The Millennium Development Goals have been established by 191 nations including the United States. If these goals are met by 2015, our world will be a much better place for millions of people.
Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a series of columns by deacons of the diocese addressing the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.
By the Rev. Nancy Metze Smith
In the November/December 2006 issue of The Southern Cross, we were informed of the eight Millennium Development Goals established by 191 nations including the United States.
If these goals are met by 2015, our world will be a much better place for millions of people, people we may never see, talk with, hug or even know that they have been helped by us. Each of us can make a difference!
When our deacons’ group was discussing writing these articles, one of us said that we should all be reminded that these Millennium Development Goals are our call from God. If we do not think of our giving as a command from God to share our wealth and blessings, then these efforts will be another social organizational action.
You and I who are reading this now, because we are professed Christians, know God is leading us to help relieve poverty. The monies we give, the prayers we offer and the spreading of the Word are appreciated by God. Let us make God happier with us than God already is.
The first goal in the list of the MDGs is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, to reduce by half the amount of people living on less than one dollar a day by the year 2015.
What does “extreme poverty” mean to you? You have seen photos of children and adults dying because of lack of food and water and lack of basic medical care. Have you thought “What can I do to help?” The MDG program will provide you with that means.
The program gives you choices of where a donation of 0.7 percent of your yearly income donation will be used to help eliminate extreme poverty and hunger.
By choosing an organization such as Episcopal Relief and Development, Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, ONE Episcopalian, our companion Diocese of the Dominican Republic, the Anglican Relief and Development Fund, Five Talents and/or The Millennium Project, you participate where your heart is. Below are brief summaries of how we can achieve these goals.
Not only can you give of your blessings but you can encourage others to do so. If you are a student, a teacher, a parent or in any other way involved with children, you can introduce these young people to what they can do for others. A club could be formed whereby the members can choose a project and raise money to support others much less fortunate than they. Schools can also participate. Visit www.er-d.org/school for more information.
Gifts For Life is a program through Episcopal Relief and Development. The Gifts For Life catalog gives suggestions of what a donation can supply. For instance, $75 can provide a well that could supply water to an entire community.
“Chickens are an important source of food and money for many families,” the catalog says. “Just one hen can lay nearly 200 eggs per year. The families can eat some of the eggs and also sell extra chickens at the local market. When you buy a family a flock of chickens, we (Gifts of Life) will also teach the family how to take care of them.”
Education also reduces poverty. Many have given $250 per year to the scholarship program for children in our companion Diocese of the Dominican Republic to attend an Episcopal school run by the diocese.
You might want to study the different organizations working toward these goals. The following web sites will give much information:
- The official UN MDG web site
- The Millennium Project
- The World Bank (Data and Research)
- Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation
- The ONE Campaign
- ONE Episcopalian
- Episcopal Relief and Development
- The Anglican Relief and Development Fund
- Five Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
Blessings to you and yours and may we all use our talents and gifts to reduce extreme poverty in our world.
—The Rev. Nancy Metze Smith is a deacon assigned to the Church of the Epiphany in Cape Coral.
