Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

The magazine for supporters

Autumn/Winter 2019

Love sets us free

We stand together as one global family, with hope

An act of love With a Will, you can look after all the people you care about.

By including Christian Aid in your Will, you can extend that loving care to people in your global family. You can help build a better future for children all over the world. You can reach out the hand of love and friendship to families you’ve never even met.

Christian Aid / Adam Finch

It may look like a dry legal document, but a Will is really an act of care.

Or even love. When you make a Will, you make a commitment to look after your family and friends even when you’re gone. And if you wish, you can do something even more extraordinary.

Find out more about the power of Wills.

Request your free Will Guide by filling out your details below. You can also contact our Legacies Manager Jacob Clarke at jclarke@christian-aid.org or on 020 7523 2173.

Name: Address:

Postcode:

Please complete the form, cut it out and return to: Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT.

This November, you can write or update your Will with Will Aid. A professional solicitor will write your Will in return for a voluntary charitable donation that is then distributed to charities including Christian Aid. Visit willaid.org.uk

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Write your Will with Will Aid.

Christian Aid Magazine Issue 13: Autumn/Winter 2019 Editor: Rachel Addis Sub-editor: Natasha Fiala, Bettina Vine Art editor: Juliet Blackledge Design: Rachel Irwin, Christina Lock, Rebecca Gray, Txabi Jones, Kim Kemp, Emma Watling Production: Graham Winter Circulation: Ben Hayward Published by Christian Aid 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL 020 7620 4444 info@christian-aid.org caid.org.uk UK registered charity no. 1105851 company no. 5171525 Scot charity no.

SC039150 Christian Aid Ireland: NI charity no. NIC101631 company no. NI059154 and ROI charity no. 20014162 Company no. 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid © Christian Aid September 2019.

The acceptance of external advertising does not indicate endorsement.

Cover story Kasthuri and her son Mathi are living life to the full on their vegetable farm in south India.

Photos: Cover Christian Aid/ Chris Roche; page 4-5 Christian Aid/Tabitha Ross; page 6-7 Christian Aid/Tom Pilston, Christian Aid; pages 7-11 Christian Aid/Tom Pilston; pages 8-9 Christian Aid/ Richard Nyoni, Christian Aid/ KB Mpofu pages 10-13 Christian Aid/Chris Roche; page 14-17 Christian Aid/Adam Finch, Christian Aid/John Phillips, Donaldo Sousa/ Omunga; pages 18-19 Christian Aid; pages 20-23 Christian Aid/Amy Sheppey, Christian Aid/Matthew Gonzalez-Noda; pages 24-29 Christian Aid/ Emily Garthwaite; page 30 The Methodist Church/Alex Baker; page 31 Christian Aid/Kim Kemp.

Thank you for standing together with us During this time of increasing political polarisation around the world, it is wonderful to remember that the church is one family, despite our differences.

That’s why I’m so thankful for supporters like you, who stand together with us in love for the sake of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

These are difficult times for charities like ours. In recent months, we’ve had to make some extremely tough decisions about how we operate. We’d all appreciate your prayers at this challenging time.

Nevertheless, as we look to the future of Christian Aid, and carry out our new global

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, Chief Executive

Contents 4-5 One global family, for justice

8-9 Rebuilding lives from the rubble When disaster strikes, we’ll be there.

10-17 Frontline

18-19 Our Will to make a difference Will Aid month is coming soon – find out how you can get involved.

F2479

20-23 Act for climate justice

The world must wake up to the climate Sarah Roure, Christian Aid’s Brazil emergency.

Country Manager, explores how we’re one 24-26 Christmas Appeal 2019 global family, facing global challenges.

This Christmas, you can help mothers 6-7 News use their God-given gifts to create new Discover how your gifts this Christian Aid lives for themselves and their families.

Week helped change lives for good.

Discover how a vegetable farming project in India is uprooting caste prejudice, plus stories of hope from Rohingya refugee camps.

Christian Aid is a member of

strategy – Standing Together – we’re as committed as we have been for the past 74 years to bringing about lasting change for those who need it most.

I am convinced, more than ever, that we are truly one global Christian Aid – working in genuine partnership with justice-seekers all over the world.

The context in which we are working is more complex and interconnected than ever before. It is both more unified and more fragmented. It is both richer and poorer.

Now, therefore, is the time for us to unite as one global family, ready for the challenge ahead.

27-29 Events

30 Last Word With the Rev Dr Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Church in Britain.

New! Eco‑friendly envelope Thank you to everyone who contacted us about the magazine.

We hope you’ll be pleased to see we’ve swapped our plastic packaging for a new, eco-friendly paper envelope. Now, you can enjoy reading Christian Aid Magazine while helping to take care of the world’s forests.

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Editorial: Global challenges

One global family, for justice C

hristian Aid is a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide.

We are one global family, facing global challenges. These global challenges are clear to see in my country of Brazil.

In Brazil today, 55 million people live below the poverty line. Inequality is our biggest challenge, but we now face new challenges of violence and a shrinking democracy.

Violence has reached a new record. Last year, 5,144 people were murdered by the police, and the majority were young black men. Every two hours, a woman is murdered in Brazil due to domestic violence.

In March 2019, Dilma Ferreira, an Amazon land rights defender and member of Christian Aid partner MAB, was brutally killed, along with her partner Claudionor Costa da Silva and Hilton Lopes.

