologian Norman Wirzba, when that sharing is done in the name of God, “eating is the earthly realization of God’s eternal communion-building love.” (Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating) Such encounters give us a glimpse, perhaps, of the heavenly banquet to come.
The “Ten Commandments of Food,” is an engaging resource that was developed for Christians who seek to engage meaningfully with issues of hunger and food justice in our local and global communities. It is a worthwhile endeavor that can lead to transformative change for ourselves and for others. But don’t hesitate because of the term “commandment,” which for some people conveys a tone of negativity or restrictions.
On the contrary, “The Ten Commandments of Food” invites us to engage positively with the challenges that exist, offering very concrete reflections and action steps. To understand these as guidelines for holy action, means, instead, that we are putting the best of ourselves forward into loving God and others, which can lead to flourishing for all, as God desires.
This is also portrayed with a beauty, simplicity, and freshness in the artwork on the cover by artist Rosie Hilditch. In the blue bowl are fresh greens and tomatoes, which one can imagine were newly cultivated from a nearby garden, then washed, and prepared to eat.
The gardening tools that represent utensils remind us of the labour – and the labourers – required to grow and harvest our food. The tiles around the bowl consist of pages from “The Ten Commandments of Food,” which give respect to our shared commitment to alleviating the causes of hunger in our communities and the world. May God guide and bless us as we join in the work of God’s Kingdom.
Esther Douglas
2025
Bio: Esther Douglas is a young artist from Manchester, currently in her final year of her degree in Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art. Her work includes observational drawing and paintings made of the people around her and places she inhabits. Large scale oil paint portraits are a big part of Esther’s practice and through them she hopes to communicate some of the story of the sitter. She makes paintings and prints of moments of everyday life that encourage us to pause and look more closely at the beauty that surrounds us.
Insta: @estherdouglasart
Artist statement: Jesus repeatedly shared meals with many different groups of people in the Bible, from the last supper with his disciples, to his meal shared with Zacchaeus after beckoning him down from the tree; He loved to share food with people. This image of the shared table hopefully encourages us to meditate on the ’shared table,’ both literal and metaphorical. How can we extend the table to others through our physical sharing of food with those who are without? How can we extend the table of prayer, to gather with others together in conversation with the Lord, committing those who are experiencing the effects of the hunger crisis to Him who knows and cares for them? This piece encourages us to think about our own ‘table' and how we can share what we have in practical ways.
Reflection from Sarah Larkin:
The wonderful thing about an artwork is that it can ‘speak’ to people in many different and varied ways. When I first saw this thoughtful piece, I was struck by three things:
The first is the empty chair. It made me think of the ‘unseen guest’ that we could consider Jesus to be. There is a well-known quote that has hung in many a dining room in days gone by: ‘Christ is the head of the home, the unseen guest of every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.’ This might lead us to consider what we might do or say differently if indeed Christ is dining with at our table. In this, there is also the challenge of who Jesus may be asking us to invite for a meal. I recall the words from Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25: 31-46).
So, the unseen guest can be considered to be both our Lord Jesus and those who are thought of in the world’s eyes, to be ‘the least’.
The second thing that strikes me about the picture is the woman at the head of the table. She is the only one without food directly in front of her, and her poise is one of prayer. That brings to mind Jesus’ words that we “shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). We are called to trust God before all else, but also, in the face of scarcity and hunger, there is the promise of God’s miraculous provision:
Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes and in blessing the meagre meal it was multiplied, and there was not just enough to go round, but 12 full baskets left over. And just like the boy who shared his meal, in our offering what we have to the Lord, we can ask Him to bless and multiply it as it is shared with others.
The third thing that strikes me is the colour contrast in the picture. Half the table and half the woman are in light and half in shade, and in the rest of the picture it is a mixture. For me this is suggestive of the fact that our world is a mixture of light and darkness and that we always have a choice to make - to see Jesus with us at our table, to trust God for what we need and to share our meal with the hungry.
The picture may also bring to mind a verse or passage from the Scriptures. The one that comes to my mind is the instruction: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). And also, the story of Zaccheus in Luke 19. Here Jesus invites himself round to Zaccheus’ house – presumably for a meal? Here is a poem I write inspired by that story:
Zaccheus
He knew my name
That’s the thing
How did he know my name?
This man passing through
Stops at my tree
And invites himself round
Nobody asks to come and see me
Ever
I was so blown away
I didn’t think of the unmade bed
Or the washing up
Or the weeds springing up
All the way along the path to my
Special extra-security hard-to-break-down reinforced door
Me
The man so many people hated
Abraham’s son
Salvation came that day
To a house filled only with fine things
I knew by the way he looked up at me
That I would give away half of all that I owned
To the poor
It didn’t matter what it cost
I was so happy
Because for the first time in my life
Ever
I wasn’t lost
(Poem: Sarah Larkin)
Questions for further reflection:
- What do you see in the picture? What are the main three things that strike you?
- Have you had a testimony to share of God’s miraculous multiplication and provision?
- Do any verses or passages of Scripture come to mind as you reflect on the picture?
- You might like to take time to respond to the picture creatively. Perhaps it will inspire a poem, prose reflection or picture of your own.
Sarah Larkin
INTEGRAL ALLIANCE
Head of Communications and Marketing
How to Use This Artwork
The commissioned artwork is a powerful tool for reflection and action. Here are some ways you can incorporate it into your activities: 
1)Print and Display: Download the artwork and print it out. Display it in your church, office, or place of ministry to inspire those who see it. Consider placing it in a dedicated prayer space to enhance spiritual reflection.
2)In Worship Services: Include the artwork in your prayer and worship services. Present the piece and read the accompanying reflection to deepen the congregation's engagement.
3)Interactive Reflections: Use the artwork as a focal point for reflection. Ask questions such as:
- How does this piece make you feel?
- What does it say to you?
- How does this visual art help you articulate what words cannot?
- What does this prompt you to pray for?
- What actions does this inspire you to take?
- How does this piece speak to you about hunger, nutrition, and food security?
4)Art Exhibitions: Organize an art exhibition featuring all three pieces of commissioned artwork. Invite local artists to create and display their own works on the themes of hunger and nutrition.
5)Community Events: Host events where the artwork is displayed, and invite community leaders to reflect on hunger and nutrition. Discuss responses to the global hunger crisis and explore actionable solutions.
6)Engaging Children: Encourage children to participate by creating their own art on the subject of hunger and nutrition. This can be a powerful way to involve younger members of the community in meaningful discussions.
By incorporating these artworks into various activities, you can foster deeper reflection and inspire collective action against hunger.