Remember the poor, calls Micah Challenge at the What's Your Promise? launch

Micah Challenge is asking UK Christians not to forget the problems of others in the shadow of the budget, with a new call to action called What’s Your Promise?

30 June 2010

Micah Challenge is asking UK Christians not to forget the problems of others in the shadow of the budget, with a new call to action called What's Your Promise?

As the UK Government announces an emergency budget billed as one that will save Britain from being changed by debt for generations, Micah Challenge UK says it wants to remind us that there are things of greater significance still.

Micah Challenge UK Director Andy Clasper says: "In trying to solve our own financial problems, it's imperative that our MPs also remember those who are in desperate need across the world.

"Future generations will not remember us as the ones who got our budget deficit under control, however pressing an issue that might seem right now. But they could remember us as the generation that saw beyond a short-term crisis to a once in a life time opportunity to change the world for good."

What's Your Promise? asks Christians to make promises to remember the poor, and to join together to visit MPs asking them to do the same. A new website www.whatsyourpromise.org.uk and a short film have been launched to encourage people to get involved.

The call to action gives Christians the chance to commit to remember the poor, not just once in a while but in the day-to-day actions of everyday life. What's Your Promise? asks them to make an individual promise - whether to pray regularly, shop fairly, lobby our leaders repeatedly, or some other commitment - and share it to inspire others, including our MPs, to do the same. 

Clasper says: "As the country comes to terms with politicians having to work together with each other, let's take this opportunity for us to work together with our communities and our MPs."

"Why not get together with other churches and people from your local community to deliver your promises to your MP and ask him or her to make their own commitment to the poor?"

Micah Challenge is a global movement of 40 national campaigns reminding political leaders of 189 nations about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) crucial promises made to halve extreme poverty by 2015.

What's Your Promise? is part of a global Micah Challenge campaigning effort in 2010, and is launched 100 days before the 10 October (10.10.10) highpoint of that activity: a day of prayer and action against extreme poverty that will unite 100 million people. October 10 will come three weeks after a crucial review of the MDGs at a United Nations Leaders Summit in New York.

Micah Challenge's International Director, Joel Edwards, says: "10.10.10 offers us an opportunity for robust and prophetic engagement around the promises made to the poor, as well as to offer critical evaluations of world government responses. This is why our prayer, promise and action are both timely and potentially transformational."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams is a supporter of these efforts: "If we start acting now and if we as believers can pull together in supporting these goals we can hold our governments to account and we can make a difference in the world, the kind of difference God asks us to make."