We greet you in the love of Jesus Christ, on the occasion of sharing with all of you a message from Quito, where we were called together by the Latin American Council of Churches (Clai), as the advisory group to its faith, economy and society programme.

The social, economic and political situation of our Latin American and Caribbean people has obliged us to reflect upon the injustice and the tragic process of impoverishment in all of our countries. The imposition of the globalized neoliberal model and the corruption of our judicial, legislative, and political systems have aggravated the situation.

We see the consequences of this state of sin reflected in our congregations: unemployment, labour instability, loss of social security, loss of hope for the new generations and the dismantling of public health and education programmes. This system, which gradually worsens the already precarious standard of living among our people, has turned the social explosion and economic collapse in Argentina into a crisis. Throughout our history, colonial and neo-colonial countries have pillaged the resources of the earth and the fruit of the labour of our people. This process continues by means of neoliberal policies that produce immense accumulations of wealth in those countries. Today these policies are promoted by large, transnational, private capital, without any concern for the situation in which our people live.

Our corrupt political systems contracted immense foreign debt, under conditions that are contrary to national interests. This debt constitutes a gigantic system of usury, in which capital is detached from labour, contrary to the will of our creator, shown in holy scripture, which states: "it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil" (Eccl 3.13).

While this panorama is very overwhelming and many times we do not know what to say, as Christians we are sure that God is not in agreement with the destruction of life. We resist accepting that the dominant system is the only possible one, as we have been told over recent years; and we accept the challenge to contribute to the search for alternatives. Just as we are called to repentance to change our lives, the Lord calls us to work together to establish an economic system that places the human being as its first priority, not the economic benefit of a few. Just as Jesus said, human life does not consist in the abundance of possessions (Lk 12.15).

Unlike the tendency to take refuge in our own security and to isolate ourselves from problems, or of limiting our solidarity only to our own forgetting about others, the word of God speaks to us clearly of the judgement upon those who live contrary to God's will, which is that those whom God created should live with full enjoyment of all Creation and that they should have life in abundance. In this hope we call to all the churches not to resign themselves to the present situation, but to listen with renewed attention to God's Word, and to accompany all those who suffer and to practice solidarity with those in greatest need.

Clai is working on a series of materials, biblical studies, programmes and workshops to accompany the churches in their prophetic and pastoral mission of denunciation of sin, call to repentance, and announcement of hope and the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Quito, Ecuador, January 21 2002