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		Progress towards peace The Bishop's Christmas message - 2007
		The Christian sacred book records an angel saying 'peace on earth and good will...' Happily, I can report that the angels are not alone. The world is safer now, children are more protected, there is measurably less poverty, and there are fewer wars than at any time in the past 60 years. This is not my pre-Christmas mushy thought. It's the considered view of Dr Jan Egeland, special advisor on humanitarian affairs to the United Nations Secretary- General, and formerly Deputy Foreign Minister in Norway. He said this in Singapore in August at the World Vision International Council meeting, to which I was an Australian delegate. He explained that this does not mean that there were not intractable problems in some parts of the world, such as the Darfur crisis in the Sudan which goes on and on, the failure of the peace in Sri Lanka, the continuing oppression of the people in Burma/Myanmar by the military junta which refuses to allow democracy. But huge concerted efforts have been made in the last few years to combat world poverty and make the world a safer place. The Gates Foundation, for example, has poured billions through the UN to combat malaria. African countries now import generic versions of the anti-retroviral drugs to combat HIV-AIDS, thus making them available to everyone. Australia has even signed the Kyoto climate change agreement. The number of volunteers working around the world in education, health and welfare is staggering. More than 40 Australians, for example, are overseas working with Médicins Sans Frontières as doctors and nurses...and it's a French organisation. More than a thousand Australians are volunteering overseas with Australian Volunteers Abroad. The reality is that there is a lot of altruism around. I won't claim here that it's all because of Christianity, but the facts are that many, many people of faith feel impelled to serve others. It's at the heart of the Christmas message. The baby born 25 December was and is the Prince of Peace, and all who believe in him are invited to join the progress towards peace in the world and in their neighbourhood. Give it a try this Christmas. Do something for peace. Bishop John Harrower		John Harrower View/download this message as a pdf.