Matthew 22:15-40
Introduction
Did Jesus' life and teaching have political content?
This week's fairly academic reflection is a review of a book by Alan Storkey called 'Jesus and Politics'.
In the book politics is defined as 'all the business of the state – rule, law, nationhood, power, justice, taxation, statehood, international relations, war, and government economic policy'.
Storkey recognises that Jesus may ‘not seem political’ inasmuch as ‘he did not have an army, collect taxes, or wear royal robes, except in his final trial’ but he made comments on all kinds of political issues.
Please reflect on three different conversations that Jesus has in Matthew 22: 15-40; according to the definition above all would be deeply political statements. How did people react to these in Jesus' time and how do they challenge us to review our own practices.
'Following Jesus’ politics today would require radical changes in our practices, both as individuals and as nation-states.'
Prayer
Please pray:
* That we follow Jesus' example and when necessary dare to be as radically different from the traditional culture of our time as he was.
* For Micah Challenge exploration meetings in Hungary this week and Botswana and South Africa next week.
o Please pray for wisdom for those who present Micah Challenge to invited organisational and church leaders. May they be courageous as they work together and plan for the formation of national campaigns.
* That in this decade malaria incidences would begin to reverse as Target 8 proposes.
o Please pray for good will and appropriate allocation of resources from the pharmaceutical industry.
Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we include each week (see below). Our hope is that you will find this series of statistics a useful resource in preparing presentations.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Target 8: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
'Malaria has significant measurable direct and indirect costs, and has recently been shown to be a major constraint to economic development. For developing economies this has meant that the gap in prosperity between countries with malaria and countries without malaria has become wider every single year.'
Source: 'Economic costs of Malaria', WHO 2007
You can view all our reflections to date on our website
]]>Reflection
Drawing on the story of the prophetess Deborah, Amanda Jackson, coordinator of Micah Challenge Australia, comments that Micah Challenge is more than a human “battle” against poverty. It is a spiritual battle for Godly values of justice - and it will be God’s victory.
Please mediate on this remarkable story in Judges 4 and 5.
‘In our campaigning, we can use all the usual methods to win support and move political mountains but we should not be surprised when God uses unusual people and methods to win the fight.’
Prayer
Please pray:
Let us pray that we can be mighty because we have God’s mighty power at our disposal as the story of Deborah reminds us.
Amanda asks in her article: what has worship to do with advocacy?
“Worship gives God his rightful place and reminds us of his faithfulness. It cements the link between faith and justice and reminds us of God’s ultimate power.”
We want to praise God for the amazing growth in Micah Challenge national campaigns in the past year – we have gone from 15 to over 30!
We praise God for his sustaining of the campaign and for the many volunteers that give their time and energy worldwide.
We praise God for the interest Micah Challenge receives – from grassroots communities to high-level policy makers.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we include each week (see below). Our hope is that you will find this series of statistics a useful resource in preparing presentations.
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Target 2: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
'The worst-affected regions – sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia – have made progress in recent years. But their advances have not kept pace with those of the early 1990s, and the number of people going hungry is increasing. Of particular concern is Eastern Asia: in the early 1990s, the number of hungry people declined; but again it is on the rise.'
Source: The Millennium Development Goals Report, United Nations, 2006
http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2006/MDGReport2006.pdf
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
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Deborah and justice
Amanda Jackson, Micah Challenge Australia
The story of Deborah only takes two chapters in the Bible, in the book of Judges, but she makes an impact. Her story – the victory of God’s people over Canaan - can help us see how we can have victory in the fight against poverty and injustice.
Deborah is a prophet and a judge living in difficult times. Israel has been oppressed by the King of Canaan for 20 years and the nation cries out to the Lord. Deborah tells the military commander, Barak, that God has commanded him to fight and that God will give the enemy’s army into the hands of Israel.
It is a clear command and promise, yet like so many of us when faced with a challenge from God, Barak is reluctant. He will not go without Deborah.
We live in challenging times as Christians – some of us are living under oppression, some live in nations where God is given only lip service, some face social and physical poverty and some are tempted by the false gods of materialism. And we should note that Israel is in trouble because it had turned its back on God – “they again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 4: 1).
God is calling us to radical action to restore righteousness and justice and promises to be there with us as we spread God’s Kingdom values. But we need to step out.
When Deborah and Barak go to fight, not all the tribes join in (see Ch 5: 14-18). Likewise, when we seek to include as many groups as possible in Micah Challenge, some will be reluctant and some may say No. It is vital though that we reach out to include as many groups as possible and speak in ways that different traditions will understand. But some may not join in (some may even be happy with the status quo). We should take heart from Deborah’s story that if we follow God’s calling we should not be discouraged if not all Christians join in.
We should also remember that God will surprise us with the way the “battle” goes. He uses the army of Barak in a conventional way but the full victory is only won when Jael, a farmer’s wife, kills the enemy commander, Sisera, in a totally unconventional way by driving a tent peg through his head. In our campaigning, we can use all the usual methods to win support and move political mountains but we should not be surprised when God uses unusual people and methods to win the fight, especially if, like Barak, we hesitate to take up the challenge.
Jael’s part in the defeat of the Canaanites also serves as a reminder that it was God’s victory – “So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan” and in Chapter 5 verse 20 it says “the stars fought from heaven, from their courses they fought against Sisera”. In the same way, Micah Challenge is more than a human “battle” against poverty – it is a spiritual battle for Godly values of justice and it will be God’s victory.