This violence is linked to the increasing threats to our environment in Brazil, with almost 20% of the Brazilian rainforest cut down over the past decades. The communities in the Amazon region are suffering but striving for justice.

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As Dilma Ferreira once said, before she died: ‘We are the warriors, the fighters, who stand up and face these daily challenges’.

I must confess that I find myself becoming emotional at times when I see the challenges affecting the communities we serve. I am aware that we can only do so much. But the enormous challenges we face are a part of what we have been called to do in building the kingdom of God. Working through local partners, Christian Aid is transforming the roots of inequalities in Brazil. We stand together with the most vulnerable of our sisters and brothers, such as forest communities, women, LGBT+ people, indigenous and quilombola people.

We know that our work can be effective because we are not alone. Together with Christian Aid supporters like you, we can amplify our voices against violence and inequality.

We stand together, as one global family, as we look to the future with hope.

Sarah Roure Brazil Country Manager

Raimundo Printes do Canno holds a leaf that is used for traditional medicine by the indigenous people of Brazil.

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News round-up

An astonishing Christian Aid Week

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huge thank you to everyone who celebrated Christian Aid Week this May. However you took part – from posting envelopes to hosting a Big Brekkie – your support means everything.

Collectively, we’ve raised over £7m this Christian Aid Week, an astonishing amount and a tribute to your actions, prayers and generous gifts. Here, we look at some highlights of the week.

A very special thank you from Jebbeh Your love and kindness this Christian Aid Week helped some of the world’s poorest people, like Jebbeh Konneh.

When we first met Jebbeh (pictured above), she was eight months pregnant. Like so many women in Sierra Leone, she feared she might lose her life by giving birth.

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Good news – Jebbeh has since given birth safely to a healthy baby boy, Ansumana!

Jebbeh smiles as she tells us: ‘With the help Christian Aid gave me, my child and I are healthy. The new health centre gives us hope. I thank you very much. I am very glad!’

Jebbeh’s community have come together to build a new health centre in her village. It’s equipped with more maternity beds, and solar power to help women give birth at night. Many mums now have the dignity of giving birth safely. They can see their babies grow to live full and happy lives.

Supporters on the Isle of Wight enjoyed a morning hearing about Jebbeh and Nurse Judith in Sierra Leone. They closed their morning by adding their voices to our campaign to drop the Ebola debt.

Globally, from Sao Paulo to Nairobi, our staff and partners joined the celebrations. In Kenya, Christian Aid staff held a Big Brekkie and a family-fun day at Karura Forest, raising US$3,000.

Evie Fox – possibly our youngest-ever collector at 19 months old – helped her mum deliver Christian Aid Week envelopes in Worcestershire.

Thanks, Evie!

Global solidarity action with the Amazon In September, Christian Aid launched a political declaration ahead of the Catholic Amazon Synod, taking place this month at the Vatican.

Together with faith-based organisations from all over the world, we’re speaking out against the exploitation of the Amazon rainforest and indigenous people.

‘This is a historical opportunity for the global ecumenical movement to join hands in the defence of the Amazon – not only a South American treasure, but for the entire planet’, says Mara Luz, Christian Aid’s Head of Latin America and the Caribbean division.

Action to defend the Amazon has never been more pressing. At the time of this magazine going to print, the Amazon rainforest was on fire.

Many of you have joined us in solidarity by praying, giving and taking action online. Thank you for helping us to protect the Amazon and its people. Find out more at caid.org.uk/amazon

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Frontline: Cyclone Idai

Rebuilding lives from the rubble Families face unimaginable challenges in the face of disasters.

Leticia Garcia from Christian Aid’s Humanitarian team reflects on the impact of Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.

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eather is one of our favourite topics of small talk. We love to complain about it – whether it’s too hot, too cold or too rainy. Weather is definitely the king of small talk in Britain.

But in poor countries around the world, extreme weather can cost lives.

In March 2019, a tropical cyclone landed in Mozambique, carrying heavy rains and ferocious winds. The strong cyclone affected more than three million people in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Lamentably, but as expected, the effects were devastating – the cyclone damaged schools, crops, houses and roads. Many health, water and sanitation facilities were destroyed, stopping people from accessing safe water and increasing the risk of diseases like cholera.

Many people didn’t survive the storm. And those who did survive, lost everything. Within the chaos, children were separated from their families.

One family’s fight for survival Thankfully, this was not the case for Regina’s children. She and her family survived the storm in Zimbabwe and stayed together. But they still suffered greatly.

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The storm ripped apart Regina’s home, and nothing could be saved. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be in this situation – yes, you still have life, but now your life is all you have.

Even for a resilient mother like Regina, it’s easy to lose hope. What would the future look like? Her main concern was her children. Regina told us: ‘Our friends and relatives are gone. My eldest son lost his two friends that he used to go to school with. It hurts me a lot because I know how close they were. To make it worse, my children can’t go to school now because the bridges are broken. I worry about their future.’

Regina is strong, but she needs your support to rebuild her life from the rubble.

Your support is vital Responding to emergencies is at the heart of what we do. Disasters often bring out our global neighbours’ resilience and strength, but it is our responsibility to support people like Regina.

In the words of Nicholas Shamano, our Country Director based in Zimbabwe: ‘Lives, livelihoods and infrastructure have been lost. The priority now must be to address the immediate needs of the affected communities.’

