Tear Times Summer 2013

teartimes Summer 2013

When the basket is empty Who can Lucy turn to?

Make

happen

You can help end hunger

A pathway out of poverty?

Harvest resources for your church

Be part of a miracle | www.tearfund.org

welcome

Clive Mear/Tearfund

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can’t imagine what it’s like to be hungry, really hungry. Not just for an hour, an evening or a day. But daily, desperately hungry, having only just enough food to survive. That’s the reality for nearly a billion people on this planet. Yet, God has abundantly provided enough food for us all.

It’s easy to see such a huge problem and believe that hunger is here to stay. But in communities across Uganda we’ve seen hunger halved – all thanks to your Peter at the IF campaign launch in London. commitment to pray, support and be part of Tearfund. It’s a miracle that flows from biblical teaching, ignited by the Spirit of God, which helps churches fulfil their calling to be shining lights in their communities.

You can meet grandmother Lucy and her children, and find out more on page 8.

It was amazing to be with many of you, joining with others from all our partner organisations, at the launch of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign at Somerset House in London in January. I know many more of you took part in regional launches for IF. As actress and friend of Tearfund Tamsin Greig says of IF, ‘We can do something: it’s a moment to decide. It’s a great opportunity.’ Thank you for taking up the challenge to help end hunger in 2013. See page 12 for more details of how you can build on that momentum, and bring about amazing change this year through IF. Let’s be determined to be bold in our faith and speak out in the name of Jesus against the injustice of hunger.

Peter Shaw, Editor editor@tearfund.org www.twitter.com/TearTimes

Tearfund We are Christians passionate about the local church bringing justice and transforming lives – overcoming global poverty. And so our ten-year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.

We can support you if you want to encourage your church and others to get involved with Tearfund. And if you have any questions, we’d be delighted to talk to you.

Editor: Peter Shaw News Editor: Mark Lang Design: Premm Design Print: Red & Green Marketing Ltd Copyright © Tearfund 2013. All rights reserved.

Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for Tearfund promotional use only. For all other uses, please contact us.

Cover image: Ugandan grandmother Lucy and three of the children she looks after.

Cally Spittle/Tearfund

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summer 2013 teartimes

CONTENTS 4

News – Syria crisis latest, and updates from across the world

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The church is shining in Uganda – How your support is bringing churches alive

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Five brilliant things you can do to make IF happen – Simple steps to help end hunger

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Worldview – Woman's self-help group in India

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Jesus, poverty and the phone in your pocket – How thousands of young people are living just lives

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Two paths, one choice – Share Sina’s story in your church this harvest

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Living lightly in a world of wounds – Interview with Ruth Valerio

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The most physically challenging month of my life – Why Hayley chose to go hungry

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A glimpse of heaven in Uganda – Reflection from New Wine's Ian Parkinson

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Drawing smiles in Darfur – Looking back, ten years from the start of the conflict

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‘If I could feed my children, I would be happy.’

Sina, Cambodia

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'Tearfund are at the forefront of sustainable aid.'

Cally Spittle/Tearfund

John Coles, Director of New Wine Your support is helping the church in Ogongora, Uganda, to reach out to struggling families like Lucy's. teartimes summer 2013

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NEWS

Eleanor Bentall/Tearfund

Thanks to your support, Tearfund partners are providing urgent medical assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Your support is providing vital assistance in Syria

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rightened families who have fled the conflict in Syria are receiving life-saving aid from Tearfund partners in Jordan and Lebanon.

Food, blankets, stoves, shelter and hygiene kits are among the essential items supplied by our partners to help those who have escaped the civil war, which has claimed more than 70,000 lives.

Tearfund’s response to the growing humanitarian needs of those who have fled has been boosted by generous donations to our Syria appeal, which have so far reached £1.7 million. As the conflict enters its third year, there are a million Syrians in neighbouring countries and the UN reports that 3.6 million others are homeless inside Syria.

The story of 28-year-old Maha is typical of many who have escaped the fighting. The mother-of-seven said, ‘We used to live in Syria until our town was bombarded by rockets and bombs. We got to the checkpoint to leave the country and they would only allow women and children through, not men. That was the last time I saw my husband.’

After staying in various places, Maha is now living in a makeshift camp in Jordan but 4

‘We used to live in Syria until our town was bombarded by rockets and bombs. We got to the checkpoint to leave the country and they would only allow women and children through, not men. That was the last time I saw my husband.’

Maha, 28, Syrian refugee in Jordan conditions are harsh. ‘We don’t have clothes or food, nothing,’ said Maha. ‘We arrived here with nothing.’