The complete story of Deborah and Barak is not revealed until the song in Chapter 5. Praise and worship for God are a key part of the victory – “I to the Lord, I will sing, I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel” (v 3) and “Awake, awake, sing a song!” (v 12).
What has worship to do with advocacy? Worship gives God his rightful place and reminds us of his faithfulness. It cements the link between faith and justice and reminds us of God’s ultimate power.
In the end, we do all we can in faith and trust that God will multiply our actions, as He did with Deborah and Barak – “let those who love him be like the rising of the sun in its might” (v 31). What a fantastic image for Micah Challenge and one that is very understandable to those of us who know about the heat of the sun.
Let us pray that we can be mighty because we have God’s mighty power at our disposal.
]]>Reflection
Irish musician Bono called the Millennium Development Goals “the beatitudes for a globalised world”. This inspired Bishop Christopher Gregorowski from Cape Town to see the 8 MDGs as Jesus might see them.
Reading the beatitudes in Matthew 5: 1-12 and then looking at the 'beatitudes for a globalised world' these offer us a possibility to reflect on what might be important to Jesus today: eight offers of blessings to people who are concerned about meeting their responsibilities as citizens of God's Kingdom.
Prayer
Please pray:
§ That we will be faithful citizens in God's kingdom and have the courage to carry out its up-side down values.
§ Please pray for the Micah Challenge called "Stop Armut" in Switzerland as they plan activities for the new year:
· for the campaign team under the leadership of Markus Meury as they seek to mobilize Swiss churches to make poverty an issue in their churches which reflects God's heart to the poor.
· for the regional volunteers meeting on 5th February in Bern. Pray that those involved will be encouraged and newly motivated in their fellowship with each other.
§ From the statistics below you may wonder if Mobile phones or telephone lines are of interest to God?
The answer is probably 'yes' when they are seen as tools for development to e.g. increase people's ability to communicate in emergencies or for the sharing of important information.
o Please pray for the wise use of ICT (Information Communication Technology) in both rich and poor countries and for the organisations who work to improve this sector in development.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we include each week (see below). Our hope is that you will find this series of statistics a useful resource in preparing presentations.
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development (trade/aid/debt)
Target 18: In co-operation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications
Indicator 47: Telephone lines and cellular subscribers per 100 population
'The country with the most telephone mainlines are Mauritius and the Seychelles, with 288 and 253 per 1,000 people, respectively. The countries with the fewest telephone mainlines are the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad, with less than one and one per 1,000 people, respectively.
The average for Sub-Saharan Africa is 10 mainlines per 1,000 persons and 74 mobiles phones per 1,000 people. In 44 out of the 48 SSA countries (92%), there are more mobile phones per 1,000 people than mainlines per 1,000 people.'
Source: Statistics from Sub Sahara Africa, World Bank, October 2006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
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BEATITUDES FOR A GLOBALISED WORLD
'Irish musician Bono called the Millennium Development Goals “the beatitudes for a globalised world”. This inspired me to see the 8 MDGs as Jesus might see them.'
Bishop Christopher Gregorowski, Cape Town
Jesus said, “You are blessed when you are merciful: you will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:5)
You are blessed when you seek bread for the hungry: you will be filled.
You are blessed when you provide schooling for all girls and boys: you will see God’s light.
You are blessed when you support women and girls in their quest for empowerment and equality: the power of God’s Spirit is yours.
You are blessed when you bring vulnerable children to health and strength: you will be healed and strengthened.
You are blessed when you seek the health of pregnant women and young mothers: you will be called God’s children.
You are blessed when you strive to combat HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other diseases: you will receive mercy.
You are blessed when you care for my creation, and seek clean water and sanitation for all, and a better life for slum dwellers: you will inherit the earth.
You are blessed when you open your borders to fair trade and your budgets to sound development: you will be richly rewarded.
You are blessed when you are persecuted for being just and seeking justice in the world: you are members of my family – for just as you do these things for your sisters and brothers in need, you do them for me.
Reflection
If Christmas giving is a feast of mutual delight in exchange of gifts within the circle of family or friends, how do we reconcile this with a world of massive and unrelenting need?
Croatian born theologian Miroslav Wolf reflects that the son of God did not dwell among humans just to open our eyes to the intimate relationships of the trinity but also so that 'the fragile flesh of humanity could be taken up into God’s embrace'.
Please reflect on 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 - a rather unusual passage for Christmas time!
'At Christmas we should celebrate two kinds of gift giving, not just one. Christmas should be a feast of reciprocal giving in a circle of intimates, a provisional enactment of the advent of God’s future world. But it should also be a feast of giving to those outside the circle, a small contribution helping to align the world of sin and need with the coming world of love.'
“For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich”.
(2 Corinthians 8:9)
Prayer
Please pray:
§ That God will give all of us a generous heart - not only at Christmas and not only to family and friends.
§ For the development of the Micah Challenge Blow the halftime whistle campaign plans.
o Various working groups have been formed and will start their work in the next weeks. Please pray for God's wisdom and good communication between Micah Challenge coordinators across the world.
o For National campaigns as they contextualise international plans for their own contexts.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.
Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015
'In only 10 of 30 developing countries surveyed did 50 per cent or more of women participate in all household decisions, including those regarding major household spending, their own health care or their visits to friends or relatives outside the home.'