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

‘My children can’t go to school now because the bridges are broken. I worry about their future’ Regina, Zimbabwe These needs are huge, but thanks to your generous support this year, we’ve raised an incredible £1.7m, which will provide communities with shelter, food, sanitation and psychosocial support. You’ve helped to make a huge difference for people who’ve lost everything.

Now, months after the cyclone, we’re still supporting people in Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Christian Aid partners have been providing communities with food, safe water and hygiene

kits. In Malawi, we’re giving families farming tools and cash support. In Zimbabwe, we’re supporting families to repair their homes and ensuring that people have access to the psychosocial support they need to overcome this tragedy.

None of this would have been possible without your invaluable support. Thanks to people like you, we can help families like Regina’s on the journey to rebuild their lives, when they need it most.

How your generous gifts have saved lives this year Thanks to your support, we’ve been right beside our vulnerable sisters and brothers in times of crisis.

• In April, you helped give shelter, hygiene and dignity kits, clean water and food to people affected by Cyclone Fani in India and Bangladesh.

• In July, you provided drinking water and hygiene training after an Ebola outbreak hit the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Above) A woman outside her flooded home in Bihar State, India. Torrential rains in July 2019 caused floods and landslides in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, killing over 100 people, and forcing millions from their homes.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

• In July, you helped give shelter, clean water and food for people who lost their families and homes to floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

When a crisis hits, please go to caid.org.uk/emergencies to donate.

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Frontline: EcoVeg in India

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Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2017

Kasthuri on her farm in Tamil Nadu, India.

Sowing seeds of change Christian Aid’s Julia Fairrie travelled to Tamil Nadu in India, where organic farming promises a more hopeful future for excluded communities.

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Frontline: EcoVeg in India

Kasthuri and Mathi at home on their natural vegetable farm.

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he beautiful face of 26-year-old Kasthuri emerges from the fields. Her smile radiates from beneath her simple headscarf, camouflaging a life-story of scandalous poverty, abuse and suffering.

Kasthuri was born into a Dalit family. Her family were so poor that she didn’t have enough food to eat when she was growing up. Dalits, also known as ‘untouchables’, are traditionally regarded as the lowest members of the Indian caste system. They are considered ‘unclean’ by the higher classes.

They face widespread discrimination, do the most menial jobs and have limited access to education.

When Kasthuri was 21, she went against her family’s wishes and married a man from a lower Dalit sub-caste. Her father abused her and rejected her from the family. Later, when she was four months pregnant, her husband abandoned her. She was left with her father-in-law, who repeatedly made sexual advances towards her.

Kasthuri ran away from her father-in-law’s house and stayed with her cousin until she had her baby.

Fortunately, she met a social worker there called Senthamilselvi (Selvi), from a higher caste, who agreed to take Kasthuri and her baby in.

A new family of love Kasthuri explains how much Selvi’s kindness meant to her: ‘Normally, someone from Selvi’s caste community wouldn’t even hand a cup of water to a Dalit person. Sharing a home with them would be unthinkable. But everybody in her family has treated me respectfully and with love.

I have never experienced kindness like this from anyone in my life’.

Now Kasthuri and her son, Mathi, live in a safe village, where Selvi hosts an organic farming initiative, EcoVeg. This Christian Aid project helps poor farmers, especially women and those from excluded communities, to become self-sufficient.

(Left to right) Selvi, Selvi’s mother, Kasthuri, Mathi.

Growing a hopeful future Kasthuri works together with five women as part of the farming collective. ‘I love being on the farm,’ she says. ‘Alone, as a woman, I couldn’t do this. But together, we can be successful. We work as a team, in solidarity.’

With the security and opportunity farming provides, women respond with energy, care, and incredible kindness to each other. Kasthuri’s work on the farm restores her dignity, and gives her pride and joy.

Her son Mathi is now a healthy and cheeky six-year-old. From a fragile baby, he has grown up strong on the healthy vegetables and herbs that grow there. Happily, the farm is the only home he remembers. Land that was abandoned is rich again. Mathi has a new family, and the chance of a better future.

‘I have no words to explain how happy I am to be here with my son,’ says Kasthuri. ‘When we are working in the fields, he imitates what we are doing. I am living with great hope and confidence that I will educate my son, and make him a great person.’

For Kasthuri, every harvest is a season for change Thankfully, Kasthuri and Mathi now have a new family. A family who love and respect them, and welcome them into their home. You are a part of this family. Thanks to your kindness, Kasthuri can see her son grow and live life to the full.

Throughout the autumn, Christian Aid supporters have been celebrating this season for change. From Harvest suppers, thanksgiving services, quizzes and even a zip-wire challenge – your generous support will help more families to grow a hopeful future.

To support our Harvest Appeal, and help more families like Kasthuri’s around the world, visit caid.org.uk/harvest

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

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Frontline: Rohingya crisis

Two years on: dignity, safety and hope for Rohingya refugees 14

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

t’s now more than two years since Bangladesh opened its border to more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar, in one of the biggest and fastest-growing humanitarian crises the world has ever seen.

In the beginning, our work focused on meeting the urgent needs of the refugee community – food, shelter, water and sanitation. Over time, our focus has moved to the broader challenges people are facing – such as protection and psychosocial support.

An important part of our work has been the management of the camp in Jamtoli, where 52,000 refugees are currently living and more than 60 organisations are supporting the communities. We’re making sure people get the aid they need, in line with the very highest humanitarian standards.

We’ve worked to bring women into leadership positions at Jamtoli, ensured the camp is safer, and helped the Rohingya people to reclaim their dignity.

