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Christian Conference of Asia
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[Update] CCA Assembly 2010 "Art Compettition"
Introduction Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) is Theme of the Assembly The theme of the Assembly is: Called to Prophesy, Reconcile and Heal. This is an appropriate theme and has to be reflected upon and wrestled with in light of complex and conflicting Asian realities. God's call to people to prophesy, reconcile and to be a healing community is a tremendous challenge and a call to a costly discipleship. Very often the voice of prophecy is ignored and the prophets are marginalized or expelled from churches. This type of attitude towards prophets was there during the biblical times and prevails until now. The dominant tradition in the bible regarding the prophetic ministry is how God selected, especially some individuals, from communities to speak God's Word of judgment, reconciliation and healing. In the bible we discover that God's prophets called into question and challenged idolatry, exploitation of the poor, ill-treatment of the widow and the orphan. Throughout the history of the Church until now the prophetic voice has challenged and denounced the sins of racism, apartheid, patriarchy, abuse of power, both within the Church and in arenas of politics, culture and economics. Along with denouncement of all forms of individual and corporate sin God also announced through the prophets of the past and the present the need to repent and follow the path of reconciliation and healing. Reconciliation and healing are understood in the bible as ways to mend broken and distorted relationships and building up community and relationships anew. Hence, reconciliation is not an artificial fixation of relationships or putting things right and allowing the status quo to prevail. Reconciliation looks at a transformation of the present which involves addressing root causes in order to bring about authentic and lasting renewal. The "peace" which Paul speaks about in Romans 5:1, 11 is certainly peace with God. But, it also involves transformation of human relationships and building of a just community. The radical peace which Paul speaks of is rooted in the idea of Jesus the Christ breaking down all forms of barriers and walls of hostility (Eph. 2:14). Paul's concept of peace goes beyond human relationships to embrace the whole of God's creation (Col. 1:20). According to Paul reconciliation embodies a new creation (2 Cor.5:17) and a new quality of life. An integral part of the reconciliation involves a process of healing of the body mind and spirit of the human person on the one hand, and at the same time it also involves healing of broken relationships, communities and nations. The role of the Holy Spirit in this entire process of prophesying, reconciling and healing is to empower people and the entire creation to move towards the realization of reconciliation, healing and wholeness. Finally, what is entailed in reconciliation and healing is rooted in the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Reconciliation is rooted and flows out of Jesus' birth, passion, death, resurrection and ascension. Assembly theme is a reminder as well as a call to the churches in Invitation to Asian Artists a. To produce a Logo for the CCA Assembly b. To produce a painting to use it as the CCA official poster We are aware that what embodies in the theme of the Assembly cannot be exhausted through words alone. Therefore, we invite and encourage artists in Christian churches in General Assembly Theme Song In addition to the logo and the painting we also invite song writers and musicians to compose the theme song for the Assembly using Asian music and the words to reflect what the theme means within the Asian context. It has to be something original and indigenous to "The winner of each category will be awarded a cash gift of US$300.00" Closing date of the competition will be October 25, 2008 For further information, and all entries with the name, address and contact number Or e-mail should be sent to the following address: General Secretary Christian Conference of C/o Muang, Tel: (66) 53-243-906/7 E-mail: ccagensec@cca.org.hk posted by cbs on Friday, June 20, 2008 [Update] Myanmar UpdateChristian Conference of c/o Muang District, Chiang Tel: +66-53-243906, 243907 E-mail: ccagensec@cca.org.hk
CCA Action Plan on Victims of Cyclone Nargis in A few days after the cyclone in
Although we have gathered information from different sources we felt it is important for us to make a visit to In the meantime we also wish to say that we have given a modest sum of money to the MCC to assist in the relief activities. After we come back from our visit to Myanmar we plan to share with you our first hand encounters with the victims of cyclone and their stories of pain, horror and hopes and propose a clear plan of action as to how we should spend money to bring back life and hope to a people in despair, and who should be entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the victims, especially the poorest of the poor and those who fall outside the grand plans and schemes of donor agencies, International NGOs and other humanitarian organizations. We are happy to announce that we have got the visas to enter The role of CCA is not to become operational in the local context. However, CCA has a multiple task in a context of suffering and pain. We see our role in terms of: · To accompany the churches and to empower them to be an