Archbishop of Canterbury in Kenya: faith is about 'making a difference'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Posted On : June 22, 2011 10:35 AM | Posted By : Admin ACO

ACNS: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2011/6/22/ACNS4885

> Related Categories: Kenya,  Lambeth

Archbishop of Canterbury in Kenya: faith is about 'making a difference'

> From the Lambeth Palace press office

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams,
spent some time at a church and community
mobilisation project in the heart of Kenya which
had chosen to focus on food security as a shared
vision for the community. This was one example of
a growing initiative called ?Umoja? (Together), a
Swahili word which captures the idea of being of
one mind and aims to help build a genuine and
lasting sustainability to local areas, by
supporting the church and local community to
research and analyse the area in terms of what
the needs are, but also what the resources are -
both natural and the skills of the local people.
The community can then identify their priorities
and where they may need technical support from
the government or church community services (in
this case partnering with Tearfund) to help them
reach complete self-sufficiency.

Dr Williams spoke to some of the local people who
were part of this initiative, and was able to
hear about the real difference that had been made
to many lives ? including one young man who was
orphaned and unable to support himself, but with
the help of the project had managed to rear goats
and chickens and therefore save enough money to pay for an electronic cours e.

During his visit Dr Williams spoke to the local
community, giving thanks for the transformative
work that had been done through this project:
?And so we give thanks for that overflow of God?s
gifts. The first of those gifts is the gift of
new life in Jesus Christ, through his cross and
resurrection you know that his spirit is moving
you to love one another to work together and to
transform the face of the earth. And because of
that first great gift you are able to give gifts
to one another in the work you do together, to
give gifts for your whole community and to give
to us your visitors, the gift of hope and of joy, and of thanksgiving?

Dr Williams concluded his brief address saying:

?Faith is not just ideas in your head, faith is
not just feelings in your heart ? faith is the
whole of a new life, making a difference to your
lives, to your neighbours, to your community, by
the grace and the Spirit of God.?

The Archbishop was shown some of the produce from
the initiative, where people had started with
their kitchen gardens, growing indigenous crops
that were identified by research as being most
suited to the soil, as well as poultry, rabbits
and fish that had been bought to provide protein.

> ENDS

The full text of the Archbishop?s talk is below:

We are very moved and touched that you should
welcome us in this way and show to us the results
of your work and your prayer. Our Lord Jesus says
that if you have faith as small as a grain of
mustard, you can move a mountain. And the
mountain that has to be moved is sometimes the
mountain of poverty, it is sometimes the mountain
of hunger, but above all, it is the mountain that
sometimes lies on us when we do not believe that
we have the possibility to do what God asks us to
do ? a mountain of doubt and fear. Now the small
grains you have sown have moved that mountain of
doubt, now you know that God has given you that
grace and freedom to serve him in this way, to
make good use of the fruits of the earth, to be
able to support one another, just as we should in
the Body of Christ. And also the gifts that
overflow, as St Paul says, overflow in every
direction ? because God gives more than we can ask or imagine.
So today we give thanks for that overflow of
God?s gifts. The first of those gifts is the gift
of new life in Jesus Christ, through his cross
and resurrection you know that his spirit is
moving you to love one another to work together
and to transform the faceoff the earth. And
because of that first great gift you are able to
give gifts to one another in the work you do
together, to give gifts for your whole community
and to give to us your visitors, the gift of hope
and of joy, and of thanksgiving. When I hear of
the work that you do I think of some of the
communities I used to work with years ago in my
own country in Wales, and how we worked to try
and persuade people that they could cooperate and
support one another and do what you have done ?
put your money and resources together for the
whole community. It was always hard work, but
when it happened it was when the Church began to
grow, because these people saw what faith really means.
Faith is not just ideas in your head, faith is
not just feelings in your heart ? faith is the
whole of a new life, making a difference to your
lives, to your neighbours, to your community by
the grace and the spirit of God. So thank you
brothers and sisters for what you have done and
thank God for what he has done in you. I wish you
every blessing in the work that you do here, the
work of this church, the work you do for this
community, the work you do with the soil ?
bringing forth the fruits to the earth for God?s glory.