None of this could have been achieved without you, our generous supporters, and our local partners. Thanks to you, we’ve been able to deliver life-saving aid to the Rohingya people in refugee camps and in host communities.

Two years on, Christian Aid and our partners have brought real change to the lives of the Rohingya people. But things are still very tough, and we remain committed to standing with this community through the challenges ahead.

How you’re giving children hope for the future Like many Rohingya refugee children, 15-yearold Jannat has suffered trauma and grief. She was forced to flee Myanmar in 2017. During the journey across the border, Jannat’s father was killed, leaving her and her brother to reach Bangladesh alone.

A married couple, Rahima and Rafiq, were also making this dangerous journey. When they saw these children had tragically lost their father, they acted from the kindness of their hearts – they stopped to help them, and took them under their care.

Rahima says: ‘Jannat didn’t talk to anybody.

She didn’t want to eat. She is much better now and has a family who she can live with in peace.’

Since being taken in by Rahima and Rafiq, Jannat has been able to focus on her next steps.

Christian Aid’s partner runs child-friendly spaces, which give children the chance to learn, play and feel safe again. Jannat has been learning how to sew in the classes that these spaces offer.

She’s received a sewing kit and hopes to be a seamstress when she grows up.

Thanks to your generous donations, we’re helping children like Jannat have hope for the future.

With special thanks to our five local partner organisations – Gana Unnayan Kendra, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Dustha Shasthya Kendra, Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh and Alliance for Cooperation and Legal Aid in Bangladesh – who have made our response to the Rohingya crisis possible.

All names have been changed to protect children’s identities.

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Last year, hundreds of Christian Aid supporters wrote messages for us to add to aid packages we were delivering to Rohingya families. When we went to visit the Jamtoli camp earlier this year, we were able to see first-hand how your messages and aid packages were reaching vulnerable people. Thank you for your generosity.

The Rohingya crisis has left many children without a family or home. Will you help these forgotten children to feel safe again? Donate at caid.org.uk/rohingya-children Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

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Frontline: campaigns Angola and Nepal Frontline:

We are all family Across the world, we stand with the most vulnerable and excluded people, to fight for dignity, equality and justice. Here, we share stories from Angola and Nepal. We come together as one family, with hope and determination, to create a fairer world.

Shelter from the rain: a family home at last In Angola, south-west Africa, Rafael’s family know the most precious thing of all – a place to call home.

Since he was a boy, Rafael Cassinda has feared the rain. His father died when he was five, and by the age of 10 he was living on the streets in the coastal city of Lobito. He slept under cardboard boxes and his nights were spent at the mercy of the elements.

Rafael was one of 800,000 children who were orphaned, abandoned or lost during Angola’s 27year civil war.

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The war finally ended in 2002, and Angola’s children of conflict have grown up. Many, like Rafael, are now parents themselves, seeking to give their children the chances they never had. But when babies are born into homelessness, their future looks bleak.

When Rafael’s first child arrived, he and his wife were living in a cardboard shelter. His joy of becoming a father was blighted by the challenges of caring for a newborn with no roof over their heads.

‘The difficult thing was when the rain beat down on our boxes. Our baby was less than a year old. It was hard.’

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

Rafael with his youngest son Manuel, 4, in the doorway of their home.

Now, after more than 20 years of living rough, Rafael and his family finally have a home of their own.

Rafael lives with his wife and five children in a community for former street children. After years of campaigning by Angolan children’s rights group, Omunga, the local government built a new home for Rafael, and 80 more homeless families.

‘Omunga has fought for these young people since they were children,’ explains Christian Aid’s Angola Country Manager, Rosario Advirta.

‘They’ve always been by their side. Not speaking for them, but supporting them to speak effectively for themselves, so that the government can no longer ignore them.’

Journey to freedom: Suman’s fight for equality

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n Nepal, patriarchal structures continue to fuel discrimination, harassment and violence towards the LGBT+ community, despite progressive laws that seek to protect their rights.

Suman Tamang was born as a daughter to a family in Nepal. Suman felt pressured to act like a girl, but as he grew up, he identified as a man.

‘I was forced to leave home when I fell in love with a girl, so I eloped with her,’ Suman says.

Together, they escaped to the bustling city of Biratnagar.

With no family around to help, Suman began searching for a job. But no one accepted him.

Businesses sent a clear message: dress and behave like a woman, or you’re not welcome here. Yet again, Suman felt excluded and forced to hide his true self.

With nowhere else to turn, Suman finally found a ray of hope. Blue Diamond Society, a Christian Aid partner, advocates for the rights of LGBT+ people in Nepal.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

Blue Diamond Society introduced Suman to Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal’s first openly gay politician. He offered Suman a job as his personal assistant. After years of discrimination and harassment, Suman breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Now I am very happy, meeting LGBT+ friends and fighting for their rights.’

We’re proud to stand alongside people like Rafael and Suman, who are fighting to change their own lives. Thanks to your support, Christian Aid has made strides against poverty and injustice around the world.

In delivering our global strategy, we are mindful that changes may be coming, but we’d like to take this opportunity to celebrate the life-changing work of Christian Aid staff and partners globally. More information will be shared in our next edition of the magazine, coming in Spring 2020.

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Will Aid

Charlotte and Tom Scott with their newborn baby, William.

Our Will to make a difference

Have you ever considered making your Will, but can never seem to find the right time?