Morag Gillies, Tearfund’s Country Representative for Syria, said, ‘Many of those who have fled Syria have left with just the clothes on their back. Host countries are under pressure as they try and cope with this influx.

Even if the conflict is resolved soon, the humanitarian crisis won’t be as so many people have been displaced. Their need for help is urgent and ongoing.’

Thank you for all your prayers and support for Syria – we will continue to respond as the situation unfolds. summer 2013 teartimes

Crunch time for Tearfund’s corruption campaign Please pray for the success of Unearth the Truth

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Jay Butcher/Tearfund

earfund’s Unearth the Truth campaign to stop secrecy and corruption between extractive industry companies and governments will reach a crucial point in June.

The natural resources mined in Africa each year are worth more than nine times what the continent receives in aid, yet corrupt deals mean that the poorest communities rarely benefit from this wealth.

Two years ago, Tearfund launched the Unearth the Truth campaign to put pressure on Europe

Road sign in Sierra Leone: across Africa, corruption is holding back efforts to end poverty.

to shine a light on such practices and to ensure that money isn’t lost through secret payments.

And because of your prayers and actions, the European Parliament has listened. Last October, a key EU committee backed all of our campaign asks and signalled the introduction of new laws requiring that oil, gas and mining companies publish what they pay to governments.

Andy Wilson, Tearfund’s Campaign Officer, said, ‘The last few months has been a waiting game. Whilst we’ve known that new laws have been on the horizon, the European Parliament has delayed voting several times.

Please join us in praying that, come June, the parliament will take this crucial step in challenging corruption and release billions of pounds to tackle poverty.’

‘Please join us in praying that, come June, the parliament will take this crucial step in challenging corruption and release billions of pounds to tackle poverty.’

Andy Wilson, Tearfund’s Campaign Officer

Tearfund responds to renewed conflict in DRC Tearfund has been helping civilians affected by renewed violence in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo.

Fighting between the Congolese military and an armed group called M23 late last year led to about 150,000 civilians fleeing their homes in South Kivu province.

Many people moved to the city of Goma where Tearfund teams helped them with essentials.

As schools became makeshift camps, Tearfund staff installed rainwater harvesting tanks connected to water points, which provided people with supplies for showers, cooking, cleaning and washing

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clothes. This was combined with soap supplies and a public health awareness campaign to prevent outbreaks of disease.

A spokesman for one school said, ‘When the displaced people first arrived, we were worried for our students about disease. But on behalf of the school, we wish to express our gratitude to Tearfund for providing water and training. Thank you so much.’

However, despite peace talks between M23 and the Congolese government, the situation in North Kivu – of which Goma is the provincial capital – remains unstable.

The UN estimates there are 900,000 displaced people there.

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Tearfund

news

Thanks to your generosity, Tearfund is expanding a carpet-making project for women in Afghanistan.

Women money-spinning in Afghanistan

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0.6 kgs to 2.8 kgs. In one month, this can mean an increase in income for their families of £25, a significant amount in poor rural areas.

‘In the pilot spinning wheels project, implemented in 2010, several women commented that Tearfund’s project had boosted their confidence and enabled them to be seen as having a role increasing the household income.’

‘Tearfund’s project had boosted confidence and enabled them to be seen as having a role increasing the household income.’

Thanks from Uganda!

Villagers in Ogongora receiving Christmas greetings and prayers on basket-shaped cards from Tearfund supporters.

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Pentecostal Assemblies of God

ore women in northern Afghanistan are to receive help from Tearfund to overcome poverty, thanks to you.

A project supplying pedal-powered spinning wheels is being expanded in Jawzjan province, benefiting 450 women for whom producing yarn for carpets is a way of making a living.

Traditionally, yarn is produced by hand, an uncomfortable and arduous process.

Thanks to your donations, Tearfund will be able to provide more spinning wheels and training to use them. This will enable the women to boost their productivity and work in greater comfort.

Bruce Clark, Tearfund’s Country Representative for Afghanistan, said, ‘The women are maximising their yields, in both quality and quantity, and are using the additional time saved and money earned to further support their families.

‘They’ll be able to increase the daily yield of yarn they’re able to spin from an average of

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‘Tearfund is stepping up its work with people facing poverty in England.’