Source: State of the World’s Children 2007, UNICEF December 2006
http://www.unicef.org/sowc/
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
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Taken from chapter 2 of ‘Free of Charge’ by Miroslav Volf (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005) with kind permission of the publisher
Gifts to the needy
God “scatters abroad” and “gives to the poor” (2 Corinthians 9:9). So should we. Let’s return for a moment to Christmas giving. I described it earlier as a feast of mutual delight in exchange of gifts within the circle of family or friends. But there is something very one-sided about celebrating Christmas only by ritually enacting a community of joyous giving and receiving. Though such a loving community is an earthly good on par with any other, in a world of massive and unrelenting need, it’s positively sinful for such communities to remain turned inward. The gifts should not just circulate within the community to delight its members. They should also flow to outsiders to alleviate their needs.
Consider the true gift we celebrate at Christmas, God’s advent into the world. Here is how the apostle Paul told the story of Christmas: “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The Son of God did not dwell among humans just to open our vista onto the circle of blissful exchanges within the Godhead. He divested himself of heavenly wealth and became an impoverished child so the fragile flesh of humanity could be taken up into God’s embrace. The circle of the Eternal Intimates opened up, and gifts traversed its boundaries to reach those in need. Our gifts shouldn’t just travel on a two-way street so givers and receivers can delight in one another; they should travel on a one-way street so that the needy may be helped, being imparted to those who may not be able to give in return.
At Christmas we should celebrate two kinds of gift giving, not just one. Christmas should be a feast of reciprocal giving in a circle of intimates, a provisional enactment of the advent of God’s future world. But it should also be a feast of giving to those outside the circle, a small contribution helping to align the world of sin and need with the coming world of love. The advent of the light into the darkness of the world is not the goal; it is part of the movement toward the goal. At Christmas we celebrate this movement. Gifts should therefore chiefly flow out to the needy; they shouldn’t largely circulate among friends.
Like God, we should give to the needy without any distinction – to stranger and to kin, to undeserving and deserving. Where the needy come from, what the colour of their skin is, or how they behave doesn’t matter. Their needs matter, as do their incapacities (though if they are able but unwilling to tend to their own needs, they are illicit takers, not legitimate recipients). It is sometimes hard to decide what exactly constitutes a need. For instance, a need in one place (a wealthy Western nation) may be opulence in another (in sub-Saharan Africa). Different givers may assess a need differently. But whatever the assessment ends up being, when the need is present, a gift should be given, irrespective of whose need it is.
You will recall that in Nathan the Wise, Sultan Saladin sought to enlist Al-Hafi, an ascetic and therefore a beggar, as his treasurer, because only a beggar knows how to give to beggars appropriately. To persuade Al-Hafi and to let him know what he expected of him, Saladin disparaged his predecessor: “He gave so ungraciously when he gave; first inquired so vehemently into the situation of the receiver; never satisfied that he was lacking, also wanted to know the cause of the lack, in order to measure the cause stingily against the offering”.
For a giver, every need is in a sense like any other need, and the mere fact of its existence is a sufficient reason for attending to it. Only ungracious and reluctant givers inspect the causes of a need and dole out the benefits in proportion to its legitimacy.
Some needy recipients may prove unworthy. They may be ungrateful, they may squander gifts irresponsibly before their genuine need is satisfied, and they may greedily refuse to pass even a crumb from their table to neighbours in more dire need. They clearly need to learn how to both receive and give – though probably not from those who give to them, lest the givers prove to be reluctant and arrogant, and therefore bad givers. Yet if recipients are in need, gifts should be given. Need is the only justification a gift requires.
'We do not need to close our eyes while singing praises to the Lord. We can sing praises with our eyes open, willing to see and feel the pain of the world – and then our eyes will meet God’s eyes.'
In the attached reflection, the Brazilian theologian Valdir Steuernagel looks at Psalm 146 and the Magnificat of Mary in Luke 1: 46-55 and challenges us to learn from Mary and the Psalmist the real meaning of praising God.
'For in their words of praise to the Lord, readiness to serve, and a rereading of history in the light of God’s promises, the denunciation of evil and injustice and the proclamation of God’s victory over all forces of death go hand in hand.''
Download the complete reflection.
Prayer
Please pray:
Steuernagel asks: 'What is there to sing about?' when e.g. we are looking at the recent HIV/AIDS statistic below: God's faithfulness and promises!
'To repeat God’s faithfulness nourishes our lives, tells us that we are not alone, and announces to the world that he can be counted on. Proclaiming his promises says that history has a meaning, that life has worth and value, and that God is in control.'
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases
Target 7: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
'The number of people living with HIV increased in every region in the world in the past two years. The most striking increases have occurred in East Asia and in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the number of people living with HIV in 2006 was over one fifth (21%) higher than in 2004.'
Source: AIDS Epidemic Update, UNAIDS and WHO, December 2006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
]]>Reflection
This week’s reflection is an excerpt from the first book released by Micah Challenge (Defi Michee) in France.
What is our motivation for ‘doing good’? Statistics of conversions, grateful thanks of the people we helped?
Based on Luke 17:11-19 the story of Jesus’ healing of the 10 people with leprosy, Jacques Blandenier reflects that:
“What the Samaritan received is on a different scale to what the others received. .. social action alone is not enough to save people from their separation from God. It does not convey eternal life. But Jesus, the Son of the Father who makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, did nevertheless heal them, with no calculation or reticence. And this miracle is the foundation and legitimacy for the commitment of Christians people who are poor or marginalised, no matter what the nature of their poverty may be”.
