A New Concept of Mission
Global Justice Volunteers seeks to provide young adults exposure to and experience with communities who are powerfully transforming the world that we live in. Global Justice Volunteers is based upon a concept in which Christian mission is understood as a challenge to amplify the human cries in situations where the world is profit-centered, not people-centered. In other words, it takes place where people raise awareness of the issues, mobilize collective efforts, and address the root causes of injustices; in order that all of God's children may live in peace, reconciliation, and harmony with God and one another.Global Justice Volunteers is about challenging the false gods of our times:
- Egocentrism
- Exploitation of the Earth
- Materialism
- Race, Class, Gender Privilege
- Militarism
- Media's Sale of News as Commodity
- Exploitive Economy
Global Justice Volunteers is based on a philosophy of mission with, not mission to or for others. The model is one of solidarity, accompaniment, reciprocity, and subsidiarity. When we say that the volunteers are in "solidarity" with the work of members of the community, we mean that the volunteers stand with the individuals and organizations with whom they are placed. By "accompaniment" we mean that the volunteers are participants in a ministry of presence. The volunteers accompany the work of the organizations and groups by their willingness to be incorporated into the existing structure of the communities' work and life.
Although the additional presence of volunteers does create new dynamics within the communities, the presence of the volunteers should not disrupt or redirect the present work and methodology of the local organizations. Also, the volunteers are not to displace local, paid volunteers or workers. By "reciprocity" we mean that the volunteer groups and the communities will learn with and from each other. Both groups will contribute to the learning. Both groups will receive. This is true mutuality in mission. By "subsidiarity" we mean that the volunteers will be placed within local communities at the most grassroot levels of the partnership organization or community group.
For example, if the GBGM partnership is with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), then the volunteers will be placed within a regional ecumenical council of NCCP. From the regional ecumenical council, the volunteers will then be placed within base communities which are partners with the regional council. General Board of Global Ministries staff will work within and through the structures, models of leadership, and identification of priorities of the communities, thereby demonstrating a respect for the self-determination of the local organizations