Micah Challenge is calling Christians all over Australia to pick up their pens to fight poverty. The ‘Offering of Letters’ campaign asks churches and other Christian groups to prayerfully write a letter to the Prime Minister calling for generosity and justice for 1.2 billion people who live in extreme poverty. The letters will be delivered to Mr. Rudd during the Micah Challenge national gathering, ‘Voices for Justice’, in September.

The Offering of Letters kits for organisers and participants can be downloaded

Last year, more than 5000 letters were delivered to Parliament House, sending our government a clear message that Christians in Australia care about justice. Micah Challenge recently received a response from the office of Mr. Rudd, thanking letter writers for “bringing this matter to the Prime Minister’s attention.”

As our world groans under the weight of a financial crisis, we must remember that it is the poorest of the poor who will be most impacted. The World Bank estimates that more than 300 thousand more children will die each year from poverty related causes, if the global economic crisis continues.

The Prime Minister’s office acknowledges this, stating that “the global economic crisis is making progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) more difficult. The impact of the crisis is especially severe in developing countries, and therefore the role of donor nations in protecting the poorest and most vulnerable is critical.” Now is the time for Christians to act.

This year, Micah Challenge is again encouraging Christians to write to Mr. Rudd urging him to turn his words of support for the MDGs into tangible action. It will take about 15 minutes to construct a handwritten letter asking our government to remember Australia’s commitment to the global poor.

“We are aiming to present more than ten thousand letters this year”, said Micah Challenge National Coordinator, John Beckett. “With an election pending in the next twelve months, this is our chance to let our politicians know that we want them to take issues of global poverty seriously”.

The Offering of Letters kits for organisers and participants can be downloaded.  The kits include all the information you need to write to the Prime Minister, including a sample letter. You can also download a PowerPoint presentation and other resources that can be utilised to explain the campaign.
“Just as we offer our money and our time to God, we can also add our voices as part of a whole life offered in worship.” said Mr. Beckett. “This is a tangible opportunity for all Christians in Australia to ‘do justice and love kindness’ and take up the challenge of Micah 6:8”.

The Millennium Development Goals, endorsed in 2000 by every member of the United Nations, set eight bold but achievable targets to halve global poverty by 2015. These targets relate to education, clean water and sanitation, maternal and child health, improving housing standards, combating disease, and addressing global development issues like trade, good governance and debt. Our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has spoken strongly in favour of the MDGs and his government has promised to increase Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to 0.5% of our national income by 2015. But our government still has not made a timetabled commitment to reaching the target of 0.7% required to achieve the goals.

[At the G20 meeting] “In London in April 2009, Australia and all other G20 member states reaffirmed commitment to the MDGs and to achieving ODA pledges”, said the response from the Prime Minister’s office. The Offering of Letters is one effective way Christians can act to see these important commitments to the poor are met.

Micah Challenge Australia is part of a global movement of Christians which aims to deepen engagement with the poor by integrating social justice as an essential aspect of faith. Campaign supporters want to encourage the leaders of all nations to fulfil their commitments to the MDGs. We believe that we have made a promise to the poor and are capable of upholding our commitment. If every Christian chooses to act with justice and kindness, walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8), imagine the impact we can have.

Contact: Tabitha Horsley
Communications Coordinator
Micah Challenge Australia
Ph: (02) 9453 1586
Email: tabitha.horsley@micahchallenge.org.au
Office Days: Mon, Wed, Thursday