Prayer
Please pray:
§ Let us pray for Jesus’ attitude of grace and generosity in our lives. May we be able to put it into action with the people we encounter and are in need.
§ For the Micah Challenge consultation and launch in Haiti 31 October – 2 November 2006. Over 200 church leaders will learn more about integral mission, the Millennium Development Goals and how they can get involved through Micah Challenge.
o Please pray for Jean-Claude Cerin, the facilitator of Micah Challenge Haiti and other members of the steering group as they coordinate the event and also the launch of the campaign.
o Erika Izquierdo and Lawrence Temfwe will share their experience from Micah Challenge in the Andean Region and Zambia. Please pray that they will be able to adapt their knowledge in a way that the Haitian audience will be able to engage.
o Please pray for peace and reconciliation in the troubled country of Haiti; may Micah Challenge contribute to the improvement of life situations of many poor people in the Caribbean island.
§ Please pray for the young people in your country. May they learn what is necessary for their life’s safety and fulfilment. Please pray especially for Christian organisations and churches who work with young people in HIV/ AIDS prevention.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases.
Target 7: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
‘While progress is notable, the HIV prevention response falls short in many areas. The Declaration of Commitment calls for 90% of young people to be knowledgeable about AIDS by 2005, yet surveys indicate that fewer than 50% of young people achieved comprehensive knowledge levels.’
Source: Global Report 2006, UNAIDS
http://www.unaids.org/en/HIV_data/2006GlobalReport/default.asp
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
WHERE THEN HAVE THE OTHER NINE GONE?
Jacques Blandenier – Les Pauvres avec Nous, extract – Micah Challenge Collection N°1 - Ed. SU – 2006
For more information on the book please contact: contact@defimichee.org (available in French only)
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no-one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17.11-19)
The scene takes place on the borders of Samaria and Galilee - an unstable region, peppered with ethnic/religious incidents between two communities separated by age-old animosities.
A little way from of a small town, two groups of people meet. They are similar, yet very different: One consists of a dozen men, and seems to have an overriding objective. They are heading for Jerusalem, where their leader is soon to be arrested and executed. Behind their apparent frailty, this group is the bearer of unprecedented hope. Their hope is like a seed – within it is the promise of a radically new world, where there will be no war or ethnic clashes, no crying out nor distress, nor exclusion, impurity or epidemics. But a seed is like a grain of wheat that can be trampled underfoot in the dust of the path. Trampled is precisely what the members of the other group are feeling – about ten men also. They are not going anywhere, and certainly not to the village that they keep their distance from. Their disease (which is resented like it were a first-century kind of AIDS) condemns them to wander and beg. They are, in the strongest sense of the word, the poor. They feel they can do only one thing: call for help. They shout, because they are not allowed to approach those whose alms they hope for in order to survive.
And so, from the face to face encounter between these two groups of men, rises a tragic cry, that echoes the distress of millions of impoverished and marginalised people: Jesus! Have pity! The cry, often unheard, yet so universal, so burning, goes up from all the hungry, the victims of conflict, the exploited children, the sick no-one cares for, those who are pushed aside from social life, those whose lives have been ruined.
As so often, nearly always, Jesus’ response is disconcerting. No soothing words, no fiery discourse against the injustice of this world. Not even a sermon on the Kingdom of God, or a call to repentance (how could they be in a state to hear that?). Nor is there a ritual, an incantation, or psychological conditioning. But an instruction drawn from the Old Testament (Leviticus 14), implicitly charged with an incredible promise: go and show yourselves to the priest, because he can give you permission, after confirming your healing, to get back into social, economic and religious life.
And they go. What do they have to lose? What do they know of this man, except perhaps for his name. Maybe they have vaguely heard that he had the power to heal diseases? In its laconic style, the text says nothing about this. Just as it says almost nothing about how the miracle happens: “As they were on their way, it happened that….., they were cleansed…” Such sobriety should inspire sobriety in us. As for the miracle, no explanation, no learned analysis, no publicity, no manipulation. Just silence, removing one’s shoes as if on holy ground, and worship. Fear at a power that exceeds our human references, jubilation at the intervention that restores and brings freedom. The power of God, because it is that of a seed, does not crush: it lifts up and conveys life and dignity.
What did these men say, when they looked at each other, then looked at their own sores, and saw the miracle that was turning their lives upside down? Nothing! Or rather, they continued on their way, obeying the instruction given by Jesus. Only one dared to disobey it. As a Samaritan, he felt less tied than the others by the requirements of the law and less inclined to go and meet a Jewish priest. But this explanation falls short, and by far.
Indeed this man was doubly marginalised – as a leper and as a Samaritan – and was therefore overwhelmed by the liberation from a two-fold exclusion. He, better than the others, took account of the extent of what was happening to him, engendering gratefulness. Usually, commentaries on this text underline the fact that it highlights the importance of thankfulness. Once more Jesus can give, as an example to pious orthodox Jews, the attitude of this heathen man, this doubly despised foreigner. We shall return to this.
