In 2000, parts of Ethiopia were affected by the worst drought since 1984/5. Although the rains in 2001 have been better in most areas, it will take many years for some communities, in particular the cattle – herders, to recover. To tackle these problems internally is extremely difficult, particularly as Ethiopia still spends twice as much on external debt repayments as it does on health care.
Christian Aid is currently working with 16 local partner organisations such as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Mekane Yesus Church. Their programme focuses on three priorities:
- Tackling HIV / AIDS,
- Improving food production and water supply,
- Strengthening partners to increase their effectiveness and their ability to influence government and make it more accountable.
The new three –year programme is designed to help over 200,000 people grow enough food to eat, protect the local environment, and improve animal health. Projects will include setting up community based tree nurseries and four new veterinary posts, and providing training for over 100 groups of farmers. To help people through the difficult times, 75 farmers will be trained in bee-keeping, which can provide a valuable income through the sale of honey.
Around the world, inequality is increasing, while the rest of the world is further globalising. In many cases, political interests have led to a diversion of available resources from domestic needs to western markets. Historically, politics and power play by the elite leaders and rulers has meant that people and their land can be controlled, which has further increased poverty and dependency. These have often manifested themselves in wars, hot and cold, which are mainly trade and resource-related. Those mercantile practices still happen today. Even the wealthiest nation has the largest gap between rich and poor compared to other developed nations. Poverty is therefore not just an economic issue, it is an issue of political economics.
Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
In the Gospel according to St Matthew, Jesus spoke,
“You cannot be the slave both of God and of money” [Matthew 6:24]
True intelligent Christians will understand this to mean that having a rich fortune is not to your benefit if you wish to succeed with God. This statement should provoke Christians to use their riches to aid others, the people who have nothing. Organisations such as Christian Aid and Cafod are seen as ways for Christians to help fellow followers by dedicating a little money to help less fortunate people.
Half the world - nearly three billion people - live on less than two dollars a day.
We live in a world today which is driven by wealth. This alarming statement leads me to the story of the Widow’s mite. Whilst Jesus was in the Temple he watched the people put money into the treasury ( a lot of rich people put large sums of money into the treasury). Then a poor widow came in and put two small coins into the treasury - the equivalent of a penny. Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them:
“I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more money in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.” [Mark 13: 41-44]
This story proves that faith is more important than wealth. This poor widow gave everything she had and left herself very vulnerable as she gave up her entire income. She had to rely on her faith to sustain her.
“Treat others as you would like them to treat you” [Luke 6: Verse 3]
This statement was a warning from God through Jesus to the selfish people who were living in the time of Jesus. Such people still exist today but we can hope that these words will have some meaning to them and they will act on them accordingly.
In modern times we can very easily equate the works of musician and pop star Bob Geldof to the message from Jesus. His sterling efforts through the charities “Band Aid” and “Live Aid” helped the poor and starving African people. He awakened the world to their plight. Like the widow’s mite, the small change taken for granted by most of us could save the life of a starving child in Africa. This truly is a contemporary example of the words of Jesus being acted upon.
The Religious Society of Friends, the Quakers, see the problems caused by poverty, the abuse of human rights, the destruction of the natural environment and the exploration of both people and the earth as intrinsically linked. Their concern about poverty, the distribution of wealth and development stems from their shared belief that there is something of God in everyone.
The Salvation Army teach to give all you can – that God has created the whole universe. Everything we have is given to us in trust. “Whatever our skin colour or background, we are one in our common humanity and one in Christ.”
Jesus also warned:
“Alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.” [Luke 6]
This statement was a warning to Christians as they will have learnt in the story of the Rich Man that it is not possible to enter the Kingdom of God having had riches on earth.
But with Jesus’ words of warning also came words of comfort. He taught:
“Happy are you who are poor: yours is the Kingdom of God” [Luke 6: Verses 20-21]
“People who long to be rich are a prey to trial; they get trapped in all sorts of foolishness and harmful ambitions which plunge into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all evils …” [Timothy 6: Verses 9-10].
This teaching from Jesus attempts to prevent Christians being driven by selfish greed and the need for extravagant lifestyles, and to instil the message of the riches of faith and goodwill to our fellow man.
Jesus was not trying to teach Christians to give everything away to others and suffer themselves. He simply taught to give the most you can to help others. He taught that a person’s faith is far more important than any material possessions one may have on earth and that the Kingdom of God is a place much different to earth where worldly goods and status matter not.
May I simply conclude with this fact:
Today, across the world, 1.3 billion people live on less than one dollar a day; 3 billion live on under two dollars a day; 1.3 billion have no access to clean water; 3 billion have no access to sanitation and 2 billion have no access to electricity.
This is disgraceful considering the comfort we live in, Christians must strive to change this.