Debt Forgiveness

Many faith communities that support economic justice, as well as Jubilee-USA, will celebrate 2007 as a Sabbath Year, since it falls seven years after our last Jubilee year, 2000. Heavy international debts impose brutal hardships on poor communities around the world. As of 2006, only 20 of the countries originally eligible for debt cancellation saw their debts cancelled. In addition, 26 more countries desperately need debt cancellation. The combined debt of all these impoverished countries stands at about $500 billion.

The Sabbath Year presents many opportunities to raise a prophetic call for debt cancellation. The goal by the end of this year is a hearing in the U.S. Congress on the Jubilee Act, which would provide debt cancellation for more nations that need it. Please write our legislators to express your support for debt cancellation for these countries. For more information, contact Jubilee-USA at www.jubileeusa.org.

(From: World Watch, Jan. Maryknoll Magazine)