Why support Jubilee 2000?
During Christian Aid Week we heard more about the Debt Crisis, and the difficulties poorer countries are in because of debts contracted in the past which they are now unable to pay. There are various reasons for this. Some may be the fault of the authorities in those countries. Some politicians and business people may be on the make. However Jubilee 2000 has shown that a lot of the debt is due to factors over which those poor countries have no control. The prices of the crops or goods they try to export falls. Their exchange rate goes down. Interest rates rise. They can't earn enough money to pay off the debt. They have to cut education, health and other services - and it is the poorest people whom this affects the most.
Christians should have some sympathy with this. While we do not want to wallow in guilt, we know we are sinners, and that we fail to live up to the high standards set by our faith. We continually need forgiveness, and the chance to start again. That is why, each Sunday, we make confession and seek God's grace. And as we are forgiven our trespasses shouldn't we forgive those of others - spiritual and financial?
The Christian Aid Week material told of baby Joyce Ngairo from Tanzania, where due to Tanzania's debt to other countries every child born owes £120 - which they have no chance of ever paying. We were shown a poster of Kemisha Munroe of Jamaica, whose mother's income from selling newspapers almost all goes on school fees for her children - fees imposed because Jamaica's Government is trying to pay off the debt. Then we met Friada Nordez of Mozambique, who painstakingly cuts her rice crop with a sharpened shell, as she cannot afford a knife. Then she has to walk 15 miles to sell the rice, at whatever she can get for it in the market.
Meanwhile the standard of living in richer countries goes on rising. In June we shall again be campaigning - and praying - for Jubilee 2000. The next big Government conference, the G8, meets in Cologne, Germany, on June i 8th. Some will be going from here but meantime we shall be active in Herne Hill. We need volunteers for the Christian Aid/Jubilee 2000/Traidcraft stall at Dulwich Show on June l2th/l3th. Some Herne Hill churches are collecting signatures for the J2000 Petition outside the Euro-elections on June 10th. We are hoping with St Faiths to run a Petition Stall near the Half Moon pub on Sat. June I2th from 10.30 am. to 1.30 pm. Please sign the lists at church for these. Janet Heath our Christian Aid organiser is unwell, it would be good for Janet to know we did our part despite her enforced absence.
Back