Hope Notes - Spring 2014

Stories of hope from around the world

SPRING/SUMMER 2014 THE OFFI CI AL PUBLI CATI ON OF FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) CANADA

The Man Behind the Music Why Jon Neufeld of Starfield believes in child sponsorship PAGE 16

Hope Delivered Where in the world are we shipping? PAGE 12

Standing Tall

A community in Uganda graduates PAGE 3

After The Storm

Philippines emergency response update PAGE 14

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Standing Tall

The Man Behind The Music

A community in Uganda THRIVES PAGE 3

Why Jon Neufeld advocates for child sponsorship PAGE 16

Ugandan Recipes To Try At Home Sukuma Wiki (kale) and Chapati (flatbread) PAGE 10

Clean Water Update: Ethiopia Generous Canadians impact more than 700 families PAGE 11

Hope Delivered (or en route!)

Gift Guide Updates Christmas is over but giving isn’t PAGE 18

Remembering Kelly A teacher’s sponsorship legacy PAGE 19

What Canadian donors looks like PAGE 20

Helping Without Hurting

PAGE 12

“Smart development” conference challenges British Columbians PAGE 22

Update on emergency response in the Philippines PAGE 14

FROM THE PRESIDENT

“Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings.” — Bryant Myers, author of Walking with the Poor Myer’s definition of poverty deeply resonates with me, I can testify to its truthfulness from the many community graduations I have attended. This past November, I was privileged to celebrate alongside families in Bufukhula, Uganda. After 9 years, they stand confident in their future and rejoice at what God has done for them. The joyful stories I heard from mothers, fathers, and children echo in my heart. You can read their incredible testimonies for yourself.

In this issue of Hope Notes, we celebrate the great impact Canadians like you are making in communities around the world. Ending poverty through reconciled relationships takes time, but it is happening. Together, we have seen 37 communities graduate as self-sufficient since 1994. Many of you have been walking with us for some time so you understand the long-term investment and “patient funding” poverty eradication requires.

Through your faithful, relational giving you are changing the future for thousands of families. As you read these stories, I hope you are encouraged by the generosity of your neighbours and are proud of the progress you are creating.

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FH CANADA is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to providing long-term relief to those stuck in poverty through sustainable community development. As part of the global Food for the Hungry (FH) network, we currently work in ten countries around the world.

Through project development, child sponsorship, emergency relief, and medical equipment distribution, FH Canada strives to meet the physical, spiritual, social, and educational needs of each man, woman, and child living in poverty.

As a Certified Member of the Canadian Council for Christian Charities, FH Canada meets the stringent standards set by the CCCC for accountability and organizational integrity.

7.1% ADMINISTRATION AND RUNNING COSTS 11.1% INVESTED TO GENERATE FUTURE INCOME 81.8% BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

CHARITABLE REGISTRATION NUMBER: 132152893RR0001

Shalom,

Ben Hoogendoorn President/CEO

Content and editorial contributions from Ryan Bouman, Ashley Chapman, Kerlande Cherefont, Cheryl Hanks, Ben Hoogendoorn, Moses Mwalye, Jon Neufeld, Emmanuel Okecha, Mark Petzold, Michael Prins, Jennifer Willock, Carissa Youssef, and other valued FH staff and friends.

The Law Of Generosity

Where in the world are we shipping?

After The Storm

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) CANADA’S QUARTERLY PUBLICATION

Ben congratulating Lydia Nabulobi, headmistress of Bufukhula Primary School, and the Rt. Rev. Patrick Maondo Giduda, Bishop for the Mbale diocese.

FH CANADA 1 - 31741 Peardonville Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T 1L2 T 604.853.4262 TF 1.800.667.0605 F 604.853.4332 info@fhcanada.org www.fhcanada.org

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Standing Tall B Y M O S E S M W A LY E

A COMMUNITY IN UGANDA THRIVES AFTER NINE YEARS OF HARD WORK.

“We always believed that since we were born poor we would also die poor. We had no hope till FH came and told us that God loved us and had a better plan for our community than this.”

B U F U K H U LA FAR MER AND S P O N S O R ED C H I LD FATHE R

PHOTOS BY MIKE PRINS

The day was warm and humid. Large billowing clouds moved through the blue sky. I was one of maybe a thousand people packed under four white tents in the village square, captivated by a group of smiling children shouting in unison.

“You taught us to fish— “We fish for knowledge from books!

“We fish for money from our work!”

In my 15 years with FH I’ve always been familiar with the “Teach a man to fish” expression. But I had never heard it interpreted quite so poetically as this. The brightly dressed students were one of several groups featured at the

FHCANADA.ORG

November 15 community graduation for Bufukhula, Uganda.

There were songs, poems, skits, and speeches to celebrate the successful nine-year journey to self-sufficiency.

Earlier in the week I overheard some village leaders talking as they prepared for this celebration. I half expected to hear them say they were sad that their friends from FH were leaving. Instead, I heard them speaking with pride about how their hard work and example had inspired the nearby community of Nashisa to partner with FH. As they made arrangements to celebrate their own successes, they couldn’t stop talking about the hope they had for their neighbours!

