What can the average person in poor Malawi do to address climate change? That was one of the questions that was a part of the discussion with some of the international partners of Blantyre Synod Health and Development Commission (BSHDC) last Friday as Malawians, Americans, Canadians, and Scots wrestled with challenges facing the church today. This was a different approach from the past, where information about the organization has been given and reports heard. Friday, we were all invited to engage in brainstorming and sharing from our different cultural perspectives and experiences about pressing issues that challenge ministry among the poorest of the poor.
Climate change is not an abstract, social issue. It is about cutting trees to cook and to make wood crafts to sell. It is about planting the same crop (corn) in the same fields year after year and depleting the nutrients of the soil, when that is Malawi’s staple food. It is about irrigation methods that don’t destroy the rivers and streams of the country. It is about catching rain water in a drought prone country. All of these were things debated, with recommendations for working with the local churches to address these issues and many more.
The International Round Table was not about asking for more money for more projects, but about sharing ideas and strategies for facing some of the most difficult problems of the people among whom we minister. Yes, there was discussion of money and programs that need funds to support them, but it was much more. This was about sharing in a tangible way the shift in BSHDC from projects to programs, programs to address five key areas of challenge among the people of Malawi – gender, livelihood, health/HIV, orphans and vulnerable children, and governance. This was about being partners in working to think in fresh ways about topics that are life and death issues for many here in Malawi. This is about engaging one another in a dialogue.
The event was refreshing and interactive and well received. It really practiced partnership. As one who has attended a number of international round tables, this was a thought-provoking approach. I came away encouraged about the direction of BSHDC and the programs they are working on within the Synod. I work in the Synod, but don’t always get to hear in detail about what some of the other departments are doing. I was blessed to represent Pittsburgh Presbytery and to be a part of the PC(USA) delegation.
No comments:
Post a Comment