Make Poverty History...the long walk to justice?

Tomorrow marks the twentieth anniversary of Live Aid/Band Aid and features the latest effort by Pop music's finest to address the very important issue of world hunger/poverty called "LIVE8-The Long Walk to Justice." You can listen to the five concert venues simultaneously on the internet from all over the world at AOL Music.com Paris, London, Berlin, Rome, and Philadelphia were the original concert sites. But now they have added as well Tokyo, Moscow, Barrie and Johannesburg.

The concerts are designed to bring awareness and put further pressure on the world leaders gathered at the G8 Summit next week in Gleneagles, Scotland. The cause: make poverty history. How? Forgive all the debt on the world's poorest countries so that the funds that were ear-marked to repay the debt can now be redirected to the most needy within those same nations. Though I disagree that that kind of scenario has real merit either politically or humanitarianly; it is a noble cause to help bring clean water, food, medical supplies and care, and in some cases shelter, to those living in the worst impoverished countries of the world. For several years, many of us as Christian artists have been spokespersons to help raise support through "adopt a village programs" and "individual child sponsorships" through Para-church ministries who partner with local churches to bring this relief so desperately needed. In the midst of that Christ-centered work is also the wonderful opportunity to share the gospel of grace as well.

However, the question that is on everyone's mind is how do you guarantee that the funds and food will not be misused again (like they were squandered from LIVEAID/BANDAID in the mid 1980's) and from falling into the hands of many of the corrupt governments that could use those resources to further promote terror and insidious cruelty against their own people again? BONO and Bob Geldof, the leading spokesmen for this event, says that there are now "different channels set up this time to prohibit such activity from happening again." I would like to believe them and they seem sincere, but we all need to see "the plan" and not just blindly trust artistic sentimentality again. It will take a lot more ladies and gentlemen than several pop icons singng around the world tomorrow to make a dent in world poverty--let alone end it. Are their efforts the real deal or just another Peter Pan fantasy/cause of the moment? Time and truth will reveal this soon enough.

However, I am not a wide-eyed skeptic. (I spearheaded and organized THE CAUSE project - the Christian response to LIVEAID in 1985; produced and co-wrote our theme song, "Do Something Now", with Phil Madera and we had over 120 artists participate--the largest of any of the "We Are The World" efforts. Bob Geldof and I were the only two recipients of the President's Merit Award that year for our work with the poor. A command performance at the Royal Alber Hall for Princess Anne and the Royal Family followed to benefit her organization, "Feed the Children." And I have been involved with several outreaches to people with AIDS and have done many benefits for Crisis Pregnancy Centers to offer hope from abortion.) I only mention that to say that though these kind of events provide awareness and an emotional "booster shot" to encourage people to get involved--it is a short lived "charity" at best. LIVE8 has to go way beyond the stage to the profound practical issues these nations face every day if lasting change and impact is going to occur.

So with that said, I do encourage you to please tune in and watch the broadcast, stay informed--(but please do not give them any money whatsoever, they are unproven and have not corrected the past mishandling of funds with LIVEAID/BANDAID). Let's see if a "plan with teeth" is going to come from the heads of state at the G8 Summit to deal with this profound issue of world poverty and the subsequent out-workings between the IMF, World Bank's, the United States and the other G8 Summit nations; and the third world nations being "forgiven" of their debt.

As a Christian, it is part of our faith to "remember the poor" and help those in need. Since the early church, Christians have continually, without fanfare or sought after media praise, have cared for the poor. Either loving our neighbor; loving our enemy; or even being a Good Samaritan to a stranger in need is not at all foreign from biblical Christianity--but central to it. Therefore, in spite of what occurs at LIVE8's event this weekend, may I encourage you to get involved with some proven and credible outlets to serve hurting people around the world. Let me recommend a two of them to you that I have been privileged to serve the Lord with throughout my twenty-seven years of music ministry: Food for the Hungry; Compassion International. These are Christian organizations dedicated to the Word of God, the local church, training nationals to serve in their own country, and to bringing food, water, medical supplies, as well as education, developing trade/jobs and the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are doing a profound work and are excellent financial stewards of your resources as well with over 80 cents of every dollar going directly to the children, villages and child related programs in those nations hurting around world. When the fanfare from LIVE8 fades (and it will quickly), consider these two ministries--you won't be disappointed.

Grace and peace to you,
Steve Camp
Galatians 2:10