But I find the nine others troubling and fascinating. Not so much because of what they did – but because, precisely, they did nothing but conform to the prescriptions of a Testament that, for them, was not yet Old! They draw our attention because of what Jesus did to them. They were the object of unconditional and boundless mercy. But they did not perceive that it opened to them the way to a new relationship with God, that could transform their life both present and eternal. Their call for help was answered. They benefited from it, they used it. Conforming to religious precepts (presenting oneself to the priest) seemed correct and sufficient to them – as if their legal (should we say legalistic?) compliance had anaesthetised within them the joy of deliverance, the wonder at grace, the capacity for adoration and thankfulness.
This is not only a demonstration of what not to do, a counter-model, that of ungratefulness. This account unveils for us an important aspect of the work that God accomplishes within this world. Jesus knows what is in man’s heart (John 2.24-25). He no doubt knew, even before carrying out this act of power and compassion, what the reaction of the nine lepers would be – their non-reaction. Yet he still did it. Then he asked a question about them, within which we feel a tinge of sadness: “Where are the other nine?” He did not condemn them by denouncing their ungratefulness, even less did he withdraw the healing from them – and this last point deserves to be strongly highlighted.
The circumstances described in this text should speak to all those who, in the name of Christ, work to alleviate the suffering of others. Let us think in particular about those who give all of their being to a dispensary way out in the bush; or a home for young people in difficulty in a “sensitive suburb”, or in any other type of support to those who have been wounded by life – the “poor”, according to biblical terminology. Think also of an occasional act of solidarity towards, for example, a neighbour in pain (we are all the neighbour of at least one “poor”!) The legitimate hope anchored deep into the heart of these brothers, these sisters, and each one of us, is that such compassion would bear witness to the love of God, and that a call to respond to this would make its way into the conscience of those who benefit from it. But social workers know it well: gratitude is rare, rarer still are conversions!
If the statistics of the numbers of conversions were to be their only motivation for social action, they would probably wonder “is it really worth it?” And if the expectation for gratifying thanks is the motive that leads us to action, we will soon give up…
We need to know, then, that our sadness, our disappointment, is that of Jesus. One out of ten! Was it worth it? More than this: the gospels talk about some forty healings and deliverances. There were many more (see John 21.25). Yet, among this multitude of miracle recipients, how many came to stand on his side during his trial? How many accompanied him in the horrifying solitude of Golgotha? Were all these miracles and deliverances not worthwhile? Or was Jesus under an illusion by carrying out innumerable healings in the hope that at least a few would produce repentance and unconditional support from those who were the recipients of these miracles? Holding to such reasoning would be a perversion of the very meaning of Christ’s acts of love. They are acts of love. Love of the suffering Jesus at the suffering of the person he meets, whoever they may be. Acts of love, not propaganda or attraction. Because it is grace, the compassion of Christ is free and has no need to find justification in effectiveness, supported by statistics of conversions.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said about our Father: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt 5.45) What is the argument? For the good to benefit from the sunshine, does this mean that a part unfortunately needs to be wasted warming up the evil and the ungrateful who have no right to it? Not at all! God acts intentionally, and not because it would be too difficult to make the distinction. Love without exclusion, and without considering the response, is part of his nature. Jesus commands us to become sons and daughters who imitate their Father, by loving not only our friends, but also our enemies (Matt 5.44-45,48). This is how God loves – and this is how he loved us when we were his enemies (Rom 5.8,10). So be like this God whose mercy extends willingly to all. Love… for love’s sake! Do good without thinking what might come out of it, but simply because it is good. Be kind, at the risk of reaping nothing but ungratefulness. Do this as a “spiritual and ethical inheritance”: free mercy is part of the genetic inheritance of the sons of the heavenly Father! “Love is not a feeling: it translates into service. That is why poor and marginalised people should be the priority for our efforts: because it is they who most need our service.”1 The apostle Paul received this teaching, and conveyed it: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (…) Do not repay anyone evil for evil. (…) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12.14,17,21).
The healing of the ten lepers is an example of this generosity of God to all, which Jesus refers to in the Sermon on the Mount. And this generosity pervades the entire Bible! Genesis tells us that after the flood, the Lord made a covenant with all of humanity (Gen 8.21-22, 9.8-10, 16). No-one falls outside of this covenant; believers, non-believers, bad believers, sectarians and heretics, followers of other religions, the debauched and other deviants. The specific covenant with Israel, the people of God, came later. So too did the new covenant in Christ. Neither the one nor the other cancel the first, because the Bible says, this will last “as long as the earth endures.”(Gen 8. 22)
The miracle of Jesus in favour of the ten lepers, is a sign of God’s overall compassion, which is rooted in the covenant through Noah with all of humanity.
But some may say, are the miracles of Jesus not more of a sign of the Kingdom of God? Of course! (cf. Luke 11.20: “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you”. The verses following the account of the healing of the ten lepers confirm this, 17.20-21). The miracles of Jesus are messianic. They herald this new and still hidden world that we were talking about at the start, where there will be no more tears, no more crying out, no more injustice. The experience of the Samaritan leper shows this eloquently: he “came back” – he, in the physical sense of the word, did an about-turn, a conversion (v.15). But he did more than this: he recognised in Jesus the one through whom God saved him, and it was with him, rather than with the religious institution, that he sought to establish a relationship. The goodness of God led him to repentance, “into a radical life-change”, according to new translations (cf. Rom 2.4). This is why he was able to hear the word that transforms more profoundly than purification from leprosy: “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” It was the author of the miracle that he wanted to encounter, and nothing would ever separate him from that, even physical death, which would affect him like it will affect all who have received a miraculous healing from Jesus. Saved…..for ever! The account tells us that, having come back, he praised God in a loud voice, and prostrate at Jesus’ feet, he thanked him. (v.15-16) The link between these two expressions is striking. We find it in the negative at the beginning of the epistle to the Romans, when the apostle Paul describes the very essence of sin: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” (Rom 1.21).
