Episcopal News Service March 11, 2007
TEAM: Children's wellbeing at root of poverty reduction, women say
By Mary Frances Schjonberg
[ENS] Children are especially vulnerable to the dangers of the world and the church has a vital role to play in protecting them, three speakers told the March 11 s essions of the Towards Effective Anglican Mission (TEAM) conference meeting in Boksburg, South Africa.
Sheila Sisulu, deputy executive director of policy and external affairs f or the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), told the TEAM participants that the A nglican Communion is "one of the oldest humanitarian organizations" and it is one that counts both donors and recipients among its members. She also said that the Communion is an orga nization that knows how to turn "noble thoughts" into reality.
She said she looks forward to exploring partnerships between the WFP and the Communion. Noting Anglicanism's long history compared with WFP's 40 year record, she said, "we can learn from you and I hope that to some degree you can learn from us."
Sisulu reported that "the Anglican Church has expressed a strong interest is supporting us" in the program's latest initiative aimed at ending child hunger and "unde r-nutrition."
Dr. Debby Watson, an independent researcher of children's issues, said th at when she talks with poor children about why schools are important to them, they tell her that they make friends and happy memories in school, that school feeds them and gives th em hope, and that they think school can help them not be poor. She suggested that the same might be said about churches, adding that churches could provide all these things for childre n.
The Rev. Diana Nkesiga, vicar of All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Kampala , Uganda, agreed. Speaking of baptismal preparation classes and baptism itself, she said "i nstead of just dipping these children, we can nurture them in a holistic way." She also said that churches have a role to play in helping children and adults move through grief.
Child hunger took center stage during Sisulu's talk on the fifth day of t he TEAM conference and the one devoted to global responses to hunger. She connected children 's nutritional well-being to all of society, but said "the child, the first thing that s trikes them is hunger."
Full story and photos: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_83386_ENG_HTM. htm
More information about TEAM is available at the conference website (http: //www.team2007.org). Continuing ENS coverage is available here (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_23466_ENG_HTM.htm).
-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the Epi scopal News Service.
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