incarnational presence · To help the churches and communities at large to discern the truth from falsehood · To enable and energize the churches to be in mission and maintain their credibility and integrity as the Body of Christ · To empower churches to take on a prophetic, pastoral and healing role within the broken and weeping community · To facilitate a process where it is possible to coordinate activities in order to avoid unnecessary competition, rivalry, duplication and waste of resources among themselves, donors and recipients · To prevent churches, INGOs, NGOs, individual or free lance missionaries to use this tragic occasion for proselytization and evangelization In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that although the CCA will not be operational in Myanmar we will not abdicate our responsibility of equipping and accompanying the churches to be the Good Samaritan, Giver of Life in the midst of death giving forces and a healing and a reconciling presence in the midst of brokenness, bleeding and loss of life. We appeal to you to support our efforts and pray for the people in With Christian greetings, Yours sincerely, Dr. Prawate Khid-arn General Secretary, CCA. posted by cbs on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 Message of Dr. Prawate Khid-arn to the Hindu Caucus on HIV/AIDS
It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA)[1] and the Asian Interfaith Network on HIV/AIDS (AINA) to express greetings to the Hindu Leaders Caucus on HIV/AIDS concern. My special thanks to His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankarjiu for giving blessing and support to this caucus. Thanks to Dr. Asavari Herwadkar, Sawami Sadyojatha, Dr. Richa Chopra and many people for their tireless work that make this caucus possible. Thanks to all colleagues of the Art of Living Foundation Ashram for the warm welcome and hospitality given to all participants. The year 2008 marks the 27th year in the international and inter-sectoral battle against AIDS and yet the disease continues to spread unabated. The pandemic respects no geographical, ethnic, social or political divides. HIV/AIDS poses physical, psychological, social and spiritual challenges, not only for those living with it, but also to family members, care-givers, support groups and other people who come into contact with them. Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV virus and AIDS continue to be a threat to humankind. Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV virus and AIDS continue to be a threat to national development and social sustainability. Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the rights of the people living with HIV and AIDS continue to be ignored. Twenty-seven years have gone by, yet the HIV and AIDS continue challenging religious faith and practices. I humbly confess I don't know much about Hindu teachings. But like other religion, I believe, Hindu strongly believes in the dignity of human life and the sanctity of human life. The way we view human beings, all beings, and all individuals, is a reflection of the ultimate reality. So everybody, every believing Hindu, or every believer of any religion, should learn to view human life as the reflection of God and the reflection of ultimate reality. In Hinduism, it is always said that one should show compassion to others, as one would want compassion shown to oneself. So it is clear, compassion for others is an important HIV and AIDS pandemic goes beyond any boundary including religion. Fighting against HIV and AIDS is the responsibility of each and every one. I humbly encourage religious leaders and religious communities to continue to concretize faith and divine teaching in the daily struggle of the people. The HIV/AIDS continues to be a critical test of our religious faith and practice. It is clear that HIV/AIDS is a life crisis. The struggle against this dreadful disease should be fought with a strong will, support and commitment from all societal organizations, governments and civil organizations, health organizations, business firms, religious communities, community groups along with the people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The causes of HIV/AIDS are rooted not merely in the health and physical sphere, but also in life styles, social perspectives and attitude and individual behavior practices. We are all living with HIV and AIDS. Because of our unchanged life style, because of our ignorance, we are also spreading HIV and AIDS. The challenge of addressing the rising threat of the spread of HIV/AIDS is significant to all. There is a need to ensure sustained access to preventive and treatment services for all high-risk groups. The goal of prevention is best achieved through an ongoing process, open to change and flexible to adaptation. We must recognize that in many instances there is a gap between religious teaching and practice. The main challenge is how to bridge this gap. In Hinduism, it is always said that one should show compassion to others, as one would want compassion shown to oneself. So comparison, compassion for others is an important principle of our religion. I would like to share with you that after the 16th International AIDS Conference in 2004, representatives of various religions and faiths met in § to encourage religious leaders and faith-based organizations to form an Asian Interfaith Network for HIV and AIDS that aims at creating a common platform for action; § to work together with PLWHAs to build caring communities, ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights, with