“I asked one farmer how he felt about FH moving on from the community and no longer providing any financial support. His response was profound: ‘FH may be leaving Bufukhula, but they can’t take back the ideas that have changed our lives forever.’”

–Ben Hoogendoorn, FH Canada president

This expression of care for neighbours is one of the signals Food for the Hungry watches for. It helps our staff determine if a community is ready to graduate from its development program.

When we first came to Bufukhula in 2004, the area was known as a “jungle land”. People were afraid to pass through. There was no school building and there were only two people in the community who had completed an education. The farming practices were severely limited and people were stuck in a cycle of insufficient nutrition.

Back then we helped the community leaders start farmers’ co-ops and a dairy cow program to improve their situation. We started with nine cows.

Today there are 82! They are healthy and multiplying and the land has been revitalized through proper use of organic manure. Some farmers are even using biogas from the manure as fuel for cooking and heating. Before, the option for fuel was cutting down trees and branches but rarely replanting. Biogas systems are better for the environment and save people an incredible amount of time.

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–I AN JOHNSON, F H S TAF F, ON T HE PARTNERSHIP BE T W E E N T HE COM M UNI T Y O F BUFUKHULA AND T HE M E M BE RS OF CAP CHURCH IN NORT H VANCOUVE R.

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“lt’s so clear they have walked this transformational journey together. There were real relationships between the two groups. I heard one church member say how much the partnership had also changed things back home in ways they had never expected.”

John Mukooli and his cow, Precious.

John Mukooli plans to install a biogas system. He used to struggle just to feed his family. But that all changed when he joined a farmers’ co-op. He started by preparing a pen on his property to house the group’s first cow. As more calves were born, each family in the collective got a larger share of the benefits.

“There was a tremendous effort made by everyone in Bufukhula to make the graduation a truly unforgettable event. You could see pride and joy on everyone’s faces.”

Today, John’s family has their own cow, Precious, and she has brought big changes for the family. They use the manure in their garden and the improved crops provide nutrition for the family.

They also get 14 litres of milk per day to drink and to sell. John banks the income, and the sales are helping him support his children at school.

– B O B B R A N D SMA , F H D A I RY C O W P R O G R AM AD VOC ATE R EF L EC T I N G O N H I G H L I G H T S FR O M V I SI T TO U GAN D A.

For many of the women, it’s their first chance at an education.

When we first came to Bufukhula, it was unheard of to send a girl to school. I remember meeting a woman named Rose who agreed with her husband that a girl should be raised to a certain age and then married off for a dowry. It wasn’t just the belief in Rose’s family — it was firmly embedded in the culture.

John isn’t the only one saving money in Bufukhula. There are now more than 25 Savings Groups where members meet regularly to save together and make small loans to each other to help the savings pool grow. Members study leadership and economics and have sometimes chosen to work together on income-generating projects in agriculture and business.

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Transformation Timeline 5

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“Before FH came, the situation was not so good. Children had nowhere to learn.

But our great friends from Canada have come and we worked very hard together.

They have really helped us putting up that new church, that new school block, and new teachers’ quarters. And we are so grateful! They helped us with land and with goats and other animals, and here we are today drinking milk!”

– LAS T O N E L U T O T O B U FU K H U L A VI L L AG E L EAD ER

“It’s been nine years nearly to the day! Nine years ago it was in an appalling state. FH came and turned things around with us. We have grown spiritually, socially, mentally, and physically. I say thank you on behalf of all sponsored children.”

– J O Y C E, FO R MER S P O N S O R ED C H I L D

FH Uganda staff share their congratulations at the Bufukhula Graduation Ceremony.

“I came wanting to see if the FH brand promise of graduating self-sustaining communities in 10 years was actually happening. I found that it really is about thriving communities, not dependency.

The approach is integrated and holistic as it deals with leadership, education, health, agriculture, and gender equality. You have absolutely delivered on the vision and mission!”

–BERNIE WIL L O C K, F H SU PPO RTE R AT T H E C O M M U N ITY GRA D U AT I O N

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Nine years ago, Bufukhula saw itself as a community forgotten by the government and the world.

Growing up in rural Uganda, I understand the fatalistic worldview that poverty is a life sentence. As a child, I was taught that when your grandfather and father are poor, that will be your life too. Nine years ago, Bufukhula saw itself as a community forgotten by the government and the world. People wanted change back then, but the prevailing feeling was a sense of powerlessness. They couldn’t see all the resources both within and around them.

The picture is completely different today. The community is proud of what they have accomplished, and people are always expressing their appreciation to God for their gifts and resources. Neighbouring villages now come to Bufukhula for advice, and Bufukhula helps them start their own co-ops, savings groups, and training sessions. The community even decided to send a delegation of leaders to help support Nashisa, a nearby community that partnered with FH in April 2009.