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harlotte and Tom Scott, from Winchester, found the perfect way to make their Will – through the charity scheme, Will Aid.

Charlotte told us: ‘Will Aid was an opportunity to do something important that we’d been putting off since we got married.

‘It became even more pressing after a death in the family, when we saw just how vital it was to have an up-to-date Will. As Will Aid month was coming up, we saw an opportunity to get things sorted and to give some money to charity.

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‘Will Aid was a really simple process to help write our Will and make decisions for when we’re not here anymore.

‘We found the guide on the website very helpful to think about what to put in our Will. It helped us to have a good discussion about what we wanted before we went to the solicitor, which made the whole thing easy. We feel relieved that our wishes are now safe with someone who will look after our Wills for us.

‘So, at last, we can tick that nagging job off the list! It’s done.’

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

What is Will Aid? For your loved ones. For peace of mind. For changing lives.

There are so many good reasons to write or update your Will.

This November is Will Aid month, when participating solicitors charge nothing for making a Will – they give up their time and expertise for free.

In return, they ask for a suggested donation to Will Aid (£100 for a single basic Will, £180 for a pair of basic mirror Wills) which is given to nine of

the UK’s best-loved charities.

With Will Aid, everyone benefits. You get the peace of mind that a professionally written Will can bring. And of course, if you’d like to consider leaving a special gift to Christian Aid in your Will, you’ll be helping some of the world’s poorest communities.

Join Will Aid this November Will Aid month in November is the perfect time to sort our your Will, and support nine leading charities, including Christian Aid. You can find a participating solicitor in your area online at willaid.org.uk or by calling the Will Aid hotline on 0300 0309 558. You can then contact your local solicitor to make an appointment for a date in November.

Charities celebrate the 30th anniversary ofChristian Will AidAid in Magazine 2018. Autumn/Winter 2019

Be sure to book early, as some solicitors can become very busy and may have to limit Will Aid appointments.

You’ll find more information, including a stepby-step guide to help you plan your wishes before you meet your solicitor, at willaid.org.uk

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Frontline: responding to the climate crisis

The world must wake up to the climate emergency ‘On a recent visit to Ethiopia, I was struck when a woman helped by Christian Aid explained to me that it’s getting hotter every year, the crops are failing, the livestock are dying. For my friend in Ethiopia, and many millions of others, climate change is about life and death.’

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, Chief Executive

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he climate emergency has hit the headlines recently, partly thanks to Extinction Rebellion and the school strikes. But for our neighbours around the world, the climate emergency has been a reality for years, destroying homes, wrecking lives and displacing people from their land.

Campaigning has been at the heart of Christian Aid’s response for over a decade. Together, we’ve helped stop the building of new coal power stations, and influenced UK-wide legislation to cut carbon emissions. And globally, we’ve brought the voices of the most affected and marginalised communities to the international table.a

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Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2019

‘On a recent visit to Ethiopia, I was struck when a woman helped by Christian Aid explained to me that it is getting hotter every year, the crops failing, the livestock dying. For my friend in Ethiopia and many millions of others, climate change is about life and death.’

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, Chief Executive, Christian Aid Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2019

Faith leaders march on a walk of witness for climate justice at The Time Is Now mass lobby.

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Frontline: responding to the climate crisis

Christian Aid supporters protest outside of HSBC, calling them to stop funding fossil fuels.

Every action counts This year, hundreds of campaigners have called on HSBC to stop funding climate change, by writing letters and visiting local branches across the UK. Your actions have influenced discussions at the very heart of HSBC. In Scotland, campaigners lobbied Members of the Scottish Parliament to bring in a target to make sure Scotland is carbon neutral by 2045.

And on 26 June, as part of The Climate Coalition, we took part in the UK’s biggest ever mass lobby of Parliament.

The Time Is Now mass lobby Over 12,000 people descended on Parliament for The Time Is Now mass lobby in June, calling on 381 local MPs to take urgent action. Faith communities marched together in a show of unity for climate, nature and people.

We spoke to Sian and Wayne Andrews from St Luke’s Church in Hampshire, who made a 160-mile round trip by bike to be there.

Sian told us: ‘People are already suffering, losing homes and going hungry because of the relentless use of fossil fuels in the global North.

‘The Earth’s alarm clock is ringing and our MPs have to wake up and take action. Life as we know it is at stake.’

On the same day as the mass lobby, the UK Government passed into law a commitment to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Whilst this might feel like a momentous step forward, there can be no time for complacency for our sisters and brothers who are already living

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on the frontline of climate breakdown. The UK isn’t on track to meet such a commitment. We need immediate action and investment into clean energy, now.

‘ The Earth’s alarm clock is ringing and our MPs have to wake up and take action’ Sian Andrews, climate campaigner

Sian and Wayne Andrews Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

Campaigners speak up to their local MP.

Stand with us for climate justice Over the next 18 months, we’ll be ramping up the pressure for action. The UK Government will need to back up its climate commitments with real action. The UN talks on climate change in November 2020 (COP 26) will take place in Glasgow. The continued growth of climate

protest movements will keep the climate emergency high on the public radar.

In 2020, Christian Aid will be launching a new campaign for climate justice for the world’s most vulnerable communities. Be the first to find out about our campaigns by signing up for campaign emails at caid.org.uk/campaignsignup

‘We are one in our fight for a just world!’

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hese are the words of Boyet, director of our partner ICODE in the Philippines, who took part in a Just Scripture session about climate justice, together with a church in Manchester.

