"Extreme poverty means that households cannot meet basic needs for survival. They are chronically hungry, unable to access health care, lack the amenities of safe drinking water and sanitation, cannot afford education for some or all of the children, and perhaps lack rudimentary shelter -- a roof to keep the rain out of the hut, a chimney to remove the smoke from the cook stove -- and basic articles of clothing, such as shoes." - Jeffrey D. Sachs. The End of Poverty (The Penguin Press, 2005), p. 20.
A Bit of History
In 2000, all the nations of the world came together and signed onto the Millennium Development Goals, pledging to end extreme poverty by 2015. It is now 2007 and we are halfway to 2015 in time but there is still much more to do to achieve the Goals.
Learn how far we have come
and how much more there is to do.
The Goals are:
1 - eradicate extreme hunger and poverty
2 - achieve universal primary education
3 - promote gender equality and empower women
4 - reduce child mortality
5 - improve maternal health
6 - combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7 - ensure environmental sustainability
8 - develop a global partnership for development
How the Diocese of Maryland Supports the MDGs
The Diocese of Maryland at the 2006 Convention passed Resolution 2006-6 pledging 0.7% of the annual budget to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals. The resolution also encourages congregations and individuals in the Diocese to make the same commitment. The Diocese established the Global Missions Committee to make recommendations to Diocesan Council as to where the 0.7% of budget should go. The Diocese gave the first grants for Global Mission in 2007.
During Lent, the Diocese, through the Christian Formation program, sponsors a Christian education and outreach program linking Lenten practice with education about the MDGs.
Applications for Global Mission Grants are accepted through the end of July and the Grants are awarded in December. Application form is available here.
How can you get involved?
Learn: Start by checking out the Images of the social and economic world , a series of maps drawn by M.E.J. Newman of the University of Michigan, and Newman's other set of maps at Worldmapper.
More posters and maps are available from the World Health Organization at the Children's Environmental Health web site.
The World Bank also has interactive maps at Building a Better World - an Online Atlas of the Millennium Development Goals.
Additional resources are available from Episcopal Relief and Development, E4GR, and from the official web site of the MDGs, end poverty 2015.org.
Ask: Invite speakers, especially those who have received Diocesan Global Mission grants, to your Church or organization. Talk about Honduras with Michael Curry from St. James Monkton. Invite Kay Rice+ to talk about the Panama Mission. Ask Debi Frock to show pictures and tell about the preschool in Ghana and of the little ones there. Invite Rosemary Beales+ to share stories of schoolchildren in Kenya.
Give: There are the opportunities to give and learn. Look at your own Church. What are your Outreach Committee and Vestry doing? How are individuals supporting the Goals? Join with your Diocese and support to their grantees. Participate in the United Thank Offering.
Consider Micro-lending through Kiva or Five Talents You can be a "banker to the poor."
Connect: with children in the developing world by sponsoring a child through World Vision, Save the Children, or any number of other organizations. Send money to Nets for life, mosquito nets to help prevent malaria, or to the Worm Project where a 5 cent deworming pill can help prevent malnutrition.
Let's find more creative - and Christ-centered - uses for our "stimulus check" and Give It for Good. Give it directly to Episcopal Relief and Development or through your parish to the Diocese of MD's Global Mission. Jesus said that as we compassionately care for the poorest of the poor, we care for him (Matthew 25:31-46). This time, let's choose compassion over consumption.
Go: Even better, if you can do it, is travel. Visit developing countries and talk with the people there.
Go to Ghana with Ghanaian Mothers' Hope. Go with Kay Rice+ and her missioners to Panama. St. James Monkton is always looking for volunteers to participate in the on-going work in Honduras. Talk with them. Accompany young Episcopalians who are the Diocese of Maryland Youth Missioners when they travel to Honduras in the summers. Join DreamBuilders and build houses in Guatemala.
Pray. Participate in Counting Prayers. Remember in your daily prayers at home and in your congregational prayer on Sundays the many people who live on less than $1 a day, the children who go to bed hungry, those suffering with HIV-Aids and malaria. Pray the Prayer for the Human Family on page 815 in the Book of Common Prayer.
Additional resources can be found at EPPN Prayer Resources and at E4GR prayers.
Advocate. Learn about the Millennium Challenge Account, the U.S. government's "new compact for global development...devoted to projects in nations that govern justly, invest in their people and encourage economic freedom.” (President George Bush, March 14, 2002)
Contact Congress. Let your Representatives and Senators know that you expect the United States to fulfill its promises and fully fund the Millennium Challenge Account.
Make a difference. Live the Gospel.
Be a careful donor: Check with Charity Navigator.
The Diocese of Maryland encourages all congregations, regional councils, organizations, and individuals to support the MDGs. People often do not realize how little money 0.7% is. It is $280 of an income of $40,000 and $1050 of an income of $150,000.
Episcopalians and Episcopal Churches that join in learning about and funding the MDGs are invited to be part of the Episcopal Church's ONE Episcopalian™ campaign. Urge your congregation to become a ONE Congregation.
Become a ONE Episcopalian™ today!