wfn.org | LWI 2008-041 FEATURE: 'When You Hear Our Songs, Promise to Take Action'

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FEATURE: 'When You Hear Our Songs, Promise to Take Action'
LWF Youth Seek Active Engagement in Climate Change Issues

ARUSHA, Tanzania, 11 July 2008 (LWI) - "Climate change is
threatening our future!" chanted young adults from member
churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) during a
role-play session at the 2008 Pre-Council Youth workshop in
Arusha, northern Tanzania. 

"Mount Kilimanjaro is no longer as attractive as it used to be.
Probably my children will not see any snow on it," said Namsifu
Aminiel, a participant from the LWF Council host-church, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT).

"I remember not so long ago, when I was 13, the snow on the peak
was still so beautiful. Now, I am 20. The snows are nearly gone!"
remarked Aminiel, recalling her childhood memories of Africa's
highest mountain, which, she said, future generations in
Tanzania, may not experience, or only see in pictures. 

Working under the theme of the 25-30 June Council meeting,
"Melting Snow on Mount Kilimanjaro - A Witness of a Suffering
Creation," the workshop brought together 17 young church leaders
from LWF member churches around the globe, with the aim to
empower them to act as multipliers in the response to the issue
of climate change.

Organized by LWF Youth at the Department for Mission and
Development, the 20-24 June event incorporated a variety of
activities including Bible studies, role playing and field
exposure trips. Participants also formulated a youth message on
climate change, which was presented to the Council delegates.

>UN Conference Delegates

The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) to be
held in Copenhagen, Denmark, was the focus of the young adults'
role play as country delegates. The aim was to deepen their
understanding of climate change issues at a global level, said
LWF Youth secretary, Rev. Roger Schmidt. 

"It was really terrible to witness the nasty politics and
selfishness of each country. The delegates from the United States
of America, Europe and the emerging powers keep shirking their
responsibility throughout the debates," said Aminiel, assuming
the role of UN Secretary-General. 

Evariste Mamadou, 23, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central
African Republic (ELCCAR), shared his thoughts after the UNCCC
session. "We tend to think that only those developed economies
with factories and many cars are causing the problems. But it is
not the case. For example, it is common to see people in my
country burning forests in order to create more farmland. I now
realize I should stop them, because these kinds of activities
also contribute to climate change."

>Learning

The workshop participants from the Central African Republic,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Hong Kong (China),
Lithuania, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, USA and Zambia,
also visited some of the ELCT's diaconal work outside Arusha.

Mamadou was particularly impressed by a renewable energy project
in a remote village, where a household beneficiary of a small
loan had installed a solar panel, allowing the children to finish
their schoolwork after dark.

"I can feel the impact of a micro-credit project. It certainly
can make a difference in people's lives. I am very interested to
introduce this kind of project in my country. Besides bringing
renewable energy to the village, it would also be very meaningful
to grant people small loans to buy seeds or start small
businesses," said Mamadou, who audits ELCCAR-coordinated projects
in his home country. 

>Leadership and Action

During a Bible study session on creation and climate change, the
youth reflected on what could be done in their church and
society. "My brother from Tanzania told me that each of them has
to plant two trees during their confirmation classes. It
symbolizes our role as stewards of God's creation. That is indeed
a wonderful idea. Perhaps we could not plant many trees in Hong
Kong, but certainly we should take visible action to give back to
nature," said LWF/DMD youth intern Francis Chan from the Tsung
Tsin Mission of Hong Kong, China.

Chan said he felt inspired to develop similar activities for the
confirmation class and youth groups in his church. "Facing the
life-threatening change in weather patterns, churches certainly
have to put more emphasis on leading us to be good stewards of
creation so as to fight against climate," he noted. 

Nineteen-year-old Nathalie Rahelimalala from the Malagasy
Lutheran Church expressed her enthusiasm for more active
engagement. "When I go back home, the very first thing I will do
is write a song about climate change. A youth group is currently
[working] with me to produce a music album on CD. Now, I have
decided to add one more song! It will depict the problems facing
us and urge people to take action," she said.

Rahelimalala, the youngest workshop participant continued, "I
remember when I was a child, normally we had around four to five
cyclones a year, but last year there were nearly 10! One cyclone
that hit the northern coast was particularly destructive, and
many people lost their family members, friends and homes. I am
afraid one day my home will be hit by cyclones like that."

In addition to sharing the climate change song with youth
groups, Rahelimalala plans to promote the songs through radio
stations. “Perhaps one day you turn on the radio, you can
listen to our songs carrying messages about climate change. If we
make it, promise me you will take action!” she added. (893
words)

(A contribution by LWF/DMD youth intern, Francis Cheong Mun
Chan.)

*The message from the 2008 LWF Pre-Council Youth workshop will
be made available on the LWF Web site. 

>*        *          *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF
currently has 141 member churches in 79 countries all over the
world, with a total membership of over 68.3 million. The LWF acts
on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such
as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF’s information
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