Just Scripture connects communities from across the world online, to discuss

a passage of Scripture and discern how it can encourage them to take action on injustice. It seeks to connect communities, nurture faith and grow solidarity with those struggling with the injustice that keeps people living in poverty.

We’re looking for groups who are interested in what the Bible has to say about climate justice to take part in Just Scripture sessions across the UK and Ireland in 2020. Could your church, Bible study or small group participate?

To get involved, visit caid.org.uk/just-scripture

A group of women in Kenya come together to discuss the issues that affect their daily lives.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

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Christmas Appeal 2019

Help mothers use their God-given gifts this Christmas 24

Around the world, women and mothers are often robbed of the chance to live life to the full.

This Christmas, you can help mothers use their God-given gifts to create new lives for their families.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

Bibi Aisha and her daughter were forced from their home, fleeing conflict and drought in Afghanistan.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

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Christmas Appeal 2019

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She was shunned and ostracised – no one wanted to touch her, for fear of becoming ‘unclean’.

‘They would drop the bread on the plate I carried or throw it on the floor, they didn’t even hand it to me,’ she recalls. ‘They treated us worse than animals.’

Ranjita was determined to find a new life for herself and her children. Thanks to the community group that Christian Aid is supporting, she found new strength and hope. Ranjita learned about her rights and opportunities, and she was helped to apply for a government grant to start her own tailoring business.

‘My children and I are happy now. I am earning with dignity, and I am no longer treated like an animal.’

Ranjita can now afford to rent a room for her family to live in, rather than living in a slum. She has also given her youngest child, Soniya, an incredible gift – the gift of going to school.

‘When I think of my daughter being able to go to school now, my heart gets so filled with happiness.’

This Christmas, will you give more mothers a chance to use their God-given gifts?

Please donate today, and help more mothers around the world to live with dignity.

Go to caid.org.uk/Christmas

(Above) Ranjita and her daughters. (Right) Sewing clothes helps Ranjita and her family live with dignity.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

All information correct at the time of going to print.

t Christmas, we remember one of the most powerful stories ever told: Mary’s journey to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus. Mary’s bravery, perseverance and devotion brought her family out of danger and enabled God’s hope, love and peace to enter the world.

Today, brave mothers are fighting against the odds to bring their children into the world, protect them and nurture them. Mothers like Bibi Aisha in Afghanistan and Ranjita in India.

Bibi Aisha, a 25-year-old widow, lives with her two children. In conflict-torn Afghanistan, over two million women like Bibi Aisha have lost their husbands from war.

As the sole breadwinner for her family, Bibi Aisha is extremely vulnerable. ‘Faced with war and drought, there was nothing to eat,’ she says.

‘We were forced to leave home and we lost everything.’

Our partner RAADA offered her shelter, giving her a tent.

Bibi Aisha hopes that, one day, her children will know peace.

‘I want a bright future for my children,’ she says, ‘I want them to be educated.’

In India, Ranjita’s children also give her the courage and fighting spirit to break free from poverty.

Born into India’s Dalit caste, Ranjita’s life has been condemned by discrimination and prejudice.

When she was just nine years old, Ranjita was forced into manual scavenging work, together with her mother. Every day, under the hot sun, she would shovel human excrement by hand.

Coming soon…

Here’s a round-up of Christian Aid events that are happening near you over the coming months. To find out more, visit caid.org.uk/local

NOVEMBER 1 CAMBRIDGESHIRE Quiz Night

6.30pm, Centenary Baptist Church, High Street, March PE15 9LB. Come and join us for an evening of delicious food, quiz fun and friendly company. Come with a team or join one on the night and help to raise money for some of the poorest people in the world. £6 per ticket, bring your own soft drink.

For more details, contact Danni Worley at pastor@ centenarybc.co.uk or call 01354 658289.

2 YORK

Volunteer Training Day

10am-4pm, St Columba’s URC, 32 Priory Street, York YO1 6EX. This day will inspire and equip our wonderful volunteers in Yorkshire.

If you’re a Christian Aid speaker, teacher, campaigner, group organiser, church rep, or interested in getting more involved, then this event is for you. The morning will go deeper into the way Christian Aid works around the world, with opportunities to hear stories from the recent supporters’ trip to Zambia.

In the afternoon, there’ll be specific workshops including training on ‘How to tell your story’ and ‘How to lobby your MP’.

For more details, contact scooper@christian-aid.org or phone 01132 444744.

8 TIMPERLEY, GREATER MANCHESTER

Sing for your Supper

7.30pm, Holy Cross Church, Park Road, Timperley WA15 6QG. Join us for a fun-filled evening of singing and food at the annual Sing for your Supper event. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear from Christian Aid about how your fundraising is supporting some of the world’s poorest communities. For details, contact rturner@christianaid.org or phone 07778 110331.

9 NEWCASTLE

Christmas Stories

10am-12.30pm, Brunswick Methodist Church, Brunswick Place, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. Join the North East team for mince pies and festive cheer as we share stories from around the world.

Bring your stories of Christmas past and your hopes for Christmas future.

Hear about the people and places featured in this year’s Christmas Appeal, and get inspired to share our Christmas stories with your church. Open to all.

For details, contact newcastle@christian-aid. org or phone 01912 280115.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

9 SCARBOROUGH Go, Go, Go for Ghana

7pm, Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough YO11 1TS. Join in the fun at this special variety concert raising money for Christian Aid’s projects in Ghana.