The enthusiastic take-up for Tearfund’s new campaigning app, Nudge UK churches looking to twin with churches in poor communities overseas

PRAYER PULSE Prayer is the heartbeat of Tearfund

A resolution to the Syria crisis and the plight of refugees in Jordan and Lebanon Churches to join the IF campaign, speaking out about the injustice of global hunger The continuing needs of Malians made homeless by ongoing insecurity

♥

PRAYING FOR

Tearfund is stepping up its work with people facing poverty in England, thanks to a £500,000 cash injection. The government award will enable our Impact UK team, in partnership with the Cinnamon Network, to expand its work helping churches mobilise volunteers to serve disadvantaged communities.

Resulting projects could include food banks, debt advice services, job clubs, support for people with learning difficulties and befriending services for the elderly.

It’s hoped that, by the end of the year, 1,500 volunteers and their respective churches will have been mobilised across England.

The money for the work is coming from the Social Action Fund, administered by Social Investment Business, which has awarded Tearfund more than a £1 million over the past year.

If your church is interested in accessing financial or advisory support to help mobilise volunteers and develop their work, please visit: www.tearfund.org/impactuk or www.cinnamonnetwork.co.uk/funding

Partners in West Africa who are helping poor communities adapt to the changing climate

GIVING THANKS FOR

More funds to tackle poverty in the UK

Latest prayer news at www.tearfund.org/pray

Poetry book legacy celebrates a generous life When Mary Topham died last year aged 98, she left behind a rich collection of poetry which her friend, Lalage Carswell, has illustrated and published. The proceeds will be donated to Tearfund.

The wonder of it all is testament to Mrs Topham’s love of nature, her strong faith and her determination to serve the Lord. The poems are drawn from her work with the Derbyshire Village Mission, dark days of illness and anxiety, and holidays in the Lake District and the Forest of Dean.

Mary and her poetry book.

Clare Norman, Tearfund’s Legacy Executive, said, ‘This poetry book is a wonderful tribute to Mrs Topham’s memory. We are so grateful that Lalage has chosen to remember her friend in a way that transforms the lives of those living in poverty.’

If you would like more information about how to make a gift in memory of your loved one, please contact Clare Norman by email at legacies@tearfund.org or by telephoning 0845 355 8355.

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See for yourself

The church is shining in Uganda How your support is bringing churches alive and halving hunger

Lucy’s life is a perfect storm.

She’s a widow and grandmother living in Ogongora, rural Uganda.

Her daughter and son-in-law died. She cares for six children, including four grandchildren, alone.

Everywhere she looks, there’s poverty. Who can help her?

Words: Isobel Peaty

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summer 2013 teartimes

Cally Spittle/Tearfund

‘I would say: get involved, sponsor it. Get your churches involved. You’re making a significant difference if you do.’

Mark Melluish, New Wine London & South East Regional Leader

Your support for the church in Ogongora, Uganda, is providing a vital lifeline for grandmother Lucy and the children she cares for, including twins Canna and Noah.

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ecades of struggle have taken their toll on Lucy. If only something could change, someone could help, there might be a future to look forward to. Until then, Lucy and the children’s lives are a highwire act, a precarious teeter between survival and disaster. There’s nothing to catch them if they fall.

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘church’? If you’re a traditional Anglican like me, there’s a mood board of imagery to draw on: Gothic buildings, stained-glass teartimes summer 2013

windows, altars, crosses, vicars in robes. To be honest, it’s only next that I start to consider the church as its believers, the Body of Christ, the global church – concepts less well defined but more provocative, more alive.

‘And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’ The term Jesus chooses here in Matthew 16:18 for church – ekklesia – is deliberate. This definition isn’t about a building or place, but an assembly of people.

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See for yourself Where two or three gather in my name Buildings fall down, don’t feel, can’t act – it’s the people of the church that define it.

Jesus knows it. Inspired by his love, fuelled by his Spirit, the people of the church have a job to do, and right now they’re hard at work in Uganda.

Back to Lucy, because this desperate grandmother isn’t so desperate now, thankfully. Instead, her life is a testament to her local church in Ogongora doing what they were made for. They are reaching out in love, caring for her, making all the difference. She isn’t alone.

This is Jesus’ ekklesia. And we want to show it to you, because if you’re in church then you’re part of it. It’s a dazzling sight.

‘The principles... we’re seeing being lived out here are principles for all of us to live by.

Own this work, get behind this work, give yourself to it.’

David McClay, Director of New Wine Ireland

See transformation for yourself At Tearfund, we’re committed to using your money in the most cost-effective – and lifeaffecting – way we know. All it took was one facilitator dedicated to transforming the community to open the church’s eyes in a village like Lucy’s, leading them through the gospel, letting the word speak: love your neighbour, bring your loaves and fish, God will multiply.

