‘Let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-ending stream’ Amos 5:24 God works with us and through us – to sow love and reap justice.   The prophet Amos implores us to bring justice when he says: ‘Let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-ending stream’ (Amos 5:24).

As God’s chosen people – holy and dearly loved – clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 And in Colossians we are called, as God’s chosen people – holy and dearly loved – to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)   We can sometimes think that there’s nothing we can do about global poverty, but there’s a quote in the film The Power of One that says: ‘A waterfall starts with a drop of water.’ When we reach out in compassion and kindness, and do something on behalf of someone living in poverty, on its own it may seem small – but combined with every other action, it has the power to change communities and, ultimately, nations.

As a young supporter of Toilet Twinning, 14-year-old Katy travelled to Zambia to see what her giving meant for 14-year-old Monica and her family. Katy raised money when she asked for donations instead of Christmas presents. In the village of Chimbilwa, Monica spoke of the shame she felt when friends discovered her crouching in the bush, going to the toilet. Katy began to think differently about the things she takes for granted.

Sometimes, the diarrhoea was so bad that my family had to borrow an ox cart to take me to hospital. Monica says, ‘Before we built a toilet, I could be sick for up to two weeks in a month, and sometimes, the diarrhoea was so bad that my family had to borrow an ox cart to take me to hospital. They had to sell some of our chickens to pay for medicines.’

Meeting Monica has made me realise just how much I have that I don’t need. Katy says, ‘Monica doesn’t have much, and it’s made me realise how much I have that I don’t need, and how easy my life is in comparison. It’s made me want to study harder at school, so I don’t waste the opportunities that I have.’

In Zambia, Brethren in Christ Church (BICC) partners with Toilet Twinning on water and sanitation programmes in some of the poorest villages in Choma district.   Programme Manager Ginwell explains how BICC challenges communities to think differently about sanitation. The community is invited to a meeting where they draw a map to show which households have toilets, and which don’t, and then they visit some of the places nearby where people are going to the toilet in the open. While the villagers aren’t looking, a BICC worker picks up a lump of poo and brings it back to the meeting place. There, a meal has been prepared, and the poo is placed next to the food. BICC staff then encourage the community to eat – and wait for the disgusted reaction! This interactive experience encourages villagers to think about the link between poor sanitation and ill health, and draw up an action plan for building toilets. Every three months, a BICC worker returns to the village to see how they’re getting on, and revise the plan until every household has a toilet.

Ginwell says, ‘In one of the communities, a village leader came to me, beaming, to tell me about the transformation that had taken place. He said, “The toilets have changed everything.”’

God can change our perspective God can change our perspective. He helps us take our eyes off our problems and focus on him, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He enables us to look at the world through the prism of gratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:18).   Then he prompts us to act. He reminds us that we’re here to serve others… and with him, we can make a difference in this world. Time and again, the Old Testament prophets tell us how important justice is in building God’s kingdom – and how God expects us, his co-workers, to pursue justice passionately on behalf of the last, the least and the lost (Micah 6:8). Fourteen-year-old Monica wants to be a nurse – but to achieve this, she needs to remain healthy. Without clean water, a toilet at home, or a toilet at school, her dream is near impossible.

God blesses us to be a blessing to others Colossians 3:17 Fourteen-year-old Katy chose to give up Christmas presents one year, and ask for donations to Toilet Twinning instead, because she wanted to make a difference for people who have less than her. She says, ‘We have to care about people in countries like Zambia because their lives are just as important as ours.’

PHOTOS: RALPH HODGSON/TOILET TWINNING & ADOBESTOCK