Greetings …

As members of the Uniting Church we are called to walk together as First and Second Peoples envisaging a future which includes all of us. As one of the ‘second peoples’ it is not always easy to know how to go about this, but one way to start is by being informed. 

The third Thursday in March every year is Close The Gap Day, a day which has been running for 10 years now and which, I am ashamed to say, I didn’t know was a thing.  Yes, I’d heard of Close The Gap, but I didn’t know that it had its own day.

So what is Close The Gap?  Well it’s about bringing people together to share information, and taking meaningful action in support of achieving health equality for First Nations Peoples.  Having a National Close the Gap Day each year provides a great opportunity for people from all facets of our community to send our governments a clear message that Australians value health equality as a fundamental right for all.

The hope is that First Nations Peoples will have achieved health equality by 2032.  I don’t know about you, but 2032 seems a long way off.  That’s eleven years away.  Still as part of our journey together as First and Second Peoples the more we understand the more we can be moved to call out injustice and close the gap on many things.

Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples still live, on average, 10-11 years less than non-Indigenous Australians.  John 10:10 contains some of Jesus’ most powerful words … I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.  Surely this abundant life is for all peoples. 

Blessings – Heather.