Glorifying God and giving thanks to him is, without any doubt, the prime indicator of the restoration leading to new life that death will not end.
As for the nine other lepers, they were content with the overall compassion of God without aspiring to an encounter with the compassionate God. Following Jesus’ example, let us commit ourselves to the ten lepers, and not only to the one whose conversion we can expect (and who would have thought that it would be precisely this one – the Samaritan – who would be converted?) But let us not be mistaken. What the Samaritan received is on a different scale to what the others received. Like what happened in this account for the “nine others”, social action alone is not enough to save man from his separation from God. It does not convey eternal life. But Jesus, the Son of the Father who makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, did nevertheless heal them, with no calculation or reticence. And this miracle is the foundation and legitimacy for the commitment of Christians to people who are poor or marginalised, no matter what the nature of their poverty may be. As for us, purified lepers, may our life be redirected like that of the Samaritan, beyond religious precepts, to worship for God and thanksgiving. A life with the glory of God as its axis, driven by thankfulness. A life that bears the hope of the Kingdom of God.
Reflection
‘I thought of the worrisome life that I led. Carrying paper, washing clothes for the children, staying in the street all day long. Yet I’m always lacking things. ….But the poor don’t rest nor are they permitted the pleasure of relaxation.'
These words are taken from the 'Beyond All Pity' the famous diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus diary, a mother who lived in a large slum in Brazil with her three children (Extract attached)
Please meditate on the following words of wisdom from Proverbs, where honoring God, respect for all of God's created human beings and justice seem to be inseparable.
'A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.' (13:23)
'Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.' (22:2)
'You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honour God..' (14:31- from The Message)
Prayer
Please pray:
Praise God for a tremendous response to the 'STAND UP' campaign over the last weekend. Micah Challenge organized church participation around the world.
'We have not just broken the stand up record but it looks like we will have the biggest ever number of people to set any world record! In just one day a breathtaking 23 and half million people in more than 100 countries around the world have set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to “STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY”.' (Global Call to Action Against Poverty, 17 Oct. 2006)
In Malawi the 'STAND UP' campaign started in the morning of 15th October 2006 in churches throughout the country. This was possible through the Micah Challenge Malawi which is a member of the national Civil Society Taskforce on the MDGs. Over 1.5 million Christians participated in Micah Sunday by standing up against poverty.
In Sierra Leone, the 'Stand up' weekend started with a seminar held on which was attended by 52 church leaders. The topics that were discussed were the role of the church in nation building and governance, a Pentecostal perspective on advocacy and governance and Christian Advocacy and Governance.
Over 500 churches are expected to have participated in 'STAND UP'.
On Tuesday October 17, Micah Challenge Sierra Leone joined the GCAP coalition in the march across the streets of Freetown for the World Poverty Day where human chains were formed and pledges read out.
Please pray that these activities ultimately will contribute to people like M Carolina Maria de Jesus (see above) and the over 510 Million hungry people in Asia (see statistic below) and in other parts of the world.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Target 13: Address the special needs of the Least Developed Countries
'While in developing countries of the region [Asia-Pacific] the proportion of the population living below the $1-per-day poverty line is 22 per cent, for the LDCs (Least Developed Countries) it is 38 per cent. Indeed, across the region there is still evidence of extreme deprivation…. Asia still has more hungry people than any other region of the world – over 510 million.'
Source: Asia Pacific Human Development Report 2006, UNDP
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
]]>Apologies for the longer than expected break during September.
Reflection
This week's reflection is a song that was shared at the recent Micah Network Global Consultation. The soundtrack is available as a 3 MB file, please email Regine if you would like to receive it.
'Oh Lord the poor cry out for justice
One things for sure heaven hears their cry.'
Please continue to reflect on this theme by reading Luke 18:1-8.
Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"
(The Message Luke 18:6-8)
Prayer
Please pray:
Praise God for a good and successful Micah Challenge Facilitators meeting in Thailand.
It was encouraging and also challenging to hear from the various national campaigns.
Praise God for good strategic discussions and concrete decisions.
Please pray for all the final plans and arrangements for Micah Sunday October 15.
All National campaigns are encouraging churches to participate and many have developed resources and planned events for October 14/15.
Please see http://www.micahchallenge.org/global/index/National_Campaigns.html for further details.
Please pray for the 'Micha Initiative' in Germany.
The steering group is meeting today (6 October) and will make important decisions regarding the development of the campaign in Germany.
Please pray especially for all the plans that are developing around campaigning for the G8 in June 2007 in Germany.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Target 10: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water
'Every day, diarrhoeal diseases from easily preventable causes claim the lives of approximately 5 000 people, most of them young children.'
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, 2005
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
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'Jesus set such a high standard for us. Can we really, in this life, meet what he is asking us to do? “I pray that they maybe one, even as we are one.” '
Based on John 17:11-19 Rev Gary Simpson, Pastor of an African-American church in Brooklyn, NY reflects on his churches' relationship within its own congregation, amongst other ethnic groups in their community and worldwide. Download file
'When Jesus says, “be one”, that is one high bar. But here’s another one, Jesus expects us to complete the work that he started.