One of the leaders chosen for the trip was Rose, the woman who used to think that girls didn’t belong in school. Today, her daughter has finished her senior 6 exams, meaning that her next step is university. In the last nine years, the community has built a school, church, teachers’ quarters, and health centre. There are currently more girls than boys enrolled in the primary classes, Lydia Nabulobi, Headmistress, and their marks are Bufukhula Primary School and a previous resident of the now starting to climb. In graduated Makhai community. fact, there is now

friendly competition between their school and the school in Makhai, the first community in the area to partner and graduate with FH. As I took in Bufukhula’s graduation celebration, I was struck by the words of Lydia Nabulobi, the school headmistress. She has seen the school go from 119 students to 552, and she has noticed a significant improvement in the students’ health.

They have a banana and cassava plantation which provides food for the children’s lunches, and the school is now a model institution in the region. She sums up the impact of the partnership in very practical terms: “We used to limp, but now we stand up tall!”

“We used to limp, but now we stand up tall!”

Meet Moses Moses Mwalye is the Area Program Manager for FH in Mbale, Uganda. Fifteen years ago, Moses was the first FH staff member sent to Mbale’s Makhai community.

Sadly, because of the lies that poverty often creates, Makhai’s leaders initially distrusted any outsiders. So what did Moses do?

He started selling bananas along the side of the road, as a way to meet the families in the area. The community eventually came to trust Moses and accepted his offer to begin teaching primary school. Moses then used this platform to introduce partnership with FH. Ten years later, the once dangerous and desolate place went on to graduate as completely self-sustainable and full of hope for the future. It was Makhai’s early signs of transformation that convinced the leaders in Bufukhula to partner with FH. Moses was thrilled to help oversee the work in this community as well.

In addition to his work in development, Moses is also a husband, father, farmer, and a trained teacher.

FHCANADA.ORG

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“FH may be leaving Bufukhula, but they can’t take back the ideas that have changed our lives forever.”

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Since 1994, Food for the Hungry Canada has helped 37 communities graduate as fully self-sustaining. FH Canada currently works with 26 partnered communities in 10 countries.

When Food for the Hungry is invited to walk with a community, it’s the beginning of a long-term partnership. FH staff work with community leaders to take stock of their resources, choose top development priorities, and set a realistic graduation date for the community to work towards. Although there isn’t a onesize-fits-all timeline, the process of a community becoming fully self-sustainable usually takes about ten years.

“Generosity towards others is a sign of true transformation,” comments Miyuki Numata, FH Canada’s International Programs Director. “When a community naturally begins to reach out with their new knowledge and when they begin to care about their neighbours’ poverty, we know we are no longer needed.

This also ensures greater impact on a region. FH may walk with a certain community, but the end results spread much farther than our original scope.”

Students and their parents gather at Nashisa Primary School to meet members of their new partner, CAP Church

FHCANADA.ORG

Generosity towards others is a sign of true transformation.

What did you eat in Uganda?

Sukuma Wiki (Cooked Kale) This East African dish liter ally means “stretch the week” since it’s general quite affordable to mak ly e. It’s often eaten with meat or with doughy cor flour cakes. SERVES 4 n Ingredients 1 bunch kale 2 medium tomatoes, dice d 1 large white onion, dice d 1 tbsp oil (peanut oil is best) 1 tsp cumin ½ tsp coriander ½ tsp turmeric 1½ tsp kosher salt fresh pepper (to taste) 1 cup water 3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions 1. Chop kale into 1” piec es (including ribs and stem).

2. Heat oil in a deep pot or large wok.

3. Add onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until soft.

4. Stir in cumin, coriand er, and turmeric.

Add tomatoes, reservin g some for a garnish.

Stir in the kale, one han dful at a time, and sprinkle with salt and pep per.

5. Pour water into pot and cover, reducing heat to medium. Cook for 10 - 20 minutes, until tender and dark gre en.

6.Toss with lemon juice and garnish with remaining tomatoes.

Chapati (Flat

Bread)

es are often ripped off le for Ugandan families. Piec This soft flatbread is a stap 4 VES SER l. mea the of s r part and used to scoop up othe Instructions ot and set aside.

Ingredients 1. Grate the onion and carr r flou er. Knead until it wat 1 cup wheat and oil, r, flou 2. Combine into five balls. e ½ cup water divid then gh dou forms a stiff ball and roll with a h eac 1 carrot to gies 3. Add grated veg dinner plate. ll sma ½ onion a of rolling pin to the size -high heat. Place a cooking oil 4. Pre-heat pan to medium spread 1 - 2 tsp of oil chapati into the pan and on top. Flip and repeat. is golden brown.

5. Flip again once bottom e second side browns. onc pan the from ove Rem bubbles are normal, air and ts spo n (Dark brow browns too fast pati cha the if t hea but reduce or burns.)

Bufukhula’s success cannot be contained! Hear what the residents of Bufukhula and members of the partnered church have to say about their graduation.

fhcanada.org/about

It’s a transformation story.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Clean water Ethiopia update: Because of generous Canadian support in 2013, 700 families in Sasiga, Ethiopia—more than 3,500 individuals—now have access to clean water.

Seven new water points were constructed in Sasiga, Ethiopia last year, with 15 more planned in the next two years. Community members are providing labour and locally sourced materials such as stone and wood, while Food for the Hungry is providing access to well technicians and other needed materials.

