RSSJune 20, Pentecost III
by the Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton for ERD
6/20/2004
Zechariah 12:8-10, 13:1
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 9:18-24
Psalm 63:1-8
What a Leader Is
Today is Father’s Day in America. Dad gets a tie, maybe, or a nice dinner in a restaurant. He is honored for his role as provider, protector, mentor, partner, friend. Those who did not grow up with their dads feel a little odd today: they know they have missed something fine, and they find themselves wishing, today, that things had been different. Dad is self-giving, a compassionate leader in life, and there are times when we all could use one.
A father is a leader in Tanzania, too, but the deck is stacked against him.
Tanzania is challenged in many ways: pervasive poverty, low levels of literacy, little health care, an uncertain water supply, the constant spectre of famine. In every way, life is hard.
One strength it does possess is the intimate power of its villages. The elders of a village can be formidable forces for change, and it is through this structure that the 19 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Tanzania reach out to those in need. The Church there knows that any program must be people-centered in a village setting if it is to be effective. Food first, and training in raising food more efficiently. Then primary medical care and education in AIDS prevention and gender awareness that will help fathers realize the goals of their fatherhood for themselves and their villages.
Men and women lead very differently in Tanzania, and Episcopal Relief and Development helps the Church there provide people with the raw materials that will give everyone a chance for survival and of success.
Episcopal Relief and Development is an effective, reliable, and vital ministry of the Episcopal Church in communities around the world. Episcopal Relief and Development provides emergency assistance in times of disaster, rebuilds devastated communities after the immediate crisis is over, and offers long-term solutions to help people sustain safer, healthier, and more productive lives.