The Lord didn’t call us to escape. He called us to be in the world - to stay in the world.'
Prayer
Please pray:
* For a demonstration of 'oneness' at the forth-coming Micah Network Global Consultation in Thailand, 11-16 September.
* For the Micah Challenge Facilitators meeting 9-11 September in Thailand where 33 Facilitators from 22 different National campaigns will meet to share experiences and develop the international strategy for the next 9 months.
o Please pray for a wonderful sense of unity and working towards the same goal.
o Please pray against cultural misunderstandings and for great willingness to listen and learn from each other.
* Praise God for a consultation in Nicaragua 7 and 8 September where 20 key organisations will share their Millennium Development Goals and plan how to build greater accountability in their communities and up to government level.
o Please also pray for small delegations from Honduras and Ecuador who will participate with the aim to take the discussions to their own countries.
Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
Target 6: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio
'An estimated 300 million women today – or a quarter of the women in the developing world – have sustained problems in pregnancy and childbirth that have profoundly affected their lives.'
Source: UNICEF, 2006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Please see List of Prayer Reflections
]]>Reflection
'One day God will put the whole world to rights.' Do we have to wait passively until that day?
In Romans 8:18-30 the apostle Paul proclaims the good news that God will heal the world and fill it with his love and beauty.
Rev Tom Wright writes that God already begun the project and wants us to share in the task- right now.
'When we take a stand on behalf of the poor and against oppressive systems, locally, nationally and globally, we are not simply doing random acts. We are putting the victory of Jesus into operation, and anticipating the day when God will put the whole world to rights once and for all.'
Prayer
Please pray:
Praise God for Jesus' victory at the cross ! And lets pray that we will be able to put it 'into operation' in our lives.
Praise God for encouraging progress in Micah Challenge Malawi.
Over the past months three regional sensitization meetings were held and Micah Challenge was endorsed warmly, even the national radio and TV programs covered these meetings.
This week a consultation is taking place with the Minister of Finance present who will give a Progress Report on the MDGs in Malawi.
Please pray for the preparations for the launch on 15th October. Pray for Charles Gwengwe who coordinates the development and the steering group members who have taken on aspects of the development of the campaign.
The statistic below shows the sheer inequality and complexity of our world. Let us ask God how we should pray and act for our world.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger.
Target 2: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger
'The number of overweight people in the world has overtaken the number of malnourished for the first time, with a billion people considered heavier than advised.
While almost one in six of the estimated world population of 6.5 billion is now overweight or obese, about 800 million people do not have enough to eat.'
Source: Telegraph 15 August, 2006
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/15/wfat15.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_15082006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Please reflect on Isaiah 11:1-5 and Isaiah 5:16 which are part of Isaiah's 'servant songs' and build the foundation for CB's discussion.
' When a person with HIV loses his job; has no house to live because nobody will take him in or his/her children are thrown out of school then the church in India should be there to stand with them and to create an environment of justice. When people do not have enough to eat, when people sell their children to survive, the church should be the one to establish an environment of justice.'
Prayer
Please pray:
For ourselves that we can understand what it means that God is just and act accordingly.
Micah Challenge India as they are preparing for regional consultations to spread the knowledge of Integral mission and the MDGS through the sub-continent.
Please pray for wisdom for coordinator Abhishek Gier as he organises these events.
Please pray that Christians can be at the forefront of advancing social justice in relation to HIV/ AIDS issues (see statistic below).
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDs, Malaria and Other Diseases.
Target 7: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
'It is important to address the social factors that continue to drive the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, especially the low status of women, homophobia, HIV-related stigma, poverty and inequality. An AIDS response that is not as embedded in advancing social justice as in advancing science is doomed to failure.'
Source: Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Toronto, August 2006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Reflection
'Women experience violence as an expression of the educational, cultural and social formation, or rather deformation, that sets men up, in a natural manner, as agents of superiority, with power and control over women.' says Rev. Sergio Andrade reflecting on violence against women in Brazilian society.
He is urging the church to take an active part and learn from Jesus' example and his way of dealing with women.
Please read the story of the suffering woman in Mark 5: 25-34 and reflect on Jesus' attitude to her in her distress.
Prayer
Please pray:
For churches when they become aware of situations of violence against women in their own community; that they may speak up and protect rather than enforce wrong biblical teaching on the submission of women.
Praise God for successful Micah Challenge exploration meetings in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Argentina and Uruguay in the past 2 weeks!
Please pray for the elected steering group members and the appointed facilitators as they embark on developing first ideas and strategies.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.
Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015
'Up to 200 million women and girls are demographically ‘missing’.
The euphemism hides one of the most shocking crimes against humanity. Given the biological norm of 100 new-born girls to every 103 new-born boys, millions more women should be living amongst us. If they are not, if they are ‘missing’, then they have been killed, or have died through neglect and mistreatment.'
Source: Report 'Women in an Insecure world', Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), 2005
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Reflection
What is at the heart of good leadership? Is it good managerial skills and personal charisma? What role do power and control play?
In 1. Corinthians 1:18 – 2:16 we learn from the apostle Paul who didn't trust in his own abilities but in the 'wisdom of God' and the 'power of God'.
