Micah Challenge Australia Blog

 

The Micah Challenge blog is a space for discussion and debate about the issues of global poverty, faith, advocacy and justice and the Millennium Development Goals. This blog aims to provoke thought and challenge you to learn more about the issues discussed. We welcome your comments.

Micah Challenge is a global campaign of Christians speaking out against poverty and injustice. Click here to visit the Micah Challenge website.

  • A woman who epitomised the Micah challenge

    Posted by Micah Challenge

    3 July, 2012

    One of Micah Challenge's supporters, Anne Camac, reflects on the inspirational life of the late Lyn Lusi (co-founder of HEAL Africa) who knew what it meant to raise her voice for justice on behalf of the poor. "It was with great sadness that I have read of Lyn Lusi's death in March. Lyn was a co-founder of HEAL Africa - a partner ministry of CNEC Australia (now called World Share). Lyn dedicated her life to sharing and showing the love of Jesus to women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in particular to victims of sexual violence and abuse. Many Micah Challenge supporters will remember Lyn as one of our keynote speakers at Voices for Justice in 2009. Lyn talked with great compassion about the plight of women in DRC, where sexual violence is often used as a weapon of war. I remember her story of a woman grieving for her murdered husband, whose child also died whilst they were walking for days trying to get to safety. When some of the delegates at Voices for Justice were lamenting about how difficult it was to get our political leaders to… read more

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  • Looking Forward With Passion

    Posted by Sarita

    23 May, 2012

    I'd like to take you through the story of how I initially got involved with advocacy, why I do it now and what motivates me to keep going when it gets hard. My advocacy journey started when I was in year 8, when I went to a Micah Challenge training day. I knew that poverty was wrong, and I wanted to do something about it. I had explored ideas, but didn't really come to something that I could do. I was too young for many of the volunteering-type activities, and I was at school during the week! Anyway, I found out about Micah Challenge and went to their training day. There were workshops to choose from, and somehow I found myself at the one on how to visit a politician. I am not sure how. Maybe the other workshops were mostly for adults, or I had already been to them... I am not sure. So I sat in the room, listening to two ladies talking about how visiting politicians really is quite easy and not scary. I didn't believe them. I hated (and still do!) public speaking. I listened, I took notes, I took the papers that I was given. But in my mind I was… read more

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  • Jesus' approach to poverty

    Posted by Nils

    17 January, 2012

    Towards the end of last year I discussed on this blog how we keep the poor in their place. As I think about this, I immediately think of the contrast between this attitude and that of how Jesus treated people, and how, in doing so, he turned the social order completely upside down. Let’s look at some examples from the Gospels. Firstly, there is the story of the woman at the well in John 4. When the disciples return to the well after having gone into town, they are astonished that Jesus had even been speaking to the woman. And what's more, he even asked her for something. The Son of God expressed neediness to a “nobody”, and in doing so, affirmed her dignity as a person of worth. Another story to consider in this context is that of the woman with the flow of blood, told in all three synoptic gospels. This is another situation in which Jesus affirms a “nobody”, and he does so in front of everyone. Think of what that would have meant to the woman. Having a constant flow of blood, she would likely not have been able to have children.… read more

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  • Ordinary Prophets

    Posted by Amanda

    18 October, 2011

    Last month over 230 ‘ordinary' people in Australia took four days off work, study or family commitments to visit Parliament House in Canberra for the Voices for Justice gathering. They prepared in prayer then knocked on doors to talk, listen and debate about global poverty with the leaders of their nation - these Micah Challenge supporters are a powerful and prophetic voice on the Millennium Development Goals. All over our world, ordinary Christians are discovering their prophetic advocacy role on justice and righteousness issues. It's a faith tradition that somehow got lost in some parts of the Church last century but Old Testament figures like Daniel, Joseph, Moses and Nebuchadnezzar had no issues dealing with kings to get things done for God and to make life more godly for all. And throughout the history of the Church, people motivated by biblical truth, have tried to right wrongs. Elizabeth Fry is a personal favourite on my list of prophetic Christians. An ‘ordinary' mother and wife, living very comfortably, she yearned for God to… read more

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