For details, contact scooper@christian-aid.org, phone 01132 444744, or visit caid.org.uk/yorkshire

12 CARLISLE Shine a Light Celebration

7.30pm, Carlisle Cathedral, 7 Abbey Street, Carlisle CA3 8TZ. Join schools from around Carlisle to celebrate the Shine a Light project with music, performance and prayer. For details, contact lkjones@christian-aid.org

17 LIVERPOOL Interfaith Week Environment Event

1-4pm, Liverpool Cathedral, St James Mount, Liverpool L1 7AZ. Join others from across Liverpool to explore how we can work together to tackle the climate crisis and protect the environment.

For details, contact hparker-jervis@christianaid.org

25-28 OXFORD Big Christmas Sing

6.30pm, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1BX.

Spread over four nights, dozens of local primary schools come together to sing their favourite carols and raise money for Christian Aid. We are delighted to be working with Oxfordshire County Music Service for the 12th year. Please get in touch if you could help steward the event or just come along to join in the festive fun.

For details, contact oxford@christian-aid.org or phone 01865 246818.

29 PENMAENMAWR Cinio Cawl Penmaenmawr/ Penmaenmawr Soup Lunch

12pm, Eglwys Y Berth, Bangor Road, Penmaenmawr LL34 6DA. Join our soup lunch to raise vital funds for our work.

For details, contact wales@ christian-aid.org or phone 01248 353574.

30 CAMBRIDGE Carol Singing

1.30-3.30pm, Grand Arcade, St Andrew’s Street, Cambridge CB2 3BJ. Everyone is welcome to come and raise their voices in support of some of the world’s poorest people.

Enthusiasm is the only qualification! We’ll supply the words, just meet us outside John Lewis.

For details, contact prichardson@christian-aid. org or phone 07738 104495, or visit caid.org.uk/south-east

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Celebrate Christmas at a carol concert near you This Christmas, join with hundreds of people across the country to celebrate the hope that the birth of Jesus brings, and bring hope to your neighbours around the world.

From folk bands to orchestras, school choirs to gospel singers, each unique event will get you in the festive spirit, whilst remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Hear how mothers around the world are using their God-given gifts to break free from poverty.

Come along and enjoy music and mince pies, and share life-changing gifts with families worldwide. Take a look at the listings below to find a carol concert near you.

DECEMBER 5 LONDON

Christmas Carol Service

7pm, St John’s Church, 73 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TY. Join us for our annual Christmas Carol Service and enjoy some festive

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carolling, speakers from Christian Aid and mince pies afterwards.

The sermon is being delivered by the Bishop of Kensington, the Rt Rev Dr Graham Tomlin. For details, contact london@christianaid.org or phone 020 7523 2321, or visit caid.org.uk/ london-carols

6 LEEDS

Carol Concert

6.30pm, Leeds Minster, 2-6 Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ. Join local schools and congregations for a festive and uplifting evening of carols at the beautiful Leeds Minster. Donations on the door to support people living in poverty around the world this

Christmas. For details, contact khogg@christianaid.org or phone 0113 244 4764.

6 SELBY, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Carols in Selby Abbey

6.30-8pm, Selby Abbey, The Crescent, Selby YO8 4PU. An opportunity to sing carols and be entertained

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

by local school choirs in a beautiful setting, while raising money for Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal. For details, contact scooper@ christian-aid.org or phone 0113 244 4744.

6 NEWQUAY, CORNWALL

Newquay Big Sing

7pm, St Michael’s Church, St Michael’s Road, Newquay TR7 1RA. A festive schools’ concert to get you in the mood for Christmas! For details, contact kmusgrave@ christian-aid.org or phone 023 8070 6969.

6 BIRMINGHAM

Young Strings Christmas Concert

7pm, Birmingham Cathedral, Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QB. Join Birmingham’s talented young musicians to celebrate Christmas in the beautiful setting of Birmingham Cathedral.

Tickets are £10, buy on the door. Doors open at 6pm.

For details, contact kormerod@christian-aid. org or phone 0121 200 2283, or visit caid.org.uk/westmidlands

7 LONDON

A Gospel Christmas

7-10pm, NTCG Brixton Community Church, Lambert Road, London, SW2 5BB. Christian Aid is delighted to be holding the popular ‘A Gospel Christmas’ again this year. It will be a wonderfully fun way to celebrate your Christmas season. We’re planning to fill the beautiful Brixton Community Church with the joyous praise of Gospel Choirs, Christmas carols and spoken word poetry as we come together to glorify God. For details, contact london@christian-aid.org,

phone 020 7523 2321, or visit caid.org.uk/gospelchristmas

7 SOUTHAMPTON Swaythling’s Big Christmas Sing

7pm, St Alban’s Church, Tulip Road, Swaythling, Southampton SO16 3BD. There’ll be a range of local choirs, including the Central Hall Community Gospel Choir, and some classic Christmas carols (where all are free to join in) as well as dancers, refreshments and more!

For details, contact southampton@christianaid.org, phone 023 8070 6969, or visit caid.org.uk/ south-west

7 TRURO, CORNWALL Mayor’s Charity Day

From 9.30am, Lemon Quay, Truro TR1 2LW. The mayor’s annual charity day in the marquee on Lemon Quay. Come and find out more about the work of Christian Aid at our stall and purchase delicious home-made jams and cakes. Free entry. For details, contact southampton@christianaid.org, phone 023 8070 6969 or visit caid.org.uk/ south-west

8 ST AUSTELL, CORNWALL

Family Christmas Lunch 12.15pm, St John’s Church, Bodmin Road, St Austell PL25 5AE. Join us for a delicious, three-course Christmas lunch (vegetarian options to order). Tickets are £11.