'We will dare to believe that the story of the cross is true, that the Christian gospel has unique power to uncover darkness, expose deception, and transform human lives. We will embrace a value system that runs counter to conventional standards of greatness, that contradicts worldly status systems and confronts human pride with the reality of a God who chooses what is weak and low and despised in the world’s eyes to reveal himself most fully. Finally, we will recognise in God’s modus operandi in the cross of Christ a principle for discerning God’s ongoing involvement in human affairs, enabling us to discover God at the centre of human pain and sin, and empowering those overwhelmed by need to find Christ as friend and helper.'
Prayer
Please pray:
That we will learn more and more how to rely on God's wisdom and power rather than our own.
For the international council members of Micah Challenge and especially its chairs Joel Edwards (UK) and Alfonso Wieland (Peru).
Please pray for God's wisdom and discernment as they oversee the governance of Micah Challenge.
For the Micah Challenge Facilitators meeting in Thailand in September.
Please pray for unity and excitement as over 30 facilitators of National campaigns from all around the world come together.
Please pray for God's guidance as together they will plan campaign strategies for the next year.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 8: Develop A Global Partnership For Development
Indicator 32: Net ODA as percentage of DAC donors' GNI [targets of 0.7% in total]
Indicator 33: Proportion of ODA to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
[The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is the principal body through which the OECD deals with issues related to co-operation with developing countries.]
'The United States’ net ODA in 2005 was USD 27.5 billion, a rise of 35.6% in real terms. Its ODA/GNI ratio rose from 0.17% to 0.22%, its highest level since 1986. Apart from debt relief, most of the increase was due to reconstruction aid in Iraq (which totalled USD 3.5 billion), reconstruction and anti-narcotics programmes in Afghanistan (USD 1.5 billion) and aid to Sub-Saharan Africa (USD 4.1 billion).'
Source: OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), 2006
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Reflection
Today's reflection gives an insight into 'Micahmorphosis', the Youth website of Micah Challenge USA. It offers space for young people to share their thoughts and experiences on poverty and social justice issues.
‘I do know that I’m required to do justice (treat people fairly and with dignity, not exploiting or taking advantage), love mercy (act from the heart instead of the head), and walk humbly with God (admit that He knows and I don’t), but that’s so broad.’
The reflection above shows how the call of the prophet Micah in Micah 6: 1-8 is still relevant to our lives and communities. It is a challenge to us to broaden our ideas of where Micah's call can be applied in our lives.
Prayer
Please pray:
For God's requirements of justice, mercy and humility in our lives, and that we would not be afraid to broaden our ideas of what that means.
Give thanks for young people in the world who recognize God's call on their lives according to Micah 6:8 and that their enthusiasm to drive the message forward in their generation would not diminish.
Please pray especially for Jason Fileta, the Youth and Student organizer of Micah Challenge USA.
Pray for him as he travels to colleges all over the country and talks to students about social justice and poverty issues.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education.
Target 3: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling
'While progress towards MDG Target 3 has been made globally over the past
decade, the pace is too slow to achieve universal primary education by 2015. If past trends continue, the world net enrolment ratio (enrolment by primary age children as a proportion of all such children) will be about 85% in 2005 and 87% in 2015.'
Source: DFID, 2006
Here is the link to Micahmorphosis: (http://www.micahmorphosis.org)
The site is regularly updated with blogs by young people sharing their passion for applying Micah 6:8 in their lives – inspiring reading.
Please see List of Prayer Reflections
http://www.micahchallenge.org/global/prayer_resources/documents/SearchableFridayPrayerReflections.xls
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
Reflection
This week we reflect on a 'Hymn of liberation' that is used by Micah Challenge campaigns in Latin America. It paints a beautiful picture of freedom, truth and justice.
John 8:31-32; 1.John 3:18 and Luke 7:18-23 talk about the relationship of truth, freedom, healing and justice that ultimately come through the person of Jesus Christ
Prayer
Please pray:
That we will mirror Jesus' example and point to a liberating truth and justice.
Please pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the campaign there. Micah Challenge coordinator Joseph Nkinzo writes:
'The DRC Micah Challenge needs to have your prayer support for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Our country is preparing for presidential, parliamentary and local elections after 40 years not having had elections, 7years of war and 3 years of transition after the war.
The National Committee members of Micah Challenge are committed to be National Observers of the elections. This is the challenge of our country and we have the privilege to show responsibility, credible accountability towards our government for achieving the MDG. It is impossible to advocate for anything if you don't have responsible leaders.
Please also pray for the Strategic document for Poverty Reduction which will be adopted this week by our government. Pray that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund well accept this document to help us fight poverty in DRC.'
That the rules of trade will be rewritten in favour of poor people and the environment.
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Meditate on the Statistics
As you spend time in prayer and reflection, you may like to take a moment to silently understand with your heart the focus statistic we will include each week (see below). We are hoping that you will find this series of statistics a useful reference in preparing presentations.
Goal 8: Develop A Global Partnership For Development.
Target 12: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
'International trade is worth $10 million a minute but poor countries only account for 0.4 per cent of this trade. Since 1980 their share has halved.'
Source: Christian Aid, 2006
Please note that our List of Prayer Reflections and MDG statistics will not be available as links for the next few weeks due to development of the Micah Challenge website.
Yours in Christ,
Regine, Jill and Michael
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