G20 - Melbourne

This week the eyes of many across our world will be on Melbourne. Representatives from the 20 most economically influential countries in the world will gather in Melbourne for the G20 summit. While the G20 gathers where will also be many other happenings in Melbourne trying to draw your attention towards this summit.
Bono being the front man for U2 has come out with guns firing. U2’s first concert for their Australian tour in Brisbane was laced with strong political messages (what else would you expect from a rock band) highlighting the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. U2 will hold concerts in Melbourne during the weekend of the summit and no doubt this is deliberate to coincide with the summit.
You’ll also see Make Poverty History slogans everywhere as they have named this Make Poverty History Week and focus on the Millennium Development Goals which are a commitment to halve poverty across the world. Festivals and concerts will be held in the city over the weekend of the 18th & 19th of November. There will be protests, outspoken celebrities, differences of opinion and lots of talk about our combined effort to make poverty history.
My question to you as followers of Jesus is this: Will you shut all knowledge of these events out of your mind and lay low until it all blows over, or will you engage with the issue, provide a voice and contribute to making a difference?

Last Sunday night we gathered for a nice movie night in the chapel. We kicked back in the couches with our popcorn ready to be lightly entertained by a romantic comedy about a guy who meets a girl in a café in London.
While the movie ‘the girl in the café’ is light hearted and funny at times it hosts a mixture of disturbing messages that we cannot ignore. Lawrence meets Gina in a café, two lone unassuming strangers. Lawrence is the financial advisor to the Chancellor and Gina is just a regular everyday person. As their relationship develops the very nervous and shy Lawrence invites Gina to accompany him to Iceland where he will be part of the 2005 G8 summit – the gathering of the 8 most powerful leaders to discuss issues including the Millennium Development Goals.
Lawrence and Gina’s characters represent such powerful parallels to the way our society operates. Lawrence is the polite people pleaser however Gina is not afraid to say what she thinks. As Gina learns of the issues facing the poor and the agendas of the world leaders she begins to develop a deep personal conviction for making poverty history. Because of her relationship with Lawrence she rubs shoulders with some of the most powerful influences in the world. While it is social edict to smile and be polite Gina begins challenging the consciences of those who have power to make decisions that can change our world.
While many are disgusted at Gina’s unorthodox behaviour, I find that there is a bit of Gina in me that’s just busting to come out but the Lawrence in me may be afraid of what people think. Gina exchanges social grace for standing for what she believes in. She is just one ordinary person with one voice yet she had the guts to use it.
We are in a climate of change in many different ways and in the words of Tim Costello we have the power to change the ‘direction of the wind’. If Jesus is any example to go by, one man, with one voice who’s actions changed the world. Surely Jesus’ followers have no other option but to do the same.
Never think you can’t make a different, knowledge on these issues is not hard to come by and your federal MP’s are always open to conversations and letters, they just need enough voices to bring these issues to the front of the agenda.
Nelson Mandela said that ‘all it takes is for a generation to be great, you can be that generation, you can be great’. This week seize the opportunity to be great for the Kingdom of God.

Shalom
Mark