Archbishop – faith is about ‘making a difference’

Monday 20th June 2011

This was one example of a growing initiative called ‘Umoja’ (Together), a Swahili word which captures the idea of being of one mind and aims to help build a genuine and lasting sustainability to local areas, by supporting the church and local community to research and analyse the area in terms of what the needs are, but also what the resources are - both natural and the skills of the local people. The community can then identify their priorities and where they may need technical support from the government or church community services (in this case partnering with Tearfund) to help them reach complete self-sufficiency.

Dr Williams spoke to some of the local people who were part of this initiative, and was able to hear about the real difference that had been made to many lives – including one young man who was orphaned and unable to support himself, but with the help of the project had managed to rear goats and chickens and therefore save enough money to pay for an electronic course.

During his visit Dr Williams spoke to the local community, giving thanks for the transformative work that had been done through this project:

“And so we give thanks for that overflow of God’s gifts. The first of those gifts is the gift of new life in Jesus Christ, through his cross and resurrection you know that his spirit is moving you to love one another to work together and to transform the face of the earth. And because of that first great gift you are able to give gifts to one another in the work you do together, to give gifts for your whole community and to give to us your visitors, the gift of hope and of joy, and of thanksgiving”

Dr Williams concluded his brief address saying:

“Faith is not just ideas in your head, faith is not just feelings in your heart – faith is the whole of a new life, making a difference to your lives, to your neighbours, to your community, by the grace and the Spirit of God.”

The Archbishop was shown some of the produce from the initiative, where people had started with their kitchen gardens, growing indigenous crops that were identified by research as being most suited to the soil, as well as poultry, rabbits and fish that had been bought to provide protein. 

The full text of the Archbishop's talk follows:

 We are very moved and touched that you should welcome us in this way and show to us the results of your work and your prayer. Our Lord Jesus says that if you have faith as small as a grain of mustard, you can move a mountain. And the mountain that has to be moved is sometimes the mountain of poverty, it is sometimes the mountain of hunger, but above all, it is the mountain that sometimes lies on us when we do not believe that we have the possibility to do what God asks us to do – a mountain of doubt and fear. Now the small grains you have sown have moved that mountain of doubt, now you know that God has given you that grace and freedom to serve him in this way, to make good use of the fruits of the earth, to be able to support one another, just as we should in the Body of Christ. And also the gifts that overflow, as St Paul says, overflow in every direction – because God gives more than we can ask or imagine.

So today we give thanks for that overflow of God’s gifts. The first of those gifts is the gift of new life in Jesus Christ, through his cross and resurrection you know that his spirit is moving you to love one another to work together and to transform the faceoff the earth. And because of that first great gift you are able to give gifts to one another in the work you do together, to give gifts for your whole community and to give to us your visitors, the gift of hope and of joy, and of thanksgiving. When I hear of the work that you do I think of some of the communities I used to work with years ago in my own country in Wales, and how we worked to try and persuade people that they could cooperate and support one another and do what you have done – put your money and resources together for the whole community. It was always hard work, but when it happened it was when the Church began to grow, because these people saw what faith really means.

Faith is not just ideas in your head, faith is not just feelings in your heart – faith is the whole of a new life, making a difference to your lives, to your neighbours, to your community by the grace and the spirit of God. So thank you brothers and sisters for what you have done and thank God for what he has done in you. I wish you every blessing in the work that you do here, the work of this church, the work you do for this community, the work you do with the soil – bringing forth the fruits to the earth for God’s glory. 

Back · Back to top