by Brendan Wood

2005 has been a year where poverty and suffering has been in the news in a big way. The suffering caused by the Asian Tsunami shocked the world into action to help those whose lives had been totally devastated. More recently the Live 8 concerts and the Make Poverty History campaign have highlighted the suffering that continues every day for many millions of people around the globe.

Driving this call to end poverty is the frightening statistic estimating that every single day up to 30,000 children are dying as a result of preventable diseases. Add to this the plight of many millions of children being orphaned due to HIV/AIDS and you begin to understand the urgency of this situation.

As I wrestle with this tragedy one of my greatest concerns is the injustice that is occurring. While my daughters look forward to high-quality education, first-class health care, and hearty evening meals, millions of children in the developing world are losing their struggle for survival. The only difference is that my children have been born in Australia instead of somewhere like Zambia.

The reality is that children in all over the world begin life dreaming of the possibilities and the opportunities that lie ahead. Children all over the world want to play without the fear of falling sick. Children all over the world hope to go to school to learn and grow. Children all over the world desire to achieve new and different things. Most significant of all is that children all over the world are precious to Jesus!

‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

The Make Poverty History and Micah Challenge campaigns give me hope that the situation for millions of children around the world will improve. These movements give me hope that little by little change will occur and poverty will be eradicated. They give me hope that in 2015 we will be able to celebrate the many children that have been given the opportunity to enjoy their future and achieve their hopes and dreams. This is what is possible as the world begins to believe we have the knowledge, resources, money, and will to make poverty history.

At the heart of the Make Poverty History and Micah Challenge campaigns is the call for governments of wealthy countries to provide more and better aid, to make policies that allow fairer trade, and to drop the debt of the world’s poorest nations. All 191 United Nations Member States have already pledged to achieve these outcomes as part of the 2000 Millennium Declaration. The Millennium Declaration became a signed commitment of these nations (including Australia) to work towards 8 goals that would help to halve poverty by 2015.

Millennium Development Goal number 2, to achieve universal primary education, is the focus of Baptist World Aid Australia’s SAO Child Sponsorship program. The goal is to ensure that all children, boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling.

By becoming a SAO child sponsor you will be part of a movement that is making a real impact on poverty. Through the wider work of the SAO Child Sponsorship program in Africa and Asia you also have the opportunity to help bring a child, family and community to self-sufficiency. That indeed is helping make poverty history!

If you already sponsor a child I encourage you to pray for them and the country they live in. Also take some time to celebrate how precious they are in the eyes of God. If you don’t sponsor a child and would like to, please call Baptist World Aid Australia on 1300 789 991 or visit www.shareanopportunity.org.