Because of it, the church put themselves at the heart of the village, built up their members who, in many cases, have been completely transformed. Sign up to give regularly through our See for yourself programme (www.see-for-yourself.org) and we’ll bring you updates of this ‘church in action’ to inspire you, invite you to meet people who are working with God to build new lives and futures, even in the toughest circumstances.

Hunger – the challenge. Church – the solution This year, the IF campaign confronts hunger, one of the world’s greatest injustices. Hunger can destroy a person. Extreme hunger saps physical strength, mental energy, turns little children into listless, joyless ghosts. Slow-burn Cally Spittle/Tearfund

‘The church tries to help me when I cry to them – they give me food and help me tend my crops,' says Lucy from Ogongora, Uganda.

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Jamie Fyleman/Tearfund

‘This is the kingdom of God transforming whole communities and it’s unbelievable to see.’

Pete Hughes, who leads New Wine’s work with 18- to 30-year-olds

hunger, lacking a balanced diet, can stunt growth and brain development in the young.

And the impact is irreversible.

‘If one of you says to [your brother], “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’ (James 2:16). This is the message they’re living in Ogongora. And Lucy knows it.

‘The church tries to help me when I cry to them that I am badly off,’ she says. ‘They give me food and they also help me tend my crops.’ Without a local church, ready to care, there would be no-one for her.

More than survival New Wine church leaders recently travelled to Uganda with Tearfund Chief Executive Matthew Frost and witnessed Tearfund’s church-led community regeneration for themselves. They visited a project started by women with HIV in Soroti district, a project they’d called ‘Shine with HIV’.

‘Tearfund are right at the forefront of understanding how to deliver sustainable aid.’

John Coles, Director of New Wine

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‘Looking into the faces of these women there was no doubt they had found the joy and freedom that comes from a relationship with Jesus,’ Matthew says. ‘They shone!’ And this is the critical difference.

Put God’s word at the heart of community transformation and lives are changed. Women with HIV are culturally stigmatised across Africa – but here they have worth and hope.

Material help alone is just not enough to lift people out of poverty. It can make matters worse – ensuring dependency, encouraging inertia. But when a person is changed by God, anything can happen.

You can halve hunger Meanwhile, thousands of Lucys are waiting.

We’ve got a job to do. It’s what the church was made for. It’s time to shine. In 50 communities in Uganda, we found we’ve cut hunger in half through mobilising churches.

By giving regularly through See for yourself, you can help provide more facilitators to inspire churches to shine in their communities around the world. Please fill out and return the tear-out form between pages 8 and 9 – give what you can, and help halve hunger.

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Enough Food for Everyone IF

Light projection on Somerset House at the London launch of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign.

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summer 2013 teartimes

Clive Mear/Tearfund

e do when th u o y o d t a town?

Wh ’ comes to Question: d rl o w e e the fr ‘leader of e...

Bake a cak nner...

Make a ba . e streets..

Take to th ? e abov All of the urch d your ch n a u o y w o ers have Find out h world lead ering... re u s e k a can m rememb mit worth m u s 8 G a ura Words: La

Selman

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n 17 and 18 June, President Obama, David Cameron and all the G8 world leaders will meet to discuss global issues in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

It’s the first time the G8 has met in the UK since they came to Scotland in 2005.

Then, they were greeted by 225,000 passionate campaigners lining the streets of Edinburgh calling on them to ‘Make Poverty History’. The church was the backbone of Make Poverty History and Jubilee 2000, along with many campaigns from Wilberforce and the slave trade onwards. And 2013 is a bumper year of brilliant opportunities to speak and act prophetically and practically.

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For all of us who share something of God’s passion for justice, there’s probably a list as long as your arm of things you’d like to see world leaders do to help tackle poverty.

This year, the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign is asking them to do just one thing: start the end of hunger.

There’s enough food in the world to feed everyone and yet one in eight people goes to bed hungry every night – it’s time we did something to change that. Here are the top five things we can do together, as chosen by Tearfund’s intrepid Campaigns team…

‘This year, the Enoug h Everyone IF campaig Food for n is askin them to d g o just one thing: start the end of hu nger.’

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Enough food for everyone IF

he heart of t e h t t a is l place e and h’s rightfu st injustic c r in u a h g c a e t h u ‘T go steps n. Speakin ake brave t o t IF campaig rs e d g our lea encouragin rld free of hunger.’ wo towards a 1. COME TO LONDON!

2. COME TO BELFAST!

On Saturday 8 June, thousands of people will gather in central London ahead of the G8 summit, to demonstrate just how much we care about tackling poverty and to show the world’s media that we know what needs to be done to start to end the injustice of hunger.

