Millions to tell world leaders: 'End poverty now'
Posted: Thursday, October 9, 2008, 8:25 (BST)
Millions of people from every continent are expected to take action against poverty from 17 - 19 October 2008 to demand that their leaders act to end poverty and to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The international mobilisation comes at a time when hundreds of billions of dollars are being found to bail out wealthy bankers and financial institutions, while the emergency summit on the MDGs held at the United Nations last month was only able to generate $16 billion in commitments for ending world poverty.
Thousands of UK citizens, from St Andrews to Portsmouth, will take action in solidarity with people in poor countries by attending protests, public meetings, petition signings and prayer vigils.
Salil Shetty, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign said: "On 17-19 October, world leaders will hear directly from their people that we will no longer stand by while 50,000 people die of preventable causes each day.
"World leaders have just re-committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and from this moment on, we will be holding them accountable for taking urgent action to deliver on their promises."
Glen Tarman from the Global Call to Action Against Poverty said: "The financial crisis combined with the past year's soaring food prices, and subsequent hunger, has highlighted the injustice of global poverty and inequality more than ever.
"This global mobilisation is about solidarity between men, women and children in rich and poor countries; it is about pressuring leaders to honour the promises they have made on poverty, and holding to account leaders who allow injustices to take place."
The mobilisation includes Micah Sunday, when thousands of churches worldwide, including more than 200 in the UK, will make their sermon themes global poverty and the Millennium Development Goals.
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Added: Monday, October 13, 2008, 5:56 (BST)
Isn't it uncanny that when we remonstrate vehemently against poverty [don't get me wrong, of course we ought to alleviate poverty, my own work in Indonesia is amongst the "poor", widows scavengers and those in prison], POVERTY [world]widescale is about to descend on us with the financial/economic debacle that sparked off in the U.S.A.
"2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."
There, that is the key, " not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance...". Let's be aware that the day is far spent and the night comes when we are not able to do any work. Jesus said, we will always have the "poor" with us in this tainted earth. He is asking us, have we done His work and brought the Kingdom of God closer, fulfilling the Father's will..., not my will but Thine be done???
ITs SOULS, souls that He wants, redeemed, returned that which was stolen, and He will rain down anything and everything to redeem even ONE soul back [to eternal life with Him] to Him, even poverty, natural disaster and calamities, in place of what we could have done, the work we should have done, that He has commissioned us to. Have we innocent blood on our hands [that we, through negligence, in the name of inconvenience, apathy, and outright laziness] not reached out to those yet to hear His gospel, when He has called us, in His still small voice? He has with reluctance and in heart-felt compassion allowed these, that some may find eternal life [with Him].
"Mat 10:34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."
"Lets go about doing our Father's business". Lost Souls, Lost Coin, Lost Sons and Daughters, yes them that are LOST!
ong siong kai, Jakarta, Indonesia
