"[I]njustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread."
Leaders from the Global South lamented that despite the promises from the US and 191 other nations to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there have been little overall progress towards fulfilling the commitments.
"And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest most powerful nation on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders - now and after the elections are over - to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015," they pleaded.
"If you who know the truth will not speak for us who will?"
The Global South letter was released just ahead of the UN General Assembly's meeting on Thursday to review progress on the MDGs.
During the teleconference, evangelical leaders from the United States and the Global South emphasised that church advocacy is even more critical now as the US and the world struggle to overcome the financial crisis. Amid this difficult time, they noted, it is easy for governments to forget about the world's poor.
"The church in the United States has the opportunity today to be faithful to the hope that it preaches," the Global South letter stated. "We urge you to remember that the hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God's justice."
Others that participated in the teleconference included the Rev Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals; the Rev Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Dr Jo Anne Lyons, founder of World Hope International and the first female General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church; and Lawrence Temfwe, national facilitator of Micah Challenge Zambia.
The teleconference was organised by Micah Challenge, which was created by the World Evangelical Alliance.
Micah Challenge is a campaign that seeks to make advocacy for the poor part of church mission.
Currently, organisers are gathering signatures from the public and from evangelical leaders for a letter that will be sent to both major presidential candidates, urging them to commit to a bolder strategy to fight global poverty. The slated date for the delivery of the letter to the candidates is October 22.
On the web: www.micahchallenge.us
