Adventist pastors Moe Stiles and Sylvia Mendez, who both lead a church in Melbourne, recently called on the Australian legislature to do something about the ongoing global hunger crisis.
According to a report by Adventist News, the two female pastors represented Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) under the 18-member Micah Australia in a Sept. 7 visit to Canberra.
The pair was with 34 other Christian women belonging to the Micah Australia coalition.
Purpose of the Visit
The Christian women reportedly spoke with senators and members of parliament in their attempt to underscore critical issues concerning some 50 million individuals worldwide.
Mendez told Adventist News they went to Parliament House to "bring the voice of those who couldn't speak for themselves to parliament."
The report mentioned the dialogue as part of Micah Australia's ongoing "Help Fight Famine" campaign to create social awareness on the pressing needs of the slice of global population that is nearing famine.
The Christian women's group explained that such a dire situation was the result of climate change, armed conflict, and the pandemic.
During their dialogue with members of parliament and Australian senators, the women urged the government to allocate fresh emergency funding amounting to AU$150 million.
The report noted that the women told the lawmakers to squeeze in the money in next month's financial allocation.
The article added that Micah Australia identified several countries to benefit from the proposed funding, which includes Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, Syria, and Ethiopia.
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What the 2 Pastors Think About Global Hunger
During their dialogue, Pastor Mendez told Adventist News they explained to the legislators that women and children were often the primary victims of 'poverty and suffering.'
Mendez lamented how the people "who are already vulnerable" bear the heaviest brunt of hardships.
The Adventist pastors expressed their gratitude for the chance to speak to the lawmakers to amplify key global social issues.
Pastor Stiles explained the value of having a "collective voice."
"It was wonderful to see the church-regardless of the brand we represent-show up and stomp the halls of parliament, advocating and amplifying the voices of those in vulnerable situations," Stiles told Adventist News.
She added how their meeting with Australian legislators helped "humanize" how she views them. She said having to pray for a senior minister added to the humanizing aspect of the face to face exchange.
Meanwhile, Pastor Mendez called the experience "a great opportunity" of representing the Adventist church. She added how working with fellow Christian women leaders and talking with them created an 'uplifting and encouraging' experience.
The report added that those who wish to learn more about Micah Australia's campaign may visit the website www.fightfamine.org.au.
About Micah Australia
Based on its website, Micah Australia focuses on 'empowering Australian Christians' to speak about global issues such as climate change, famine, poverty, and heightened conflict.
The group organizes dialogues with key federal leaders that result in positive actions on critical global social issues, the website added.
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