Driving at a constant speed
By Hendrik Vlaar

It has been nine years since the leaders of the world's wealthiest countries signed onto the Millennium Development Goals, committing to reduce poverty and hunger, improve health, and combat HIV/AIDS—all on a global scale. The number one goal on the list is to reduce global poverty and hunger by half before the year 2015. Though not the only part of the picture, food security is fundamental to the goal of any nation's overall development and security.

To the world's chagrin, progress regarding the goal of food security is far from being realized. In fact, between the year 2003 and 2005 the number of those suffering from hunger, globally, was almost 850 million, while today the number has passed 950 million—an increase of 100 million undernourished people within 6 years. More and more of our neighbours are falling into chronic poverty. Recently, these neighbours of ours—many of them fellow believers in Christ—have been under tremendous stress as they try to survive amidst rapidly increasing food prices produced by the global food crisis.

As a citizen privileged enough to study at a well-equipped university—and, more importantly, as a follower of Jesus—I am continually faced with the question of what it means for me, a person in possession of overabundant wealth and capability (inherent to most citizens of the global north), to love my neighbour in this world of increasing fiscal polarity. My recent internship with the Committee for Contact with the Government, or CCG, has allowed me to refine what it means for me to answer that question on a global scale, and what it means to be an advocate for justice on behalf of the poor.

This refinement, however, was no easy process, but was extremely jarring and exhausting. Last summer I totaled a Toyota Echo by running, head-on, into a Dodge Dakota. I can still remember the shock of pain as I hit the opposing vehicle at 80 km/h—my face slamming into the air-bag, my legs flailing against the dashboard, and the seat belt thrashing against my neck. Doing advocacy work can be sort of like my incident on the highway; no matter how many out-of-bubble experiences I have, I am always amazed at how intensely derailing it is to come face-to-face with all the multifarious forms of injustice. After I overcame the initial shock of my car accident, day-to-day life became exhausting as my body tried to both heal itself and carry out the functions necessary to continue my daily work. The life of advocacy, indeed, can be similarly exhausting.

My work on food security brought me to the brink of despair as I heard small-scale agricultural representatives share their struggle for market equality in the face of unconquerable odds. One of the biggest problems to overcome in this endeavour is the deceptive strategies trans-national corporations use to take advantage of small-scale farmers. Not only is it difficult to come up with answers to the difficult questions of injustice, but even attempting to understand the complexity of the global food market is enough to confound my non-economic mind.

The intensity of advocacy has led me to develop a few key survival components to keep myself "on the road."

1. Buckle Up. Operating within the kind of environment described above can be devastating. Standing in the face of injustice and seeking an answer—any kind of answer—is nearly impossible. It is impossible because a fallen human being, no matter how noble his cause, cannot use his imperfect solutions to fix this world of desperate brokenness. Trying to thrive in the world of advocacy without the safeguard of faith would have been as foolish as me trying to survive my high-speed car accident without wearing my seat belt. But the knowledge that the God of justice can receive and multiply our nugatory offerings, and the peace afforded by God's great compassion on those who love him, offer assurance and rest to the shocked, weary, and exhausted servant.



2. Respect Authority. It is usually true that the type of political happenings covered by the media tend to stimulate a negative attitude towards government amongst its citizenry. Because of this, citizens are prone to develop jaded attitudes toward civil servants and members of parliament (at all levels), and end up viewing politicians as the enemies of justice rather than its proponent. Unfortunately, this attitude permeates social justice organizations of all kinds and can greatly compromise the ability of those justice initiatives originating within civil society to take root within the government itself. What this attitude fails to recognize is that civil servants often hold strong convictions about justice, but their pursuance of justice is restricted by the political reality of conciliation—i.e. the diverse multiplicity of interests within parliament necessitates deliberation and incremental progress. It is therefore important not to place unrealistic expectations upon political leaders, but rather, to work alongside government with an attitude of mutual concern and respect.



3. Value Relationships. Constructive advocacy—i.e. advocacy that makes a difference—must include, along with the aforementioned respectful attitude towards our government, the fostering of good relationships with members of parliament. These relationships allow the advocate and his organization to contribute to the political process in a more constructive manner than can be achieved via protest, civil anger, or distant cynicism. By nurturing good relationships with government officials, the advocate thereby fosters good policy. Many members of parliament have great concerns regarding justice, allowing the advocate to come alongside these individuals for the common cause of shalom. Additionally, a good relationship with several elected officials can help the advocate to diversify his strategy to appeal to various political situations and partisan preferences.



4. Value Incrementalism. Probably one of the most important virtues to keep in mind when pursuing an agenda of justice is that of patience. Without the recognition that change happens piece-by-piece—that is, incrementally—rather than all at once only leads to frustration, which undermines the aforementioned relationship building, respectful attitudes, and faith. Politicians with whom it is important to maintain good relationships tend to avoid the bull-headed attitudes embodied by those advocates who want their solutions to the world's problems implemented immediately. To avoid this error, advocates must remember that they are only a piece of the puzzle. They, alone, are not the answer, but one part of a multi-faceted, multi-functioning answer—that is, one member of the body of Christ, rather than the whole thing.

My internship with the CCG taught me about these four things—faith, respect, relationship building, and patience—and how they relate to the world of advocacy. Without the practical experience of learning alongside someone more experienced in the field, developing a semi-robust praxis of advocacy would have been much longer in the making. The hands-on learning made available to me is an example of how important it is for students with a passion for justice to mobilize themselves—to become actors living out of the prayer for God's will to be done on earth. By engaging myself in the pursuit of justice I learned, first-hand, what it is like to meet with members of parliament, do research, present materials, and work through a plan of action. I learned that justice is attainable and that, step by step, God is guiding his people as they choose to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.

© 2009 Committee for Contact with the Government. All rights reserved.

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