support from Governmental and Non-Governmental agencies, international organizations, and multi-sectoral organizations whenever necessary. For The HIV and AIDS crisis is bringing us together here and today because we are all living with HIV and AIDS. We need to share knowledge, understanding and experience from our various communities so that our efforts become more and more effective and inclusive. Through this, we will seek to establish a new culture of co-operation, respecting the uniqueness within each one of us. We are all here in This is why we get together here today. We all come to this meeting with hope and with determination. May this conference be a milestone in our journey. May we leave at the end of this gathering with renewed hope and renewed determination. Thank you. "I make a public appeal to the people of Indiato embrace people who are HIV positive, both physically and figuratively, so that no life is lost due to the stigma attached to the disease,'' he said at a function organised here on Sunday. The function was held to announce a training programme for nurses in AIDS care and treatment through a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). Mr. Clinton also met people living with the illness and healthcare workers at the All India Institute of Medical Science, where the function was held. `Get rid of stigma' He lauded the Central Government's efforts in dealing with the disease, but said a lot could still be done. "One needs to get rid of the stigma attached to HIV. The focus should be on prevention of the scourge rather than care and treatment,'' he said. "There is nothing to be ashamed of and people must come out to report the case so that they can be treated,'' he added. Target by 2007 Mr. Clinton recalled that when he had visited "Serious challenges, however, still remain, and it's estimated that over 5 million people in The Clinton Foundation, as per an MoU signed with the Government of India in 2004, is assisting NACO to increase access to the Government's free anti-retroviral therapy administration programme. As part of its latest initiative, the NACO will hold training programmes on HIV/AIDS treatment for nurses in Government AIDS treatment centres and faculty of nurse training institutions across "Nurses are a critical link in the treatment of people living with HIV. Nurses not only impart clinical care needed to keep people alive, but also act as counsellors who reduce the myths and stigma surrounding the disease,'' Mr. Clinton said. Anti-retroviral therapy Speaking on the occasion, NACO Director General Sujatha Rao said NACO was able to improve its line of treatment due to huge donor support. "The target is to provide free anti-retroviral therapy to 100,000 people in the next three to four months,'' she said. She said the Government would launch a multi-media campaign on AIDS awareness from next week. [1] Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organization accountable for about 50 million constituencies of nearly 100 national churches and fifteen national councils in eighteen countries in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Taiwan and Thailand. posted by cbs on Monday, June 02, 2008 Migrant Workers and Ecumenical Response: Asian ExperienceSisters and brothers in Christ Ladies and Gentlemen Let me first extend to you warm greetings on behalf of Christian Conference of Asia (CCA). I thank the World Council of Churches for providing me this opportunity to be with you for this public hearing. I also thank the Middle East Council of Churches and all staff for your warm welcome and friendly hospitality. I am sure that this public hearing and annual global ecumenical network (GEN) meetings focused on labour migration will be a great contribution in our ecumenical journey. Talking about migration is not a recent phenomenon. It radically affects all countries. Migration is a courageous expression of an individual's will to overcome adversity and live a better life. On every continent, people are being forced to leave their communities as a consequence of the changing needs in both the home countries and the countries of destination. There are "push" and "pull" factors of migration. Some are leaving because of war, persecution and widespread of violence and human rights violation. Others are fleeing dire poverty and environmental destruction or because they can no longer support themselves. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers has become a large industry in many countries and remittances from nationals overseas earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange for several countries. The annual sum of remittances exceeds $10 billion in India, $6 billion in the Philippines and $1.5 billion in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. These totals are often greater than official development assistance or foreign direct investment received by the countries. More and more people are excited about the ways in which migrants can help transform their adopted and their native countries. More and more people understand that governments can cooperate to create triple winsfor migrants, for their countries of origin, and for the societies that receive them. As we begin our conversation, let me share three reasons why this is the right moment for it. First, they are no longer so easily divided into "countries of origin" and "countries of destination". Many are now both. Countries that are very different in other respects face surprisingly similar migration challenges.