Dule Hailu can hardly believe the difference she sees in her children.

The stream she used to use for all her family’s water needs was also the stream the community used for washing and waste removal.

She now has clean water and has seen an immediate impact. “God changed everything,” she says. “I thank Canada for their unimaginable care for our community and for my family.”

To ensure sustainability, each community has chosen a committee to be responsible for the operation, maintenance and security of the water points. FH trains the committee members and helps certain individuals specialize as pump attendants and caretakers. The committee has chosen to charge a small user fee to create a fund for maintenance and repair of the water points and to post a guard for security.

Mothers Kibenesh Worku and Alima Jemal no longer fear that their children will contract water-borne diseases. In addition to this peace of mind, their new clean water point has also given these close friends a few more hours in the day. They’re no longer faced with the daily decision of risking illness by using the nearby but unprotected stream, or facing the half-day trek to the river.

HORA WATA

BIKILTU SHONKORA

LALISA BAREDA HANDHURA BELO BAREDU BELO

PHOTO BY DARREN KANWISCHER

BIKILTU SHONKORA

ETHIOPIA

Launched in 2013, this three-year project is constructing 22 new water points (both hand-dug wells and capped springs) which will bring clean water accessibility up to 90% of the nearly 41,000 people who call Sasiga home.

FHCANADA.ORG

SPRING CAPPED/PROTECTED

HAND DUG

Hope delivered You’ve heard FH talk about “40-feet of Hope.” It’s a strange thing, measuring hope. But FH Canada’s International Medical Equipment Distribution (IMED) team does it up to 20 times a year, and has been doing so since 2002.

Rapid advances in medical technology mean that perfectly functional equipment is constantly being replaced in Canadian hospitals and clinics. Most of this equipment is out of reach for facilities and staff in developing communities.

(or en route!)

The equipment is donated to FH and kept at IMED’s Saskatoon warehouse, where it’s refurbished and matched with requests for equipment from around the world. With Canadians’ support, FH ships this lifesaving equipment to doctors and nurses who use it to significantly improve the overall health of people in their communities.

So where is all this hope going?

That’s where the IMED program comes in. They work with Canadian health professionals to keep recently replaced equipment from early retirement (or the trash heap!).

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These containers are waiting to be shipped and some still need to be funded.

Will you help us ship these to people who desperately need them?

FHCANADA.ORG

fhcanada.org/medical

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After the Storm

Vilma Gacutan knew that life would never be the same. The water in her home was knee-deep and her roof had blown away.

Outside, few homes remained standing, debris littered the street.

On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines with winds and a massive storm surge smashing through buildings and destroying everything in it’s path. Having spent her career as a relief operations officer in the area, Vilma had seen many disasters, but this was the worst storm to make landfall in recorded history. When her community ended up in the direct path of the storm, she joined the global Food for the Hungry emergency response team to provide immediate relief before transitioning to longer-term development support.

After the strong winds stopped and water subsided, damage was assessed and the deceased were identified. Six thousand people in the country were killed, and almost 200 remain missing.

The typhoon forced 3.9 million people from their homes, and 27,000 people were injured. Water shortages and electricity outages ensued, and roads and vegetation were destroyed. FH responded in the first days by providing food and clean water.

Soon, bedding, mosquito nets, hygiene kits, and other necessities were distributed as some villages had no access to government provisions.

Emergency response in the Philippines addresses both shortand long-term needs.

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Within a few weeks, FH set up two Child Friendly Spaces in the region. In the mass confusion and instability that follow a disaster, these are safe spaces where children can heal and return to routine as their parents begin to sort through the aftermath.

“Being part of the Child Friendly Spaces helped the children get excited to go back to school in spite of the trauma they went through during the typhoon,” says Vilma.

With the school year interrupted, the program offered educational and creative opportunities for the kids, as well as a supportive environment as they worked through their changing circumstances.

Volunteers were trained to help run the program, and counselling was available for some parents who had experienced extreme trauma. Vilma says that the mothers especially were so grateful for all the help offered through the program.

FH worked together with several partners and Filipino church networks on a fully coordinated response. In addition to the children’s programming and food and supplies distribution, they ran Cash For Work programs to clear the streets of debris and provide childcare in the Child Friendly Spaces. FH partnered with local governments and the World Food Program also distribute rice every two weeks.

Eventually the immediate needs subsided, and FH’s focus shifted from relief to rehabilitation and development. In addition to food provisions, distributions started including farming tools,

vegetable seeds, and rice seeds to replant all the family crops that were lost. Cascade Groups, a model used around the world in FH development partnerships, were started as a way to teach health and hygiene lessons even in remote communities. An initial trainer teaches a group of volunteer Leader Mothers the lessons, and each Leader Mother then teaches 10 more mothers, who each teach 10 more, and so on.

Percilis

Vilma

“I want to personally thank Food for the Hungry for coming to our community and helping us with our immediate needs.

