"Diakonia makes God's love visible"

How do you recognise Christians? At best, by the fact that they "love their neighbour as themselves".

This means that faith also shows up in deeds. In the worldof the church, this is summarised under diaconia, which refers not only to diaconal institutions, but also to the devotion to fellow human beings born of faith.

"Actions speak louder than words"? was the title of an online format initiated by two speakers from the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM) on this topic. "We want to let the various perspectives from the international church have their say here," explained Dr Joe Lüdemann, Consultant for Global Cultural Diversity and Ecumenical Cooperation with South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini. Together with his colleague Kurt Herrera, Advisor for Church Development and Ecumenical Co-operation with Peru and Brazil, he has initiated this series of events, which deals with issues of church life.

Two personalities from the ELM's worldwide church network introduced the topic: Ntuthuko Nkosi, leading pastor of a network of eleven congregations of the ELM partner church Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa (ELCSA) in the large township of uMlazi near Durban, and Bodo von Bodelschwingh, who runs the youth vocational aid centre "Razz Fazz" run by Diakonie Diepholz/Syke/Hoya - and who also works to a large extent with young people from migrant backgrounds.

"For me, diaconia means making God's love visible. It's faith in action," says Nkosi. Consequently, he focuses primarily on those who are disadvantaged in a country with extreme differences in wealth and high unemployment. Among other things, he visits the families of schoolchildren at home, listens to them and - with financial support from an ELM donation project - ensures that the children receive shoes and a school uniform. The project initiated by Nkosi is called Siyafunda! - isiZulu for We learn! "It is a model for Christian living. As it says in Matthew (25:40): "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did to me," says the pastor from Durban.

Bodo von Bodelschwingh also sees his work in the Razz Fazz project with young people to prepare them for training or employment as based on "God's love". The reaction he often notices from refugees to the unconditional listening and support is amazement that no (financial) consideration is expected in return. "Many of them were exploited on their way to Germany, they paid money to escape," reports von Bodelschwingh. Although it would make sense to talk to these young adults about faith or pray with them, he does not usually do so. The centre where he works is known as a church and so he can "extend the practical hand of the church/faith" to the young people through his work. The practical help speaks much more clearly to the young people - young people who themselves were disappointed by many words and promises during their escape.

In the subsequent discussion with the participants, a former headmaster from South Africa explained why, in his view, talking about faith is not necessarily part of diaconal work. "People don't want to be lectured to. First you have to get to know each other, trust has to develop." For many participants, the Christian message of the Gospel and diaconal work are inextricably linked. Catherine from South Africa makes it clear that this connection between word and deed does not necessarily have to involve talking to "your neighbour" about your faith. "When I pray to God myself and ask for his guidance, I am not alone." God is then present in the encounter with "one's neighbour". "God gives me peace for my work by being there."

Another participant, also from South Africa, has found a clear stance on how she deals with talking about faith issues in the context of diaconal work: "I don't want to force my faith on anyone, but I stand by it as my source of strength for all my actions. I don't hide that!"