There are plans afoot for a massive church service beforehand where we’ll be united in prayer and worship, sent out as part of the global church, standing shoulder to shoulder with others, demonstrating that our God is a God of justice. It’ll be family-friendly, safe and fun. Consider yourself and your whole church invited! All the latest info, free posters, travel ideas and more can be found at www.tearfund.org/G8

On Saturday 15 June, just 48 hours before the G8 summit starts, there’ll be an event in Belfast to welcome the G8 leaders and make sure they hear our cries for justice loud and clear. Building on the momentum generated in London the week before, this event brings the campaign journey a step closer to its destination.

Tim Magowan, Tearfund Northern Ireland Director, says ‘The church’s rightful place is at the heart of this campaign. Speaking out against injustice and encouraging our leaders to take brave steps towards a world free of hunger. It won’t happen overnight but it’s time we got started. I can’t wait to be there with my friends and family. Please join me.’

Go to www.tearfund.org/G8 for more.

3. GIVE DECISION-MAKERS A NUDGE...

You don’t need to wait until June to take action. With Nudge, Tearfund’s simple campaigning app, you can easily lobby MPs, petition governments and share campaigning news wherever and whenever you like. It’s free, easy and you’re always in control. Download it today, take the latest IF campaign action and tell your friends about it on facebook and Twitter, all at the click of a button! Available for iPhone and iPad through the iTunes App Store and for Android through Google play.

‘With Nud ge, Tearfu nd simple ca mpaigning ’s app, you can easily lobby MPs , petition governme nts and sh are campaign ing news wherever and when ever you li ke.’

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‘Everythin g we do is made possible t hrough G od’s strength and covered in must be prayer.’

Craig Philbrick/Tearfund, Alison Proud, Richard Weaver/Tearfund, Clive Mear/Tearfund, Richard Weaver/Tearfund, Chris Dobson

Across the country, churches and Christians have joined the IF campaign, people have lobbied their MPs and many campaign events have taken place.

4. PRAY

5. COME TO LONDON!

We know that world leaders have the power to begin to end hunger. But we also know that it counts for nothing if God is not at work, transforming their hearts and minds, while we speak through his church about his vision for a more just world.

Everything we do is made possible through God’s strength and must be covered in prayer.

Please pray for the one in eight people who will go to bed hungry tonight. And ask God to show you how you can play your part in being the generation to end hunger. Prayer resources for your church can be downloaded free at www.tearfund.org/IFpray

OK, we know we’ve already said this once already but, honestly, this is THE most exciting thing we can think of happening this year! This is where the making a banner bit, the baking a cake bit AND the taking to the street bit all come in.

Go to www.tearfund.org/G8 for more. And, if London really is a step too far, check out the events taking place in Belfast on 15 and Enniskillen on 16 June (see www.tearfund.org/nireland) and for details of events in Wales visit www.enoughfoodif.org/wales

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worldview

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Tearfund photographer Peter Caton says: ‘The lady in the middle is the women's group leader doing amazing work in India. She had a stern expression, but I wanted to bring out the joy in her. So, I said the word ‘smile’ in Hindi, but deliberately said it very badly to get a comedy reaction. It worked…’

Photo: Peter Caton/Tearfund

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darfur conflict – ten years on

Drawing smiles in Darfur Looking back, ten years on from the start of the conflict ‘Don’t ask me to stop weeping. I’m not angry because the fire destroyed all that we own. I’m crying because God sent Tearfund to us to draw a smile on our sad faces.’

Hussein Bireima, 15, East Darfur Words: Peter Shaw Photos: Geoff Crawford/Tearfund

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arfur is a region roughly the size of Spain in western Sudan, and home to some 6 million people. Over the past decade, an estimated 200,000 people have been killed there as a result of the devastating conflict which started in 2003.

In response to this humanitarian crisis, your generosity over the past nine years has enabled Tearfund to fund nearly £40 million of relief and recovery work with more than 1 million people displaced by the fighting.

Long-term support We began operational work in Darfur in 2004, to provide long-term and sustainable ways for people to regain control of their lives. This includes

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supporting hygiene, water and sanitation initiatives, and helping people to generate their own livelihoods – as well as improving nutrition and food security.

‘A fire broke out and all our belongings were destroyed.’

We also support vulnerable groups such as children, and respond to emergency needs as and when they arise. Some 1.4 million people continue to live in camps, which leaves them extremely vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters – for example, temporary shelters in close proximity to one another pose a high fire risk.