We were able to receive food and non-food items and an area for the children that included different activities to help them recover from the trauma. The Cash For Work program was also helpful in our community and I gladly joined the to clean the debris in our area.

The help you extended to us is more than enough and I am very positive that in time we will be able to live normal lives.”

– P E R C I L I S C I N C O, C O M M U N I T Y C H A I R P E R S O N O F L AWA - A N B A S E Y, W E S T E R N S A M A R , P H I L I P P I N E S

In addition to the generous donations from Canadians for the initial relief efforts, FH Canada also contributed to the longterm wellbeing of the affected communities by sending two 40-foot containers of specifically requested medical equipment and supplies, with a third container currently being planned.

Local leaders in Typhoon Haiyan-affected Basey municipality are grateful for FH’s support moving forward. Percilis Cinco, a Basey village chairman, expressed gratitude that FH has committed to walk with the community until they’re able to stand on their own again. This will include helping local leaders and families rebuild in ways that will better withstand future storms. It also includes developing more comprehensive emergency preparedness plans and increasing the available medical resources.

In addition to the generous donations from Canadians for the initial relief efforts, FH Canada also contributed to the long-term wellbeing of the affected communities by sending two 40-foot containers of specifically requested medical equipment and supplies, with a third container currently being planned. FH Canada’s International Medical Equipment Distribution (IMED) program works with the Canadian medical community to take recently replaced but fully functional equipment from storage lockers to hospitals and clinics in the developing world. Working with the Medicard Foundation and local leaders, FH is currently establishing a medical mission in the area.

In a matter of months, Vilma has seen everything around her change. Neighbours were killed, houses razed, and infrastructure destroyed. But in spite of the tragedy, she stays positive and encourages others not to lose hope.

“I feel blessed to be able to share my time and efforts in helping our community,” she says. “I know that God has plans for my community and we will recover in time.”

FHCANADA.ORG

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The Man Behind the Music Musician Jon Neufeld talks future plans and why he advocates for child sponsorship.

“It was a joy to have Jon lead us in worship and share his heart for child sponsorship. His joy in worship and his excitement for the work of FH Canada is contagious. We can’t wait to have him back!”

–SIMON PRITTIE LAMBRICK PARK CHURCH, VICTORIA, BC

Jon Neufeld has come a long way from recording demos with his brother Tim in a friend’s basement in Winnipeg. The brothers became known as the band Starfield, finding success in both Canada and the USA with the 2004 release of their self-titled album. Ten years and six albums later, Jon is a well-known worship leader and songwriter with a passion for connecting Canadians with child sponsorship opportunities.

“Jon Neufeld brings with him an attitude of collaboration and cooperation. As an experienced worship leader and musician, his leadership skills with a congregation are excellent.

As a communicator, he effectively shares a heart of worship and about the ministry of FH in a way that affirms and encourages.”

–JON BULLER VERNON ALLIANCE CHURCH, VERNON, BC

“I can’t say enough about this unique and positive experience. You can tell that he takes worship seriously but also has fun while he’s leading.

Jon’s connection to FH and personal testimony is incredibly powerful and motivating — combined with the moving of the Holy Spirit, it will shake anyone from complacency! I look forward to the chance to do it again and encourage you to take the opportunity!

–TONY LOTTES GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH, CALGARY, AB

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“It’s not about just giving ‘aid’ to those in need and then leaving. It’s all about creating and fostering sustainable communities.”

— Jon Neufeld

Jon and wife, Jesse, with sons Flynn (1) and Hudson (4).

Where is your music career headed?

Why did you choose to partner with FH?

My brother and I have taken a step back from Starfield and decided to pursue more solo aspirations for the next couple of years. I am a part-time worship leader at a church in Portland, OR, and I still travel one or two weekends a month leading at churches around North America and sharing about FH. I also plan to release a solo EP this summer. Starfield is still going on, just in a much more contained and simplified form for now.

I was always amazed at the hands-on work of FH on the ground with families and communities in Ethiopia. They walk alongside the people and help rescue them from poverty, but they also teach them how to help themselves so they can live their lives to the fullest.

Why did you decide to promote child sponsorship?

I’ve seen the difference it makes in lives on the other side of the world. It’s something that every person can afford to do even if they think they can’t. I have two sponsored kids; it’s been amazing to watch them grow up over the last five years and see how they are healthy and learning and growing. I love sharing about what I’ve seen and encouraging people to respond to poverty in our world. I also really believe in the effectiveness of artists using their platform in a way that encourages people to respond by sponsoring a child and making a difference — one child at a time.

I think the biggest impact will hit me as my own children grow up and begin to understand what sponsorship is. I have two boys, Hudson (4) and Flynn (1), and I know having sponsored children is going to teach them a lot — like how to to live life with open hands, allowing the blessings that we’ve received to flow through our hands and into others’.

If your church is interested in having Jon (or another artist) lead a worship service, and share about his passion for child sponsorship, please contact artists@ fhcanada.org. The host church simply needs to provide a few technical requirements and a worship band that would be willing to work with Jon. (You’ll likely be familiar with many of his songs!)

