Guilt at Garden Parties

Sometimes I have a hard life! This week I was honoured to be invited not just to one, but TWO Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. I went on Tuesday along with 5 others to represent Church Army, then yesterday I was invited to the garden party given in honour of the Lambeth Conference. So it was my idea of heaven, mingling with 800 bishops! An anglican networkers paradise!!

I have to say the organisation was awesome, the food delicious and the atmosphere amazing!! I have never heard the band of the Royal Marines play the tune of the Austin Powers movie before!! Her Majesty puts on a good party!

I was thoroughly enjoying myself, the food and the lovely ice cream, and feeling rather pleased with myself when I met a bishop from the Sudan. Looking sad and unhappy he went on to tell me he had never seen so much food before, it would help feed his starving people.

I still can't get this out of my head. This bishop has made a deep impact on me. Just imagine looking at Buckingham Palace Garden Parties through his eyes.

His villages are full of people dying from malaria and other preventable diseases, they do not have enough to eat or drink, and we live in such luxury and plenty. My heart goes out to this bishop and the others there yesterday. The total tragedy if the anglican communion breaks down over gays and sex, is we in the west need to hear the story of my brother bishop from Sudan. I am proud to be in the same church as him.

The bishops marched through London yesterday to say the goals our Political Leaders signed up to called the Millenium development goals are not going to be met. Our politicans are not delivering what they promised.

The goal of universal schooling by 2015 now won't be met till at least 2100. We need to shout louder, this is UNACCEPTABLE. We are told bland glib management speak like this is not target, slower progress than desired, moving towards our goals. These are not the right terms to use. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Period.

So write to your MP and say so...lets start shouting. Last century the largest single killer was small pox. It killed more than the 2 world wars put together. We eradicated small pox , we found a vaccine and it was wiped out. We had the will and the resources of our world were put on the case. So the largest single killer of the century was wiped out, surely we can do it again. With the will and the energy, we together can make poverty history. Are you prepared to play your part? Start praying, start shouting, and start doing. If the Church isn't about alleviating poverty and curing disease, let's shut up shop and give up.