ECUADOREvangelicals called to solve crisis
QUITO, March
l7 (ALC) The Ecuadorian Evangelical Confraternity called on
the Church and society to
"persevere in a constructive spirit and to seek
solutions" in the face of
the serious economic and political crisis racking
Ecuador.
We want "to be the voice
of the poor and needy, who we serve, who we form
part of and who cannot withstand
more suffering. Unfortunately, many of
those who have access to
public spaces talk about the poor in abstract
terms. We speak of the poor
with an Ecuadorian face," said a document
published by the entity
that brings together the majority of Evangelical
Churches in this South American
country.
"We believe that this is
the time for compassion and to build horizons of
hope. We affirm that today
is the time for justice, solidarity and low,"
said Evangelical Churches
as a series of strikes and protests have been
launched against President
Jamil Mahuad's economic measures.
The severity of the situation
motivated the US State Department to warn
political parties that they
must seek a solution to the economic crisis
"within the Constitution."
The Confraternity announced
that it has convened "an Evangelical Church
summit" next month in order
to "construct life, denounce death, offer hope
and give our best to society
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
As Evangelical Churches we
want to be among the first to confess what we
have failed to do and repent
for what we have done badly, said the document.
We invite all sectors of
our society to promote conversion and repentance,
in order to change behavior
patterns. "We must have the courage to affirm
the right to life in abundance
for all, without exceptions," the Evangelical
group said.
Within the framework of the
battle against extreme poverty, Evangelical
Churches attend a third
of the population who receives "the solidarity
bond," an aid system for
the neediest established by the government last
October. (end/eva/sp/alc).
Agencia Latinoamericana y
Caribena de Comunicacion (ALC)
Latin American and Caribbean
Communication Agency
Agencia Latino-Americana
e Caribenha de Comunicacao
Apartado 14-225 Lima 14
Peru
Telfs. (51-1) 221 4073 /
221 1488
Fax (51-1) 221 2877
E-mail: alc+@amauta.rcp.net.pe
