Micah Challenge is encouraging supporters to write a personal, hand-written letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan, urging him to take action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
While Christians regularly offer their money and time to God, Micah Challenge is asking them to also offer their voices to God, on behalf of the poor.
Chair of the Micah Challenge National Steering Committee and Church Minister, Reverend Paul Perini believes that all churches should get involved in making an Offering of Letters. "This campaign should be viewed as part of our worship to God. It gives us the opportunity to 'do justice and love kindness' by prayerfully writing letters to our government," said Rev. Perini.
The letters will be addressed to Mr Swan as the key decision maker in the allocation of the federal budget, along with the Prime Minister. The Federal Budget negotiations will largely take place in the latter part of this year, and it is hoped that the letters will arrive in Parliament House at a key opportunity to influence discussions.
Micah Challenge National Coordinator, Mr. John Beckett says the letters will act as reminder to the Treasurer and the government to meet its aid commitments. "Mr. Swan has the influence and power to ensure the government delivers on its promises to the world's poorest people," said Mr. Beckett. "We want to make sure our government keeps their promise to increase our aid giving to 0.5% of our national income by 2015. We also want them to give us a timetable for when and how they will reach the International Aid Target of 0.7%."
"We know that letter writing is something that is taken seriously by politicians, because not many people take the time to do it these days," he said.
The letters, from every electorate across the country, will be hand-delivered to each Federal Member of Parliament during lobbying meetings at the Micah Challenge 'Voices for Justice' gathering. Members of Parliament will then be asked to pass them on to Mr. Swan.
Voices for Justice is a four-day lobbying event at Parliament House, Canberra 17-20 September, where hundreds of passionate Christian advocates will raise their voices on behalf of the world's poorest people.
Micah Challenge is encouraging churches, families and school groups to join the Offering of Letters campaign and to send a representative to Voices for Justice to deliver the letters on their groups' behalf. Letter-writing resources are on the Micah Challenge website. All letters should be sent to the Micah Challenge office by 1 September. For more information, visit www.micahchallenge.org.au/offering-letters