FHCANADA.ORG

I also love some of their creative initiatives such as the “ChildHeaded Household” work which exists to keep orphaned families together. It’s initiatives like this that are changing the landscape of poor and impoverished areas of the world.

I especially love that it’s not about just giving “aid” to those in need and then leaving. It’s all about creating and fostering sustainable communities. When FH goes into a community there is always an exit strategy. FH exists to better the lives of those in poverty for the long term, not just temporarily.

Gift Guide Updates Account Kits ing

Myme nsingh , Bang ladesh

Women in Mymensingh are finding unprecedented opportunities to learn and grow. Savings groups are multiplying and spreading as women are telling their friends and family members about the power of saving and working together.

Bizimana Sylvere (left) was so eager to receive a pig that he was one of the first in his community to construct a pen. He chose to wheel home his new addition so he wouldn’t tire out the “family pig.”

Pig

Kamonyi, Rwanda

Mithee Hasan’s* savings group has already saved $343 from weekly deposits sometimes as small as seven cents. Of that, over $200 has been lent out among the 18 members for everything from purchasing vegetable seeds to buying land. The women have drafted their own constitution to set interest rates that work for them, making sure that no member will be barred from accessing a loan, but also that rates are sufficient to keep their capital growing.

Nineteen-year-old Mithee never dreamed that an

accounting kit could change her life. Married at 16 and pregnant soon after, Mithee found it hard to have hope for the future.

When a Food for the Hungry staff member suggested that she join a savings group, she was skeptical. But she tried it, and soon the other women elected her to train as the group cashier and assistant meeting facilitator.

In addition to learning about health, money management, and income generation, the women are also trained in literacy, legal rights, and values.

Two recent workshops on early marriage and gender-based oppression were especially eyeopening; many of the mothers hadn’t realized there were laws protecting them and their daughters.

Today, Mithee conducts weekly meetings and leads the group when their chairperson is away.

Her family’s financial stability has already improved through her strategic weekly savings, and she has been diligent about applying the health lessons she’s learned in the group.

Veggie Seeds

Cachiman , Haiti

oardpl& b k l a h C ool Sup ies Sch chiman, Haiti Ca

18

Noel Jean Hermann (pictured above) is the principal of École Mixte Jean Nosyl Chrétienne Ebenezer, a school he founded in Cachiman, Haiti. With 270 students enrolled, he was grateful for the chalkboards and school supplies provided.

After seeing a neighbour’s successful “key hole” garden, Ravix Saintelus’ wife encouraged him to build one himself. Ravix ended up building two gardens with the first round of leek, beet, cabbage, and pepper seeds provided by FH. His family now eats a much more balanced diet and he sells chili peppers for a profit.

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

A PA S S I O N AT E TEACHER’S LEGACY LIVES ON THROUGH THE PEOPLE AND CHARITIES SHE LOVED.

BY CHERYL HANKS

When Kelly Doig heard about an opportunity to teach in Rwanda, she signed up mere weeks before the departure date. Other teachers had been preparing for months and weren’t sure Kelly could catch up. But this wasn’t her first international adventure, and she ended up thriving that summer. Of course there were good moments and hard ones for the nurse-turned-teacher, but her antics kept everyone laughing and on their toes. A memorable moment for Kelly was meeting Uwimana, the young Rwandan student she sponsored through Food for the Hungry. After getting to know Uwimana through letters back and forth, Kelly was moved to tears at their first meeting.

The teaching trip was over ten years ago, but Kelly’s mom still receives Christmas cards from Kelly’s friends in Rwanda. Roberta Wilson sees it as a tribute to her daughter’s life and character – she made friends everywhere she went. When Kelly was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, long-time friends from Rwanda even came to Canada to see her.

Kelly handled her illness the same way she lived her life — with faith, friends, humour, and Tim Horton’s. Always known for her funky and creative outfits in the classroom, she also held onto her love of fashion. When they cleaned out her house there were 18 pairs of boots and almost 40 pairs of shoes. Even now, when her friends see something she would have liked they’ll say, “That’s a Kelly!”

Kelly handled her illness the same way she lived her life – with faith, friends, humour, and Tim Horton’s.

Roberta remembers a conversation they had before Kelly passed away. They were sitting in the backyard when Kelly told her that she didn’t have a will and wanted to discuss her estate. Roberta asked her daughter not to leave her any money, but suggested that Kelly instead consider leaving it to charity. Food for the Hungry was the first charity to come to Kelly’s mind, and today it is one of four organizations continuing to walk out her legacy.

Kelly’s memory lives on with her family and friends, with Uwimana — now a graduate of the FH sponsorship program — and with the work of the four organizations closest to her heart. In 2010, Kelly’s memorial service was full of people whose lives she had touched. Just over three years later, her generous and loving spirit has impacted more lives than she could have ever imagined.

If you have questions about estate giving, please contact Cheryl Hanks at 1-800-667-0605 ext 107 or email us at estate@fhcanada.org.

FHCANADA.ORG

19

The Law of Generosity I took one week of physics in high school; that’s all it took for me to realize it wasn’t for me. So when I heard that it was Newton’s fourth law of physics that inspired the generosity of two FH donors, I was intrigued.

