Franciscans to help feed North Koreans: one small noodle factory, one heartfelt leap for famine relief NEW YORK, June 12, 1998-Franciscans from three continents are cooperating to relieve severe famine in North Korea through construction of a noodle factory there. The situation in North Korea is "really bad," says Father Francis Kim, OFM, a Franciscan friar in New York, who has been instrumental in setting up the noodle factory project. "People are dying of hunger." Franciscan Missionary Charities, a not-for-profit corporation, was established for the exclusive mission of raising funds to build the noodle factory in Ahn Joo, North Korea. "It is a coal mining village, in an outlying area in the north, and it is very poor there," Fr. Kim says. Secular Franciscans in the United States, Canada and South America, as well as churches with large Korean populations, have raised $50,000. St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, where Fr. Kim provides ministry to the Korean community in the Metropolitan New York area, pledged an additional $50,000 to the effort. With these funds, Franciscan Missionary Charities will be able to provide two noodle machines and supplies to make the noodles. Fr. Kim originally hoped to travel in April. However, there was a long wait. Kim's South Korean origins were scrutinized by North Korean officials. So were the motives of the Franciscans; authorities of the communist-run country of 22 million people were unsure why the friars wanted to help. "The answer is simple: it's the Gospel," notes Father Ronald Stark, OFM, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church and president of Franciscan Missionary Charities. "But explaining so they understand how we come to that answer is very hard." After much negotiation, including the involvement of Franciscans International at the United Nations, "I finally have a visa and will leave for Beijing, China, on Saturday, June 20," confirms Fr. Kim. "There I will arrange for the delivery by train of 150 tons of flour, the main ingredient for the noodles." Yeast and salt complete the recipe for noodles, a staple food because it is more readily available than rice. "This is the cheapest way to feed people," explains Fr. Kim. "To purchase rice in China would be very expensive. And North Korea's farm land is destroyed, so they cannot grow rice now." The flour will be transported from Beijing to Ahn Joo. A factory will be constructed for the two noodle machines, says Father Kim. It will not be hard to find volunteer labor, he says. "There is nothing there. They are starving. This is a step for them to survive, to make food for their village." Funds raised so far will provide noodle ingredients for several months. CONTACT: Fr. Francis Kim, OFM / Fr. Ronald Stark, OFM, St. Francis of Assisi Church: tel. +1-212-736-8500.