20th July, 2011

Micah Challenge is calling on Christians to write a personal, hand-written letter to the Treasurer Wayne Swan, urging him to take action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in its 'Offering of Letters' campaign.

Rev Paul Perini, chair of the Micah Challenge national steering committee, is calling on churches to get involved in making an Offering of Letters.

“This campaign should be viewed as part of our worship to God," says said Rev Perini. "It gives us the opportunity to ‘do justice and love kindness’ by prayerfully writing letters to our government."

Micah Challenge has called for letters to be addressed to Mr Swan given his role in the allocation of the Federal Budget.

John Beckett, Micah Challenge national coordinator, says Mr Swan "has the influence and power to ensure the government delivers on its promises to the world's poorest people".

"We want to make sure our government keeps their promise to increase our aid giving to 0.5 per cent of our national income by 2015. We also want them to give us a timetable for when and how they will reach the international aid target of 0.7 per cent.”

Micah Challenge intends hand-delivering the letters to federal MPs during its Voices for Justice gathering at Parliament House in September. Federal MPs will then be asked to pass the letters on to Mr Swan.

Letter-writing resources are on the Micah Challenge website. All letters should be sent to the Micah Challenge office by 1st September.

~ www.micahchallenge.org.au/offering-letters

- DAVID ADAMS