(I wasn’t surprised that this couple prefers anonymity. They emphasized repeatedly that their story is a journey and they still have lots to work on. Who doesn’t? But their humble hearts and approach to sharing their story has impacted me in a great way. In order for you to follow the speakers, I’ll make the husband “H” and the wife “W”.)

Q: I hear your giving model is quite unique. Can you begin by sharing why generosity is so important to you?

H: We’d just come through a difficult time in our lives and from a faith perspective I was struggling. I read Matthew 22 where it talks about loving God and loving your neighbour and it struck me how that second part, to love your neighbour, is really crucial to loving God. There was a particular blog I was following at the same time and one entry stood out. The author listed the traits of generous people he knew and wrote about how these people were generous not just with their money but with their time and efforts, their forgiveness and praise. I realized that to love my neighbour better meant I needed to live generously in a holistic sense. At the same time, my wife and I were coming to the conclusion that life is so much more fulfilling when we aren’t focused on ourselves.

W: It’s true. When you are living for yourself, you create a really tight, small world. You hoard. You live with a mindset of scarcity. It isn’t a healthy way to live. But when you switch to living with a view of abundance, you naturally develop a perspective of abundance. When you open your world up to people, it’s a totally different life experience. So much of Jesus’ teaching is counterintuitive in that you receive by giving. We are made to function best when we don’t focus on self.

Q: So how does living with an abundant perspective connect to Newton’s fourth law of physics?

BY CARISSA YOUSSEF

has an equal and opposite reaction. I wondered if this principle worked outside of physics, say in the social realm. We started to talk about this and asked ourselves if there is an equal and opposite reaction to our spending. What if our spending (on ourselves) and our giving were directly linked? What if what we lavished on us we also spent on someone else? That’s when the shift happened for us.

Q: What did this shift look like practically?

H: Two things: 1) we decided we wanted to live below our means, and 2) we decided to give away an equal portion of all our discretionary spending. We made a subjective line that separated our indulgent spending from spending on necessities.

Indulgent spending includes things like a vacation, a nice-tohave home renovation, an extravagant meal, and other things we don’t really need, but want. For example, a $10,000 vacation becomes a $20,000 expense when the giving is factored in.

We keep a list of our spending, and once a year we make an equal investment on the giving side of the equation…equal and opposite. It’s subjective but it works for us.

“When you live with a view of abundance, you naturally develop a perspective of abundance.”

Q: How has this giving model changed things for you?

H: It has made us think more about what we do with our resources, which now flow in a more examined way. We have reined in the spending on ourselves and increased our giving significantly. Changing our philosophy around giving has reinvigorated us.

W: It has made us think more broadly about the impact of our spending and giving and how the two are related. This method of giving forces us to think of the others, whenever we make a self-indulgent decision that involves money. Not a bad thing to do.

W: I started to think about what we’ve practiced around giving financially, say the traditional per cent, and that’s when I was reminded of Newton’s fourth law where every action

20

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

A snapshot of giving in Canada

(re)Funding Change: The Can Man

An innovative donor proves there’s no such thing as “small change.”

BY JESSICA REMPEL

Comprehensive surveys of Canadian giving paint a optimistic picture of our collective generosity.

94

Statistics Canada, during their last major study on giving in 2010, found that almost every Canadian aged 15 and older gave money, goods, or food.

%

gave money, goods, or food

A 2013 index reports that Canadians give 0.64 per cent of their total income.

The average cash gift was $446.

The median gift amount was $123.

(A median amount means that half of donors gave less than this amount and the other half gave more.)

Those with a university degree, or considered “religiously active”, or both, are known to give substantially higher amounts (almost three times more than otherwise).

The percentage of givers and the amounts did not change between 2007 and 2010 despite the intervening recession.

Women were more likely than men to have made at least one financial donation (86% of women compared with 82% of men).

Which province gives the most?

Alberta $562 avg/yr

British Columbia $543 avg/yr

Saskatchewan $544 avg/yr Which province is most likely to give?

Nova Scotia (88%)

Newfoundland and Labrador (92%)

How do Canadians give?

32%

At shopping centres or street corners

23%

Prince Edward Island (91%)

30 30%

%

In a place of worship Door-to-door canvassing

Charity event

23%

26%

At 89 years young, Jake Penner has become a familiar face in Abbotsford, BC. Known by school kids as ‘The Can Man’, he is often seen biking around town with big bags of bottles balanced on both sides of his wheels.

Jake started collecting cans in 1980 after going out for a jog and noticing a number of discarded cans. Pedal forward to 2007, when Jake became an active supporter of Food for the Hungry (FH) and began donating proceeds from his can collection to ending poverty through FH’s projects around the world.

Amazingly, Jake’s collection total now surpasses $18,000. Even more surprising is what he does with the money. Instead of keeping it himself, he donates all the earnings to FH. His selflessness has started to attract the help and attention of others in his community.

“When people ask me what I’m doing, they offer to give me more cans.”– J A K E

‘’I’ve never asked for cans,’’ he says. ‘’When people ask me what I’m doing, they offer to give me more cans.”

