God's world is possible

Lutheran, The, Jun 2004 by Zang, Abigail Christine

We are called to bring wholeness to all God's children

I experienced something in January that struck home in a new way: What happens to my neighbor in India affects me too. We are members of the same global community.

I was part of a delegation from the Lutheran World Federation, Geneva, to attend the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India. This was my first time in such a different culture, and I was out of immediate communication with friends and family. I had really stepped outside my comfort zone and into another world. Living in that other world for just a few days gave me a glimpse into the lives of those on the other side of this global equation.

I've studied and worked with many of the issues related to globalization. But attending this forum with thousands of people who live the realities of poverty, war and hunger every day-and being in India where inequality and injustice are constantly and undeniably present-illuminated issues in a way my intellectual study never could.

Sometimes the idea of global community feels abstract. But my experience in India was the powerful reality of living in the global community for six days. In that time I listened to the experiences of those who live with the negative effects of globalization: lack of work, environmental degradation, economic insecurity and food shortages.

I heard others accuse the United States of abusing its wealth and power in the world. I experienced our common humanity-the desire for sufficient food, clean water, healthy families, opportunities for education and fulfilling employment, and meaningful relationships.

Unfortunately only a small percentage of the world has the power to fulfill those desires. I began to see that we in the United States are the elite of the globalized world. How can I ignore my brothers and sisters around the world as they beg us to look beyond national borders and think about global justice?

As a person of faith I feel called to respond. I'm not yet sure what that means for me. No easy answers exist. But I'm committed to learning more-and to educating others. Let us act out of God's love for us to bring about wholeness to people's lives and communities around the world.

Working together, another world-God's world-is possible.

Our brothers and sisters around the world beg us to look at global justice

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Zang, a master of divinity student at the University of Chicago, is a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Ithaca, N. Y.