A goodwill initiative in Africa - UPDATED Nov 2011

From a co-worker in South Africa who is working to develop the energy of goodwill on the African continent:

The state of our world today

We hear and read daily of people living in abject poverty, of heinous crimes being committed against women and children - of rape, abuse and cruelty. We are shocked by the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in our country, and watch helplessly how our leaders show political expediency in their decision making. Nameless killers stalk our city streets, terrorising citizens, even the rural areas are not excluded. It seems that crime does pay as fraudsters seem to get away with their crimes. Elements of anarchy are creeping in on the lives of ordinary residents in many countries in Africa and we see the basic fabric of good governance and society fall away. Racism, deeply entrenched social attitudes producing suspicion and fear of others, together with crime and poverty are all human rights violations. What a sad picture!

The heart of humankind is, however, sound. Countless non-profit and community organisations, religious groups and thousands of volunteers are working in creative ways to bring relief to the suffering of people caught up in unbelievable poverty, to vulnerable children, abused women, threatened communities, and those whose human rights have been totally violated. All of us are contributing materially, physically and skilfully where we can, yet we feel hopeless and powerless and we wonder how else we can contribute to the solution of the crisis our continent is experiencing.

How can I help?

There is a most effective and creative way of working for the good of all people, a way of countering the tendency to selfish and materialistic behaviour, of getting stuck on our agendas and thereby creating subtle barriers to sharing, cooperation and taking responsibility for the wellbeing of all around us. The essential dynamic for creating a more peaceful and equitable world for all is to focus on goodwill as the driving force of all constructive effort. Creating an atmosphere and an attitude of goodwill is a key requirement if we are to move towards a better world. (Goodwill = the will-to-good = the-will-to-God.) Your field of service and the impact that it makes upon public opinion provide an opportunity to contribute to the massive effort now needed to mobilise goodwill among all responsive members of the human family.

The Invitation

We invite men and women of Africa from all countries, of all races and religions -

• who believe in the potential for good in every human being;
  
• who believe that right relationship between peoples and nations, between humankind and the earth are the key to world peace and progress;
  
• who accept responsibility for establishing right relations and who will work daily to establish unity and goodwill in the world,
  

-- to join in our effort in meeting the need of the day by creating right human relationships with each other and with the earth.

We do not ask you to leave your religious persuasion, your employment, your home or your country, but we do ask you to cross borders of separation, to reach out to each other across Africa, from north to south, from east to west, to respect and honour the human spirit, to create an atmosphere and an attitude of goodwill in order that we all move towards a better world.

African Goodwill Network has launched a webpage/blog, and invites you to visit the site and to make use of the blog to give us your opinion.Forward the address to friends and like-minded people throughout Africa. Please join us and “strengthen our hands”.The African Goodwill Network belongs to all of us, so we want to hear from you, and find out about special projects you are leading or involved in.Should you know of someone working to make a difference to the world we live in, let us know so that we can support them with our lighted loving lines of prayers and mantrams.The website address is: http://www.africangoodwillnetwork.com