“Poverty Hurts Your Soul” is the title of a new paper published by the Conference of European Churches. They say “In Christian understanding, poverty and social exclusion are understood as a failure to uphold basic human rights (cf. Amos 2:6f; 4:1). The alleviation of poverty was from the beginning an essential part of the proclamation of the Gospel “to preach good news to the poor …, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, …” (Luke 4:18). Over the centuries churches therefore engaged in combating poverty and social exclusion.”

It is easy for us living in the wealth of New Zealand to consider the damaging effects of the daily struggle with grinding poverty, and to agree with a shudder that yes, poverty must be harmful to their souls. It would be harmful to my soul if I had to live like that!

Support Micah Challenge Member Organisations working in Haiti

Micah Challenge members have existing programmes and staff in Haiti working in the earthquake hit areas. Please support these programmes now.

Ten years ago, leaders from 189 nations promised to act to halve global poverty within our generation. That would mean an extra half billion people having enough to eat and millions of children learning to read and write. It would mean poor farmers being able to make a decent living from their hard work and it would mean millions having access to clean water.

Micah Challenge calls churches to join the global campaign of prayer and promise

Churches must make a big impact for justice, as time runs out for governments to make good their promise to see half a billion people released from extreme poverty, says Joel Edwards, in the week of the Copenhagen conference and as Micah Challenge launch their Micah 2010 campaign.  

Micah Challenge is calling on Christians to unite around the globe for a BIG day of prayer and promise on October 10, 2010, to mark ten years since nations promised to get serious about poverty, when they agreed to the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.