Tony Hall shares perspective on relief efforts



Hall found God while he served in Congress, and he wanted to blend his faith into his political work, but not, he emphasized, by shoving it down anyone else’s throat. Better to teach by example, he said. “I prefer to see a sermon rather than hear one.” More than 2,500 verses in the Bible, Hall said, address the crucial issues: widows, orphans, the sick, hungry and poor. Hall pointed to an African saying, “When the elephants fight, the grass dies.” That means, he explained, that when the big leaders fight, the little people suffer. “We pray for the leaders not because they’re better, but because they have the power,” said Hall, who has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Former Congressman Tony Hall of Ohio was ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand in the 1960's.

Tony Hall shares perspective on relief efforts

Breakfast speaker shares perspective on relief efforts

By Bob Schwarz
Staff writer

In 1984, Tony Hall, then a Democratic congressman from Ohio, went to Ethiopia for the first time.

Wracked by civil war, the country had descended into chaos, Hall told the annual Louderback Legislative Prayer Breakfast Tuesday morning at Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston. Famine stalked the land. Seven thousand people a day were dying. As he and a doctor walked among thousands of Ethiopians, people thrust out their children and said, “Take my child.”

At times, Hall walked among the dying and the dead. On the plane ride home, he decided that people, congressmen included, do a lot of things in life that don’t amount to much. He made many more trips to Ethiopia, and other trips to North Korea and Iraq. He became an advocate for hunger relief and human rights around the world.
- advertisement -

After 24 years in Congress, Hall took a new job when President George W. Bush named him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in 2002. He served 3 1/2 years.

In Congress, he co-founded and later headed the Select Committee on Hunger, and fasted for 22 days in 1993 when House leaders dropped the committee.

As an elected official, he voted for taxes, voted against taxes, voted for war, voted against war. None of those votes seemed to make the world better, he said.

Hall found God while he served in Congress, and he wanted to blend his faith into his political work, but not, he emphasized, by shoving it down anyone else’s throat. Better to teach by example, he said. “I prefer to see a sermon rather than hear one.”

More than 2,500 verses in the Bible, Hall said, address the crucial issues: widows, orphans, the sick, hungry and poor.

Hall pointed to an African saying, “When the elephants fight, the grass dies.” That means, he explained, that when the big leaders fight, the little people suffer.

“We pray for the leaders not because they’re better, but because they have the power,” said Hall, who has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Among those who attended the breakfast were Gov. Joe Manchin, 10 active legislators including the House speaker and Senate president, and a few former legislators. Manchin spoke briefly, stressing that he tries to never lose sight of the safety net that society must provide for those unable to care for themselves.

Andy Richardson, a former workers’ compensation commissioner and the prayer breakfast coordinator, said organizers took pains to not have a repeat of last year. He was referring to former Rep. William Dannemeyer, R-Calif., who reportedly went on a tirade about liberals and the American Civil Liberties Union before a local minister rose and cut him short.

To contact staff writer Bob Schwarz, use e-mail or call 348-1249.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: February, 2007; RPCV Tony Hall (Thailand); Figures; Peace Corps Thailand; Directory of Thailand RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Thailand RPCVs; Diplomacy; Hunger; Religion; Ohio

When this story was posted in February 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Subscribe to Peace Corps News Don't miss our new web site, Peace Corps News, for the latest news about the Returned Volunteer community and what is going on with the Peace Corps around the world. Subscribe to our news feed to get Peace Corps news delivered to your desk as it happens. Then visit the Peace Corps Library, History of the Peace Corps, the worldwide RPCV Directory or leave a message for the RPCV community on the RPCV Bulletin Board.

---

---

February 2, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Peace Corps Volunteers in Guinea Are Safe in Mali 28 Jan Lee Wilbur writes: Muslim media images are shocking 31 Jan Gregory Acker plays African drums for 3rd Goal 31 Jan "Jimi Sir" now available for free internet viewing 30 Jan Is Civilian Reserve just another Bush throwaway line? 30 Jan Tony Hall writes: What North Korea really wants 30 Jan Paul Tsongas remembered on 10th anniversary 28 Jan Ben Bell attends Washington march against Iraq war 27 Jan First Peace Corps Volunteers to Serve in Cambodia 26 Jan Phil Hardberger sees 'golden years' ahead for San Antonio 26 Jan Doyle wants smoking ban in Wisconsin 24 Jan Mark Udall to run for Colorado Senate Seat 17 Jan Meredith Walsh works with Burmese refugees 16 Jan Tschetter spends MLK Day with Habitat for Humanity 15 Jan Robert Buckley founds Himalayan Healers 14 Jan James Rupert writes: An aging king in Thailand 14 Jan Michael O'Hanlon writes: A Skeptic's Case For the Surge 14 Jan Senator Dodd opposes Iraq surge 11 Jan Pat Waak celebrates 2008 Democratic Convention 11 Jan Al Kamen writes: The six rules for Congressional Junkets 10 Jan Bill Moyers slams Bush on global warming 10 Jan Psychological biases favor conflict rather than concession 1 Jan

---

January 14, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Dodd declares candidacy in 2008 Presidential race 11 Jan Malawi RPCVs found "Orphan Support" 11 Jan John Garamendi takes oath as California Lt. Governor 8 Jan Amy Smith prepares her students for field trips to remote villages 8 Jan CES provides loans to rural constituents in Guatemala 6 Jan RPCV Tom Bissell writes: Rolling Estonia 5 Jan Lance Holter writes: 1st Lt. Ehren Watada risks it all 2 Jan Paul Theroux writes: Remember the Cicadas 2 Jan Louise M. Pascale republishes Afghan children's songs 31 Dec Husband remembers Niger RPCV Mary Ann Hobson 30 Dec Bob Leventry faces problems importing organic quinoa 29 Dec Congressmen urge increase in diplomatic and development programs 27 Dec Family says treatment after PCV death left bitter feeling 27 Dec Family finishes project after PCV dies in shark attack 26 Dec Mark Ridoff writes: Productivity doesn't aid middle class 24 Dec Dodd says begin process of getting troops out of Iraq 24 Dec PCVs caught in street protest in Bolivia 22 Dec Honda named to powerful Appropriations Committee 22 Dec PCOL and NPCA collaborate on story "Snowshoe Bob" 21 Dec Alejandro Toledo charged in Forgery Scheme 21 Dec Michael O'Hanlon writes: The State of Iraq 20 Dec Carl Pope writes: Renewable energy offers new jobs 20 Dec

---

Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future.

---

Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races Chris Shays claims victory in closely watched race Jim Walsh wins re-election to Congress in close race Tom Petri unopposed for re-election to Congress Sam Farr wins re-election to Congress Mike Honda wins re-election to Congress Jim Doyle wins re-election to Wisconsin Governorship Kinky Friedman loses in long shot bid for Texas Governor John Garamendi elected Lt. Governor of California

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

---

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

---

He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

---

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

---

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

---

The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

---

PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

---

History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

Read the stories and leave your comments.