Several schools have saved their cans for him and a local gas station now collects cans on his behalf. Jake says he couldn’t make the impact he’s having if it weren’t for these regular helpers.

“I tell them, ‘Now you’re a supporter of Food for the Hungry Canada, too!’’’

We would love to hear about your creative fundraisers! Please send stories and pictures to communications@fhcanada.org

Mail request

The Globe and Mail, January 12, 2014 Charitable Giving by Canadians, Martin Turcotte, Statistics Canada, 2012

FHCANADA.ORG

Personal sponsorship

Jake “The Can Man” has built an incredible legacy over the years and we are deeply grateful for his support.

21

Helping Without Hurting

PHOTOS BY MARK PETZOLD

FH’s second “smart development” one-day conference comes to Vancouver

Hundreds of people streamed through the doors of First Baptist Church, but it wasn’t for a Sunday morning service or a chamber music concert. They came to hear Dr. Brian Fikkert speak from experience on the right and wrong ways to engage with issues of poverty and injustice at home and abroad. The crux of his message came early on in the day.

“We need to get the diagnosis right; good intentions are not enough,” he explained. It’s something that donors and frontline workers don’t always like to hear.

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Brian is the co-author, along with Steve Corbett, of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...

And Yourself. On January 25 he headlined the “Helping Without Hurting” conference in Vancouver, BC, hosted by Food for the Hungry. It follows on last year’s successful conference in Edmonton, AB. FH Canada training manager Melissa Giles organized the event as a training tool for pastors, lay people, aid workers, and anyone involved with engaging poverty and injustice locally or globally.

“We wanted to give back and provide a resource for people,” says Melissa. “This isn’t presently being talked about by other big speakers in Canada.”

“Generosity, when done well, is truly transformational.”

— C O N F E R E N C E VO L U N T E E R

“This info is so badly needed by well-meaning and compassionate Christians, but they often lack the wisdom and an understanding of how to respond to global needs wisely.”

— CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT

“We are all poor. But, not all of us can effect change.

As ‘the helpers’ we must repent of our sense of superiority. The poor, on the other hand, mention feeling ashamed and worthless. This is why our definition of poverty is a crucial starting point before we begin to form relief and development programs.

Walking humbly with the poor transforms all of us.” - Kara Bergstrom, Director of Intercultural Studies, Columbia Bible College “This event had a huge impact on my understanding of short term missions, and helping the local individuals on the street.”

- Susan Plouffe, Coastal Church “There are things I think the church needs to hear, and Brian has a way of communicating them that’s really effective,” explains Melissa.

She realized just how pertinent the topic was when 525 people registered for last year’s event, with participants coming from all over Western Canada and even the Northwestern States. Response this year was just as strong.

But it wasn’t a conference about guilt or shame for mistakes of the past. It was meant to inspire, educate, and enable individuals, churches, volunteers, and non-profits to make smart choices as they engage with issues of poverty — not only for their own good, but for the good of those they aim to help.

The conference broke down the principles of relief and development, equipping participants to respond in appropriate, lifegiving ways that empower the poor instead of undermining their dignity. It’s one of the main differences between helping and hurting.

Based on the overwhelming feedback, the training challenged the crowd and confronted several assumptions about the nature of poverty.

It also suggested alternative ways to engage complex issues and laid the foundations for more effective involvement. Most importantly, it

helped participants be aware of the ways their good intentions could actually bring harm.

“I will be making changes! In the way I volunteer and in the ways I donate!”

If you missed the conference, consider attending a If you missed theBoot conference, consider Poverty Revolution Camp. It’s a dayattending and a half a Poverty Revolution Boot Camp.

It’s atheir workshop workshop where participants challenge deeply participants challenge theirworldviews deeply heldto better heldwhere assumptions and explore their assumptions and explore their worldviews to understand the nature of poverty.

Visit better understand the naturefor of poverty. www.fhcanada.org/bootcamp a list of Visit dates and www.fhcanada.org/bootcamp for a list of dates locations or to book one in your community. and locations or to book one in your community.

— CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT

poverty. it’s complicated.

God complexes. Labels and stereotypes. Belief systems.

Relationships. Money doesn’t fix things.

Yeah, it’s complicated.

You might be surprised by where you fit in all this. Evaluate how you think about “the poor” in North America and abroad. What are your assumptions?

What can we do to really help? Maybe it’s time to challenge our thinking.

Find a FHCANADA.ORG workshop in your area

OR

Book a two-day Poverty Revolution Boot Camp for your community, church, team, study group or club.

COMIN

G SOO NT

O Calga Etobicory, AB Torontoke, ON , ON W inn Salmonipeg, MB A Bur nab rm, BC ... and y, BC m o re !

Join the discussion. fhcanada.org/bootcamp

Thank you for impacting childrenone sponsorship at a time! fhcanada.org/sponsorship

Bufukhula’s success cannot be contained!

Hear what the residents of Bufukhula and members of their partnered church have to say about the graduation.

It’s a transformation story.

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