Air photo of the town of Padre Lozano, and the indigenous community of Misión Salim (centre of image), showing how forests have been cleared for soy bean cultivation right up to the border of the community's land.
Image showing how unregulated deforestation practices have led to the elimination of vegetation along the edges of rivers and streams, which leads to flooding during the rainy season. Floodwaters from these and other fields now flow unchecked on to lands owned by indigenous communities.
Salim and neighboring communities now suffer from regular floods that may be linked to deforestation. With United Nations funding (see below), ASOCIANA will be working with some of these communities in this area to conduct participatory research to determine the extent to which deforestation is affecting their lands. This data will be used to lobby local authorities on the need for regional land-use planning policies geared towards better regulations on agriculture practices, particularly deforestation.
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A BRIEF REFLECTION ON OUR WORK + AN INVITATION TO VISIT ARGENTINA
It is now just over three months since we arrived back in Argentina. Though we have been busy, we are encouraged by the fact that God is opening new opportunities for our ministry as a result of the changes we have felt led to make in our work. It is always amazing how God seems to just wait for us to make the first tentative (often uncertain) steps in a new venture, before revealing what he has in store. We feel it is important to share how these changes are leading to new opportunities.
We now basically divide our work into three broad areas:
First, we continue to support the Anglican Church's social action programme (ASOCIANA) with the indigenous population in northern Argentina, who are amongst the country's poorest and most marginal social groups. In this regard Andrew is now focusing on developing environmental research aimed at supporting indigenous land claims. This side of the work is advancing well, and having a specific focus on the issue of deforestation is helpful in enabling us to be more effective in what we do. Andrew is also a member of the Board of Directors, which allows him to contribute to the overall management of ASOCIANA's work.
Second, we have felt called to conducting independent work for other Churches and Non-Government Organizations with the broader Province of the Anglican Church. We were therefore very encouraged by a recent invitation by SAMS and the Bishop of Peru, to provide technical advice to a series of social outreach projects amongst slum dwellers in and around Lima.
Thirdly, and as part of our strategy of generating some of our own support, we felt it was important to dedicate up to a third of Andrew's time to paid consultancy work for donor agencies. He has recently completed a month-long field study for the child sponsorship agency Compassion International (USA), which has involved recent visits to Church groups in Colombia, Indonesia and Tanzania. There are now possibilities of further work with this agency.
As a result of these changes and the opportunities they are leading to, we feel God is nudging us into a situation where we can help the wider church, particularly in Latin America, to address social issues. Generally the Church is very quiet on these issues here. It must be challenged, and at the same time supported in knowing what it can do and how.
We firmly believe that the Church must be involved in social outreach. We also feel that the Anglican Church has within its structure the potential of coordinating social work at an international level, thereby leading to greater effectiveness. The SAMS also sees this potential, and is recognizing that it has the experience, international network and staff to help the Church develop this vital part of its God given mission.
We share this with you, because we feel it is important that the UK church should also recognize its international responsibility in supporting the wider Anglican Communion is its social ministry. In this regard we would also underline the importance of maintaining well established and on going work, particularly in those areas such as Argentina where the Anglican church has gained the trust of indigenous peoples, and built up experience and expertise in working with them, not only in evangelism but also towards social justice. The link you have with SAMS is a key element through which some of that responsibility is put into effect. We therefore feel it is vital that we strengthen our link with you.
The challenge we face is making that link more
real and palpable to the rank and file of UK congregations. This is not easy, and both SAMS and ourselves have certainly struggled in this regard. Indeed, it is at times very frustrating, because there is so much that goes on as a result of the support you give us yet which you are unaware of. The simple fact of
being here in Argentina, for example, enables us to generate funding from a variety of other sources, which in turn help a large number of people. Only last month we received approval of a 15 thousand dollar donation form the United Nations for a project to help indigenous communities to fight deforestation. This is simply one small example of how your support is effectively multiplied. Our presence here enables us to tap other sources.
One way through which the link could be strengthened would be for local churches in the UK to consider sending groups to come and visit Argentina. We feel this would give the opportunity for people to gain first-hand understanding of the social issues that are screaming for the Church's attention. It would also help us to better understand how we can help the UK Church to develop and strengthen its awareness and involvement with social concerns at a global level.
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