| Time for a change |
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Christians are making a difference writes Mark Woods  Caroline Williams can’t change the world – but she can change a small part of it. The 40-year-old from St Albans was encouraged to think about the plight of poor people by Micah Challenge, the church-led anti-poverty campaign. One of its effects on her was to change the way she shops, so that now she always asks the question, “Does this item help or hurt the poor?” “I’ve started to put this into action. During a cycle ride from Whitehaven to Tynemouth I bought a Fairtrade coffee and an orange juice along the way. I celebrated in Tynemouth with a bar of Cadbury’s Fairtrade chocolate and then bought a Fairtrade latte at Newcastle station.” The “What’s Your Promise?” project is part of Micah 2010. Focused on October 10, it aims to get 100 million Christians to commit themselves to a different lifestyle. One of its supporters is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who’s spoken out strongly in its favour. “When God tells us to remember the poor he is not simply asking us to give them a thought from time to time,” he says. “Remembrance in the Bible is a very real and active thing. “So in this crucial year when the Millennium Development Goals are very much on our minds, when we need to think and pray harder than ever to see what can be achieved by 2015, our remembrance must be a renewal of relationship.” So far hundreds of people have promised to waste less, to shop with the poor in mind, to campaign and speak out, to educate and influence others, to give more of their time and their money, to reduce their carbon footprint and to pray for those in need. Some promises I promise to try to persuade other people not to use dispensable carrier bags. Mrs E Janet Taylor in London I promise to do my utmost to help those in need in whatever way I can. Mrs. Margaret J Rayson in Bedford I promise to live simply, caring about the impact I have on the environment, using my financial resources wisely and generously so those living in poverty receive greater justice. Julie Sheasby in North Shields I promise to buy Fairtrade whenever I can and to campaign when I can which I already do anyway, but I will try to find more ways to raise awareness of poverty. Marilyn Woodrow in Scunthorpe I promise to stop moaning about immigrants moving here taking jobs and hospital places. They are a lot worse off than me and so I also promise to pray more for them and others in poverty which means they must leave their families to get work. Cassandra Hollowell in Peterborough For more about Micah Challenge, see www.micahchallenge.org.uk. To make a promise, see www.whatsyourpromise.org.uk He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) |
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