Hussein Bireima, 15, lives in Sabah Elkheir village, East Darfur. His community was

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‘We received basic utensils, plastic sheets, mats, blankets, and jerry cans. Thank you for your support and kindness.’

Hussain Bireima, Darfur

devastated by a fire which destroyed nine homes and badly damaged another six.

‘My parents went to the field for harvest,’ says Hussein. ‘A fire broke out in our block and all the houses caught fire. All our belongings were destroyed.’

Mercifully, no one died in the blaze but 15 families, including Hussein’s, lost all their possessions and were left homeless.

‘Tearfund was the only agency to respond to our needs.’

How your dedication is saving lives ‘Tearfund was the only agency to respond to our needs,’ says Hussein. ‘We received basic utensils for cooking, plastic sheets for protection from the wind and sun, mats and

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blankets, and jerry cans to store our water safely. Thank you, Tearfund, for your support and kindness.'

Alongside our vital emergency work, Tearfund provides support to improve food security, make livelihoods secure and provide access to education. This long-term work aims to help communities to become more self-reliant. According to the UN, an estimated 3.5 million people in Darfur are still dependent on food aid.

Starting life from scratch Khadeja Mohammed Adam, a woman in her 40s, lives in a camp for displaced people in Ed Daein with her husband and seven children.

The family have been at the camp for five years now, 200 km away from their home.

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‘Getting food for my family, having reliable shelter during the rainy season and not having sanitation facilities were among the main challenges when we arrived.’

Darfur, 2004: for nearly a decade, thanks to your support, we have provided emergency assistance and long-term help.

Ten years of transformation – thanks to you These are just two stories of how your support for Tearfund is helping to save lives Fleeing the conflict, they arrived with nothing – and greatly improving them in the long term in Darfur. With you, we have stood alongside a life started again from scratch. the people of Darfur for nine years. We were ‘Getting food for my family, having reliable there as initial fallout from the conflict shelter during the rainy season and not having devastated communities, and we’ve continued sanitation facilities were among the main challenges that threatened our existence when to respond to new emergency needs.

Your support and prayers are making a huge we arrived,’ says Khadeja. ‘In our hometown we and tangible difference in Darfur: we have did not have these problems. installed nearly 70,000 latrines, given about ‘I used to travel on foot for about five or six 80,000 families seeds and tools, and planted hours to collect firewood to cook food for my some 60,000 trees. family. Firewood is the only source of energy But there is still much to do. We are are we have in the camp. I used to collect up to committed to ending the suffering of seven bundles of firewood from the field – families in Darfur, and lifting more and weighing around 35 kg – to cook food to feed more communities out of poverty for good. my family for the week.’

But help came through the provision of fuel- We hope and pray it will not take another ten years. But, thanks to your consistent efficient stoves from Tearfund. The stoves, support, we are determined to stay for as which use far less fuel than traditional long as it takes. cooking methods, also reduce air pollution and save time and effort – particularly for ‘Your support and prayers are women who traditionally collect firewood.

Now that Khadeja has a stove and has been making a huge and tangible trained how to use it, her daily life has difference in Darfur.’ significantly improved.

Darfur conflict reports in Tear Times Summer 2005 Healthy meeting: ‘If children mix together, we can teach them to live together.’ Tearfund health clubs bring divided communities together Spring 2007 False accusations: ‘We do not deserve to have Tearfund back to help.’ Shortly after a Tearfund staff member is killed by a mob in Deigie camp, the Tearfund team return to resume relief work – urging forgiveness and reconciliation

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Autumn 2007 Light in the darkness: ‘Trusting that God has the victory is never easy... If we are not praying for Dafur, who is?’ A further emergency appeal raises £2.1 million to provide urgent food, water and sanitation Spring 2008 Extra help for troubled Darfur: ‘I lost hope that my child would recover... I am thankful to God and Tearfund.’ Tearfund extends its feeding programme in South Darfur as malnutrition escalates

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youth and emerging generation

JESUS, POVERTY AND THE PHONE IN YOUR POCKET How thousands of young people are living just lives with Rhythms We’ve long cared about joining the dots between life, Jesus and poverty – and helping young people do the same. Since the days of Terry Tearaway, Tearfund’s justice-exploring 1980s cartoon character, we’ve been finding engaging ways to bring the realities of poverty to young people. But things have moved on. Meet Rhythms.

Words: Helen Crawford

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hythms has its own cartoon characters, but they’re not on a printed page.

Rhythms is a mobile phone app [application] designed to help develop patterns, or ‘rhythms’, of justice. It brings the many ways to address poverty straight into the hands of young people, literally. But is a digital device really necessary?

