JUBILEE VILLAGE PROJECT AND THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

As we have developed our vision for the Jubilee Village Project, I’ve been learning more and more about both Christian holistic mission work and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) anti-poverty efforts. Through this research, I’ve learned more about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the United Nations Development Programme developed throughout the 1990s and ratified by 189 nations (including the United States) in September 2000. The MDGs are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world’s main development challenges around ending extreme world hunger poverty. The 8 MDGs are broken down into 21 quantifiable Targets that are measured by 60 Indicators.

At the highest level, here are the eight MDGs:

* Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty
* Achieve universal primary education
* Promote gender equality and empower women
* Reduce child mortality
* Improve maternal health
* Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
* Ensure environmental stability
* Develop a global partnership for development

Here is a link to the UNDP website and the MDGs: http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml


What I have found most interesting and most alarming in my research: ALMOST NO CHRISTIAN MISSION ORGANIZATIONS ARE AWARE OF THE MDGs!!!

If we are to be salt and light to a lost world, shouldn’t we understand what the leaders of the world powers think is important? What if the Christian Church were to take a LEADERSHIP ROLE in helping achieve the MDGs in thousands of villages around the world? Do you think the world might notice?

As I read these MDGs for the first time, my heart jumped for joy. As we have laid out the vision and the 8 holistic solution areas for the Jubilee Village Project, I see them being completely aligned with these MDGs.

But something is missing in the MDGs…LOVE and RELATIONSHIPS…and that is what is at the center of the Jubilee Village Project. The loving ministry of Jesus…lived out by God’s children by helping, healing, feeding, equipping, empowering and encouraging a village to transform itself. Not just by words, but by actions.

Will the Church wake up and see the opportunity that lies before us?
What if affluent Christians around the world made the MDGs their own personal goals?
The world is telling us they need help…will we help them?

At the Monterrey Financing for Development Conference in 2002, world leaders pledged to “make concrete efforts toward the target of 0.7% of their GNP in international aid. That would amount to almost $200 billion in aid each year.

What would happen if affluent Christians around the world were to make a “Jubilee Pledge” – to commit 1/50 of their annual income (2%) to help end poverty and suffering around the world:

- If 50 million Christians make $60,000 / year,
- That is a combined annual income of $3.0 trillion
- 2% of $3 trillion is $60,000,000,000…$60 billion!

That’s almost 1/3 of what the UN thinks it will take to end extreme hunger and poverty around the world

What would the world’s response be? Would God be glorified? Would the Name of Jesus be lifted high, even by those that don’t know Him?

Okay, maybe I’m a dreamer…it’ll probably never happen…but what if it did?

What if 50 Christians decided to do this for a single village…a village named Kager?

- 50 Christians contributing $100 / month ($1,200 / year)
- That’s $60,000 / year to be able to dream and deploy
- $300,000 over 5 years!

Let’s start praying right now for 50 bold Christians.

50 bold Christians who are willing to sacrifice their comforts to Change the World…One Village at a Time.