Please book in advance with John and Julia Hubbard on 01726 66140.

For more details, visit caid. org.uk/south-west

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

10 WEDNESFIELD, WEST MIDLANDS

Ashmore Park Choir Christmas Concert

7.30pm, St Thomas’ Church, Church Street, Wednesfield WV11 1SS. Join the 29th annual concert of Ashmore Park Choir to celebrate this Christmastime. Tickets £5 on the door. For details, contact kormerod@ christian-aid.org or phone 0121 200 2283.

12 TRURO, CORNWALL

Truro Cathedral Big Sing

7.30pm, Truro Cathedral, St Mary’s Street, Truro TR1 2AF. A great opportunity to come together and get in the festive spirit at our 11th Big Sing – a traditional carol service with three choirs of different genres and an inspiring Christian Aid speaker. For details, contact southampton@ christian-aid.org, phone 02380 706969, or visit caid.org.uk/south-west

13 WINCHESTER, HAMPSHIRE

Folk Carol Concert

7pm, All Saints Church, Compton Street, Winchester SO21 2AR. The Itchen Folk Band performs a selection of seasonal songs and readings alongside local children and readers.

Includes an interval with delicious refreshments.

Free entry, please donate generously on the evening. For details, contact southampton@ christian-aid.org or phone 023 80706969.

20 ABINGDON, OXFORDSHIRE Carol Singing

10.30-11.30am, Christmas Farmers’ Market, Abingdon OX14 3HG. Join us for a wonderful morning of Christmas carols in support of Christian Aid, to get you in the festive mood! For details, contact oxford@ christian-aid.org or phone 01865 246818.

Please give generously this Christmas

Christmas Appeal 2019

Help mothers use their God-given gifts to escape poverty. £19 could provide a woman with skills training, like tailoring, to enable her to set up a business. £50 could provide training for 20 women on genderbased violence and human rights. £200 could provide one tent for a family during the harsh winter in Afghanistan.

Donate at caid.org.uk/Christmas

Ranjita is now a tailor and can provide for her children.

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Last Word

The Rev Dr Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Church in Britain, speaks to us about her recent trip with Christian Aid, and her heart for ordinary people.

We’d love to hear about your trip to Myanmar with Christian Aid. What were your impressions?

I travelled to Rakhine State in April this year, where Christian Aid is supporting communities who have been displaced by violence. I also went to Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees fled for their lives.

What are your reflections on our global family?

One thing that struck me in Myanmar is that the refugee crisis is also an environmental crisis. We were aware that the number of people who were displaced in Rakhine State was putting pressure on the environment. There was an impact on local fishing, and the supply of prawns in the local lakes was being depleted.

people. It was born out of a desire for justice, for everybody to receive the gospel, and for people to be empowered to do practical things to change their communities. We call this ‘social holiness’.

In Rakhine State, I saw the support Christian Aid was giving to local villages, and I learnt about the importance of supporting people of all ethnicities. I was pleased to see that Christian Aid was helping people to become more economically self-sufficient. I met people who were selling flowers, learning tailoring skills, and making small steps up the ladder to become more independent.

‘Every crisis is a human crisis.

Behind the headlines, crises are about real people’

Who inspires you?

I am most inspired by ordinary people who work quietly without being noticed, rather than famous celebrities. There are lots of people who are doing things really well behind the scenes.

It made me conscious that we can’t speak for situations from outside. We need to work with partners who can understand the sensitivities of their local situation. It’s not so much about giving money, but about building relationships. Building relationships takes time, and requires deep listening.

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We need to consider our environmental responsibilities in supporting our global family.

You could say we are not only a global family, but an ecological family. It’s better for everyone, especially the most vulnerable people, if we treat the Earth’s resources with care.

What gifts does the Methodist Church bring to our world today?

The Methodist Church has always had a heart for ordinary

We’re a worldwide church, with many churches across the globe. We want to continue to support the world’s poorest people.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope we don’t get tired of giving, when there are so many people still in need. I hope we continue to remember that every crisis is a human crisis.

Behind the news headlines, crises are about mums and dads and children – real people.

Let’s remember that out of poverty there’s huge generosity.

We mustn’t become too prosperous to be generous.

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

How you can stay involved in the fight against poverty For more stories from Christian Aid, please visit our website at caid.org.uk • Y ou can find out how to get involved, whether it’s through fundraising, campaigning, praying, volunteering or taking part in events.

• D iscover ways to donate, and read stories from around the world showing how Christian Aid and our partners are working to bring an end to poverty.

There are many other ways you can keep up with Christian Aid’s activities.

You can: Like us: facebook.com/christianaid Follow us: twitter.com/christian_aid Watch us: youtube.com/thisischristianaid

The Big Justice Story Sack is our brand-new discipleship resource for children’s leaders to use with children aged 4-11 in a variety of church settings.

This beautiful resource helps children understand and root their faith in the biblical call to act justly, love one another and celebrate the God-given dignity of all people.

Order the Big Justice Story Sack at caid.org.uk/big-justice (suggested donation: £60-£100)

Christian Aid Magazine Autumn/Winter 2019

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