‘When we talk to young people about injustice and poverty, they just get it,’ says Kiera Phyo, Tearfund’s Head of Youth.

‘The majority of young people don’t need to be convinced that by loving Jesus you will be drawn to encounter poverty in your everyday life.’

But despite there being a plethora of ways young people can engage with poverty – websites, petitions, acts of generosity – the team still found many young people didn’t know how to turn their compassion fired up at church on Sunday into action come Monday.

‘When we talk to young people about injustice and poverty, they just get it.’ teartimes summer 2013

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youth and emerging generation

Change the world and yourself Rhythms provides a framework to help people engage with justice issues, by inviting them to subscribe and take a series of actions around a particular theme. Choosing from one of four rhythms – connection, generosity, advocacy and contentment – people can commit to developing one area, changing both themselves and the world.

Actions could be anything from textdonating £3 to holding a door open for someone, to eating less meat. Some actions have a direct impact on overcoming poverty, while others are about changing your attitudes and actions. All are designed to empower people to make a difference without being overwhelmed.

‘Rhythms says you can do something now,’ explains Huw Tyler, Youth Communications Manager. ‘You can take one small step, and by doing those small things regularly, you’re going to have a much bigger impact than trying to change the world in one go.’

‘Rhythms helps you become the kind of person who changes the world.’

Justice in every area of life Rhythms is about community, too. The website is a hub of lively discussion of issues around faith, lifestyle and justice. Videos, interviews and articles fuel thought and provide a place to explore what it means as followers of Jesus – wrestling with the challenges and celebrating the successes.

This holistic and communal approach means Rhythms encompasses your whole life, whole person and whole church. It reminds us that justice is a trait that should run through every area of life and it creates a space to explore that in community.

‘It’s designed to help you become the kind of person who changes the world,’ says Huw – and that’s probably the most exciting thing about Rhythms. ‘It’s in these formative years as young people practise these things that it makes a difference, as they go into jobs, business, and increase their influence. If they’ve got the justice muscles that we’re developing in them now, then that’s brilliant,’ says Huw.

‘Whether it be buying something Fair Trade, talking to a Big Issue seller or examining my theology on justice, Rhythms is helping me piece together these actions into regular habits, going from being extra add-ons to my faith to something that is key to who I am as a Christian.’

James, Rhythms user

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summer 2013 teartimes

Rhythms is gonna get you You have a choice of four ‘rhythms’ to help you build habits through repeated actions.

PICK A RHY THM

CONNECTION It’s easy to disconnect with people in a digital age, but we were made for more than digital relationship. Reconnect with the world, with actions from baking a cake for your neighbours to spending a night sleeping on the floor to show solidarity for 150 million street children.

ADVOCACY We can make a huge difference if we'd only use our voice. Find out how you can make a noise by meeting your MP, asking your local coffee house to stock Fair Trade coffee and writing a poverty-related fact on a bank note.

GENEROSITY We sometimes forget that all we have is on loan from God. Pump your generosity muscles with exercises like ‘put pocketing’ (secretly putting a sweet into someone’s pocket), volunteering your time and exercising hospitality.

CONTENTMENT The world can seem like a maelstrom of options. Find out how to enjoy the present without longing for what you don't have. Actions include a social media fast, handwashing your clothes for a week and buying secondhand.

Get Rhythms Join Rhythms – whatever your age – at www.rhythms.org @TearfundRhythms The app is now avaliable on iPhone through iTunes and Android from Google Play.

teartimes summer 2013

SIGN-UP NOW

@JessicaSarah I’m richer than 85 per cent of the world’s population. Even during a year with no salary. Humbled.

Learning to be content with @TearfundRhythms

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harvest

Two paths, one choice Will you share Sina’s story in your church this harvest?

Sina lives with her husband and three sons in Tonle Batie village, Cambodia.

‘I feel like I have nothing,’ says Sina.

And at first glance, this looks to be true. Cambodia’s government gives the poorest people ‘poor cards’ rated between one and three – one being allocated to the poorest of the poor.

Sina’s card is a number one.

Words: Amy Church Photos: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

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S

ina’s family can’t afford to buy a ‘proper’ house or land, so they live in a one-room shack built with their own hands using scrap materials. There’s no electricity, no running water, apart from the dirty tributary outside the house, and no sanitation – Sina and her neighbours use a nearby field as a toilet.

‘I feel like I have nothing.’

Next to nothing This tiny home sits precariously on the edge of the village. Because it’s built on government-owned land, Sina wakes up each morning wondering if today is the day her family will be moved on. summer 2013 teartimes

Sina’s life is at a crossroads – you can choose to help families like hers overcome hunger this Harvest.

