Letter from CCA

(“A Letter from CCA” is a sharing message of the CCA General Secretary to update member churches and ecumenical friends about the life and works of CCA. It is electronically published every Wednesday.)

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ!

CCA as result of its pre-conference on “Reclaiming Rights of Children Affected and Living with HIV and AIDS” held from 2-5 July in Chiang Mai, Thailand came out with a strong statement of commitment. The statement addressed the significant issue of HIV/AIDS positive children and the role of faith based organisation in curbing the epidemic and providing care and support to the communities. 

The statement said, “We, the members of interfaith community are challenged by the past interfaith activity organised by the Asian Interfaith Network (AINA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka in August 2007 to “Keep the Promise” in responding to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV and AIDS). AINA is now grappling with the increasing incidence of HIV and AIDS in children and the projected increase in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) similar to what has happened in Sub-Saharan African two decades ago.” 

“We reaffirm our commitment to work with more vigor to strengthen the presence of children at the center of our faith-based initiatives and to address the increasing number of people living and/or affected by HIV and AIDS. We ask the world community to recognize the work already done by FBOs and give them visibility and a platform to share their contributions in International AIDS Conferences and other global, regional, national and local bodies. We commit to join the global initiatives to raise the awareness on HIV and AIDS in our communities and to unite for all children.”

This statement of commitment will be disseminated in Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance’s Pre-Conference on HIV/AIDS and 17th International AIDS Conference taking place from 3-8 August 2008 in Mexico. The complete statement can be found on CCA website.

Cross border migration

Ms Janejinda Pawadee, MEPP Coordinator recently visited churches in Maesod - Tak Province in Thailand. MEPP will be organising a consultation in Maesod, which is a Thai-Burma border. The theme of the consultation will be “Equipping churches to address Cross-border Migration and Rights of Burmese Migrant Workers in Thailand” to be held from 25-27 August in collaboration with Karen churches in collaboration with Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT). The consultation will focus on the issues faced by Myanmar migrant workers living in Thailand, and the role of churches in protecting the rights of these migrant communities.

FMU involvement with theological initiatives

Dr Hope Antone, Joint Executive Secretary for Faith, Mission and Unity program area of CCA is participating in the Education and Ecumenical Formation - Executive Meeting taking place from 12-19 July at the Ecumenical Institute Bossey, Switzerland. The meeting is organised by Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE)/World Council of Churches. 

CCA Wednesday Worship

During the morning worship in CCA office Moumita Biswas, Executive Secretary of EGY reflected on Exodus 2: 1-10 and shared about the violence against children . She said, "In Asia today children are forced to be child soldiers, human bombs, bonded laborers, drug peddlers, trafficked, subject to infanticide, foetocide, living with HIV/AIDS, and dying in hunger and poverty. However in midst of violence, children in Asia like little Miriam in Exodus 2, who used her intelligence to save her baby brother Moses from violence, these children are being agents of transformation in society." Moumita focused on the urgent need for ecumenical movement in Asia to engage in ecumenical formation of children and promoting children's human rights to alleviate poverty and suffering. 

Young Indigenous/Dalit Women's Internship Program

To promote indigenous/Dalit women's ecumenical formation CCA- EGY is starting 'Young Indigenous/Dalit Women's Internship Program' from September 2008 for nine months. The application forms can be found at the CCA website and deadline for application is 20 August 2008.

Women's Ecumenical Accompaniment for Vision and Empowerment (WEAVE)

WEAVE in East Timor is a project of EGY for ecumenical formation of women through the full time accompanier Ms Dominica L. Faurillo, who is facilitating church women of 'Igreja Protestante Iha Timor Loro Sae' (IPTL) at present to organize women's committee meeting. The women's committee was elected during IPTL Assembly recently. The newly elected women’s committee meeting will happen in July to re-vitalize women's desk of IPTL. WEAVE is also facilitating formation of women's Bible study groups in different districts in Dili and facilitating women to assess their need to engage in micro credit project and start small business for self reliance.

Prawate Khid-arn
General Secretary

No. 28/16 July 2008