Nevertheless, no one can deny that international migration also has negative aspects- human trafficking and smuggling. The 54 Burmese migrants suffocated in the back of a sealed truck as they were being smuggled to work as illegal labourers in to Thailand last week (April 10, 2008). The tragedy was further proof of the government's failure to deal with the longstanding problem of illegal foreign labour. It is high time that tough legal action must be taken against human trafficking gangs and corrupt government officials who live off the backs of migrant workers. Like this case, the government cannot get off the hook by shifting its own blame to others. All governments all over the world, both sending and receiving countries, must look into the recruitment of migrant workers and ensure that they are fairly treated. The rights of migrant workers must be protected in our society. I would like to elaborate a bit more on the experiences from Asia. Asian countries now regularly deploy over two million migrant workers per year, while an unknown number of workers migrate outside of government programs. Economies in East and Southeast Asia currently host more than four million migrant workers in a regular status and several hundred thousand undocumented migrants and workers. Women constitute a significant share of the volume of regional migration and the number of women exceeds the number of men officially deployed as migrant workers by Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Since the end of the Second World War, Asian countries have gradually undergone a process of economic development. Major Asian countries of destination for labour migration are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, India and of course, countries in the Middle East like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. The major sending countries are Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and also Thailand. The number of international migrants has increased to more than 200 million in 2005, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Today, one in fifty people on earth are living outside their home countries, while an estimated 25 million have been forcibly displaced within their own countries. Today, there are about 1.8 million registered (or documented) migrant workers in Malaysia. 15 countries now supply workers in various employment sectors in Malaysia with the largest number coming from Indonesia (1.2 million) followed by Nepal which provides 170,000 workers. Other sending countries include India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor Leste and the Philippines. In Thailand, in 2004, there was 1, 2269,074 undocumented migrant workers and their dependents: 72 % from Myanmar, 14 % from the Lao PDR and 14 % from Cambodia. The increasing violence in Sri Lanka is creating new waves of displaced people and adding to the fear and insecurity felt by the hundreds of thousands of people who already have been forced from their homes by the conflict and the tsunami. In 2006, More than 639,400 people are estimated to remain displaced in Sri Lanka. Latest UN figures state that 314,378 people were displaced by the conflict. Around 325,000 people are estimated to remain displaced by the tsunami. Manikkam Maniyam, a 62-year-old Tamil man, is one of the many Sri Lankans who has had to move between several temporary homes within the country and abroad over the last 25 years. He first fled his home in Trincomalee in 1990 because of fighting and because his thatched house was burned down. He and his family paid a local fisherman to take them to India, where they lived in various refugee camps. In 1992 they were advised that the security situation was improving and moved back to Sri Lanka, living in a welfare centre in Alles Garden. Their shelter at the welfare centre was then destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. There are many other thousands of displaced people who are still waiting to return home. For all these situations, international migration today cries out for a global discussion.
The Public Hearing and the Global Ecumenical Network meetings here today would allow us to build relationships of trust, and to bring together the best ideas that we can take home.
These are some difficult situations the migrants face in our time. First: Be reminded that half of all international migrants are women leaving their children and families behind, and mostly engaged as domestic labour. Since the beginning of the 1980s, there has been a change in trend; women are in greater demand in certain sectors in their countries of destination meaning that they are pushed to go abroad to find a job. A significant number of these women are undocumented migrants. Often hidden within private households, these migrant workers are even more vulnerable. Sexual abuse, rape, slavery-like labour conditions, and discrimination of all kinds are very common. Second: Although the protection of migrant workers is first of all the duty of both the country of origin and the receiving country, limits of jurisdiction severely curtail the possibility for the state of origin to ensure that its nationals are protected while working abroad. The receiving state, on the other hand, often extends only minimum protection to allow for a flexible labour supply and to avoid social costs. The International labour Organization (ILO) has established a series of standards for the protection of migrants. In addition, the United Nations adopted in 1990 the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, also known as the Migrant Worker's Convention, which entered into force in June 2003. Churches' Response and Challenges Now let me bring it closer to churches' involvement. Uprooting or migration is not a new phenomenon. The Christian Bible is a story of the whole people on the move. The Book of Exodus, which gives a central theme of the Old Testament, is a vivid account of the Israelite migrant workers in Egypt who had fled from famine. They were then made slaves by Egypt's rulers. Because of drought, Naomi, a Moabite, goes to another land; Because of famine, Joseph's family eventually migrates to Egypt. Because of systematic persecution of 2-year-old children by Herod, Mary and Joseph and Jesus fled to Egypt. The stories of flight, of exile, of famine and of persecution are central to our Christian tradition. The biblical mandate is clear: to welcome the stranger, to treat the foreigner as one of you, to extend kindness to the sojourner. In response to the plight of the migrants, churches are challenged that first of all, people are