| Today marks the beginning of the Group of Eight, or | | | | because we are uniquely positioned as a generation |
| G8 Summit, a meeting of leaders from the world's | | | | between World War II and the Iraq War, with a |
| wealthiest industrialized nations to discuss global | | | | thick layer of Vietnam sandwiched in for good |
| economic and development issues. Germany, led by | | | | measure, we recognize that some things never |
| Chancellor Angela Merkel, hosts France, the United | | | | change, but that many,many more can and do with |
| Kingdom, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada and | | | | an investment of will and compassion. We are |
| Russia, the countries that make up the G8 | | | | fortunate materially, more so than generations which |
| membership. The agenda for these meetings is | | | | preceded us, and perhaps even those following us, |
| growth and responsibility in the global community, as | | | | but we are also blessed with an embodied hope that |
| well as on the African Continent. Chancellor Merkel | | | | cannot be denied. |
| has clearly stated her belief that we need all global | | | | My own memory of this kind of hope had fallen a bit |
| players to make this happen, implying a commitment | | | | dim, unbeknownst to me until I opened an alumni |
| to carry on the moral agenda set forth by the 2005 | | | | update bulletin from the University of |
| G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. | | | | Wisconsin-Green Bay a few days ago. While leafing |
| Although these Summits are held annually, it was the | | | | through its glossy pages I happened upon the familiar |
| historic agenda at Gleneagles that drew the world's | | | | face of Julie Brickley, my favorite professor who had |
| attention. That gathering settled on the reality that in | | | | passed on almost ten years ago. Two of her close |
| order to help Africa move forward and heal, we the | | | | friends and colleagues had established a scholarship in |
| wealthiest countries of the world would need to | | | | her honor. You see, although Julie was my favorite |
| increase aid, forgive the debt Africa owes to us and | | | | professor, she was cherished by the university |
| remove trade barriers that hinder African exports. | | | | community as a whole. She was the first woman to |
| These broad-based goals centered on the intent of | | | | receive the UW-Green Bay Founders Award for |
| eradicating extreme poverty in our world in this | | | | teaching excellence, and she founded and chaired the |
| generation. Quite remarkable is that in this point/click | | | | Women's Studies program of which I was a part. |
| delete world we have not lost hope for ourselves | | | | "Julie believed passionately that language lived at the |
| that this vision can be made real. In that there is | | | | heart of learning in every discipline," said her colleague. |
| immeasurable grace. | | | | " She brought its joy and beauty to her daily |
| Having grown up through the 1960's and 70's | | | | teaching." This woman who had inspired me to |
| believing that anything was possible, many of my | | | | connect with my own heart and dreams, with my |
| generation have held onto our idealism through | | | | hope for the future, was inspiring me again. |
| personal and societal struggles, long enough to see | | | | Perhaps the G8 Summits will function in this way for |
| the cycles with which life blesses us. We have | | | | our world this year and for all the years to come. |
| enough of ourselves in place to be comfortable with | | | | The Summits are no longer just a small group of |
| what we don't know, but are equally grounded in | | | | white men (and the occasional woman) meeting for a |
| what we do know, and what it can mean to live into | | | | couple of days each summer, ruminating on the |
| that knowledge for all it is worth. From such places | | | | world's ills and delivering heady economic solutions for |
| comes care for our communities, our country, our | | | | them. Now the G8 Summits will always be linked to |
| world, our people, and faith at how education, | | | | the simple hope, the ready belief that we can |
| healthcare and housing can begin to make lives whole. | | | | eradicate extreme poverty in our world in this |
| From such places comes wisdom that recognizes that | | | | generation. Our generation. It will not happen |
| these problems of AIDS and malaria, polluted water | | | | overnight, but the process is already begun. We are |
| and inadequate sanitation, trade injustice and | | | | doing it, one step at a time. The Biblical concept of |
| poverty, are not new or easily solvable, but they are | | | | hope is deeply rooted here, it is strong and it grows |
| indeed able to be addressed and steadily diminished | | | | in us each day. And, indeed, we are assured that, |
| over time. Perhaps because of our idealism, or maybe | | | | "Hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). |