“The challenges facing the world are indeed tremendous. Our institutional challenges, especially with regards to finance, are also many. However, we are convinced that with a vision, purpose and clear priorities, we will be able to overcome these challenges.”
The executive council also heard reports on the progress of member churches so far in fulfilling the mandates agreed at the 24th General Council last year in Accra, Ghana.
Reports from Latin America, Northeast Asia and Africa highlighted the difficulties of working effectively to support the needy in a time of increasingly neoliberal economic globalisation.
“In our Latin American and Caribbean countries we are still suffering from the effects of neoliberal policies, foreign debt and the globalised market,” said German Zijlstra of Argentina.
“So these are not easy times for our peoples. Generally, many of them are continuing to experience a situation of social, economic and political crisis, Bolivia being perhaps most recently one of the clearest examples of political instability.”
He also outlined the precarious situation in Columbia where “violence, lack of respect for human rights and devaluation of the meaning of life are continuing” and where, throughout the continent in general, “marginalisation and poverty are situations that are not diminishing”.
The Reformed churches in Latin America were still able to provide immediate assistance to churches in Southeast Asia following the tsunami December 2004, however, despite these ongoing difficulties.
Japan also reported positive developments, including several new projects to assist the unemployed, as well as the opening of numerous shelters and crisis counselling centres. Japan’s Reformed churches have also developed job training for the unemployed, reported Junko Kikuchi.
Africa’s Reformed churches have also set up various programmes aimed at supporting HIV/AIDS sufferers, the alleviation of poverty, economic justice and development.
Members of the executive council will also discuss the proposed shake-up of the organisation and its staff model at the meeting which runs until the 15 October.