no longer remaining passive, accepting their plight and destiny. They are not sitting back and waiting for some agent of mercy. Instead, they get up and move. Also people today have better access to information about the world situation than a generation ago and they are better able to choose their destination. Secondly, the border of the nation-state has been lowered in recent decades. Development in transportation and communication have enhanced the movement of people and make possible more frequent contacts with each other beyond national borders. And thirdly, the civil conflicts in many countries have made people hostages of the disputing parties. The churches in Asia, like other parts of the world, have been challenged to develop strategic interventions to ensure respect for their rights at every stage of their journey, and strengthen social cohesion in the receiving countries. I remember, representatives of churches, church-related organizations and ecumenical bodies associated with the Global Ecumenical Network (GEN) from Africa, Asia (CCA), Europe and the Middle East gathered in Nairobi in June 6-8, 2007. The meeting developed advocacy strategies to be implemented in the regions with a particular emphasis on "being church together". I am sure you will hear reports from each of the partners in the coming days. What I would like to say is that churches in Asia steadfastly stand by migrant workers in defence of their rights and in promoting their dignity, especially in Asia. Moved and inspired by the Christ's message we urge host societies to be more welcoming to migrant workers. This means facing the social challenges migration brings such as inadequate housing, food, and social assistance; difficulty in getting or living without residence permits; the sex trade and exploitation of women and children. The Church must be at the centre of the Church's action in favour of migrant workers, to become the "second home" for them, to serve as a place where they feel at home irrespective of their religion, race and colour. Such a prophetic suggestion is a key to opening new venues for missionary action. Christians have to turn the Church into "everyone's home" and make it part of their own mission towards migrants. For Asian churches, Asia is diverse with diverse histories, cultures and colours. The task of the Church is to participate in the process of reshaping our communities, societies and countries in Asia, and how to live with people who are different. Since 1970s Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) provided platforms for churches to be more actively involved on migrant issues. The CCA adopted in 1993 an important recommendation of three-areas: Awareness-Building 1 that churches be made aware of the unjust structures of exploitation and of the suffering of migrant workers 2 that clergy and lay leaders are enabled to understand that in solidarity with the poor especially migrant workers is central to Asian church's mission; 3 that churches evolve a holistic concept of human rights taking account of women and children, migrant workers, refugees and internally displaced communities, indigenous people and stateless people; 4 that a special effort be made to train church workers in pastoral support and political advocacy; 5 that theological exchange among experts to develop their respective religious heritage and learn each others religious values; 6 that educational resources and awareness building method be appropriate to each cultural and political contexts. Pastoral Support: That the churches 1 increase their pastoral and welfare services to migrant workers; 2 coordinate ecumenically their pastoral support and other services with each other and other agencies; 3 offer the protection of refuge and sanctuary; 4 That migrant workers be enabled to develop their own organizations and activities. Advocacy: That the churches and ecumenical organizations: 1 condemn violence and discrimination, especially against migrant workers; 2 promote the right of people to remain in their homeland and also to choose where they live; 3 promote the ratification of the 1990 international convention on the protection of migrant workers and their families; Conclusion Too often we don't welcome the strangers, i.e. migrant workers among us. One of the hallmarks of modern society is a retreat into individualism- coupled with a fear of the unknown, a fear of strangers- that we often see in our own congregations. The Bible shows us a different side of hospitality. For example, on the road to Emmaus, Christ approaches two strangers and chats with them. They invite him home for supper, and as they are eating, Christ reveals himself to his hosts. Think about this story for a moment. Christ reveals himself to strangers/ the migrants-after they have eaten together. If they hadn't invited him home with them, he probably wouldn't have told him who he really was. Emigration in Asia is the new frontier of missionary action. Migrant workers not only seek to escape poverty, but also desire to share their culture and faith. For this reason, emigration is nourishing a new missionary trend. In light of it, the Parish must become a "second home" for migrant workers, a place where they are welcomed with open arms in a spirit of hospitality irrespective of their religion. Accompanying uprooted people means sharing their suffering and their joys while they are in exile, and where possible, when they return home. It is now time for churches to cooperate with one another and with ecumenical partners, including the United Nations and other intergovernmental bodies, to go beyond agreements on trafficking in persons to cooperation on all forms of migration but especially labour migration. Such agreements should cover the rights and obligations of employers and migrant workers. The most effective way to prevent trafficking is to provide legal channels for migration and employment that meets national standards. Working to create a world where people can live in justice and dignity is our ultimate goal. But as long as people are forced to flee their homes in terror and despair, churches and individual Christians are challenged to reach out to the migrant workers among us. I earnestly hope that churches and ecumenical movements of today will grow up knowing that mission for better life development of fellow country workers is God's mandate. I am sure that churches will embrace their hopes and hear their appeals. I am an optimist, and I am full of hope about the future of our global ecumenical journey. Thank you very much. posted by cbs on Monday, June 02, 2008 |
