An ecumenical fraternal delegate from the World Council of Churches, Mr Samuel Kabue, (pictured below) issued a stirring challenge to the Assembly on Monday afternoon.

Mr Kabue, who is blind, heads the Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network (EDAN), which is a programme of the WCC, based in Nairobi and hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches.  It was established after the 1999 WCC Assembly in Harare.

Its mission is to encourage the churches and society at large to address the concerns of people with disabilities. Mr Kabue pointed out that historically, people with disabilities have been a disadvantaged community, marginalized in both church and society.

EDAN calls for a change in the mindset of the churches. Disability discourse needed to be introduced into the churches. A paradigm change from charity to empowerment was needed.

Mr Kabue ended by asking what the church was doing to address the issue, and indicating EDAN's willingness to work with the UCCSA.