‘Sina strives to provide healthy food for her growing boys, but she can’t afford much.’

‘If I had some land, where I could grow vegetables to sell and feed to my children, and maybe raise some chickens to sell at market, I would be so happy.’

Bora, Sina’s husband, is poorly educated, so his employment options are scant, low-paid and unstable. At times, he must work away for weeks at a time, leaving Sina and the children alone.

Sina strives to provide healthy food for her growing boys, but she can’t afford much.

On the good days, they’re able to catch some fish or snails in the dirty river. teartimes summer 2013

Sina often goes without food so there’s more for her children – and it shows. Her youngest son, Den, was born just five-anda-half months ago, but this 28-year-old breastfeeding mother is as slight as a schoolgirl.

More than nothing Despite her material poverty, you only need to spend a little time with Sina to realise that she has more than nothing – in fact she has something special.

Sina has strength and determination. And for the sake of her children, she holds on to the hope that the future can be better than the present. She’s powerfully motivated by the desire to build a safe and secure life for 25

Sina struggles to provide for her family, including her young son Den – but her local church is starting incomegenerating programmes in her community.

her children, and she has some ideas for how this might be achieved.

‘If I had some land, where I could grow vegetables to sell and feed to my children, and maybe raise some chickens to sell at market, I would be so happy,’ she says.

But even these simple things are beyond Sina’s reach at the moment. Although she knows the way to go to improve things, she feels powerless to take this path.

A better path Down the road, with Tearfund’s support, the local church has started an exciting new project to help villagers to work as a group to identify some of the reasons they’re poor and think of fresh ways to start tackling their poverty. Then, group members start learning new skills, as well as sharing the time and resources they already have, to turn these ideas into reality.

People are already benefiting. For example, villagers with no land have managed to borrow spare plots to start growing vegetables together – a new way of doing things in Tonle Batie. Others have started a chicken-breeding project, helping increasing numbers of people as more eggs are hatched and shared with others. Like Sina, those involved used to think they had nothing, but now they’re starting to see that they have more than they thought.

The church is piloting the project with 21 families who are already part of the congregation, so they can show the wider village and its leaders that this way of beating poverty really works. After that, in the next year, their plan is to roll it out to the rest of the village. But to be able to expand the project 26

successfully, they need long-term committed support – both prayers and finances.

‘A new world could be opened up to Sina, in which she has the choice to take her family down a different path.’

The choice is yours By pledging your support, you will enable more churches across the world to reach out with confidence to whole communities – right to the very edges, to people such as Sina.

If this happens, Sina will be given the opportunity to take part. Thanks to you, a new world could be opened up to her, in which she has the choice to take her family down a different path.

This won’t happen without the support of people like you. Right now, Sina has no choice. Right now, the choice is yours.

Please share Sina’s story with your church by using our 2013 Harvest resources, and help us raise vital prayer and financial support to help her and others like her. The pack contains a beautiful film about Sina, prayer and children’s resources, sermon notes and more.

Harvest resource out now Order yours today by calling 0845 521 0021, emailing churches@tearfund.org or returning the form between pages 24 and 25.

Or, if you just want to give, please use the form enclosed with Tear Times. To find out more visit www.tearfund.org/harvest – keep checking here as we add more resources.

summer 2013 teartimes

Marcus Perkins/Tearfund

2006

Thanks to you, Rano Ticho lives!

‘He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”’ (Mark 2:12) Back in 2006, Rano – from Pakistan – was stick-thin with a high fever, confined to a mat on the floor, dying. Today he is in good health, thanks to treatment provided by one of our partners. This is just one of many miracles made possible through your support for Tearfund.

Gifts in wills are crucial to Tearfund’s income.

We are determined to keep providing life-saving support to people like Rano for as long as it takes.

Please consider prayerfully whether you would like to leave a gift to Tearfund that will save lives.

Your legacy will equip local churches to provide long-term solutions to poverty.

To find out more about how you can leave a legacy of love for future generations, please contact Clare Norman, our Legacy Executive, either by emailing legacies@tearfund.org or by telephoning 0845 355 8355.

Thanks to treatment provided through Tearfund, Rano is now in good health.

Celebrate life: plant a legacy of love

Q&A with Ruth Valerio

Living lightly in a world of wounds Ruth Valerio describes herself as a ‘community activist, Christian, academic, eco-warrior, mum, author, veg grower, wife and pig-keeper rolled into one’. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Chichester, where she is part of Revelation Church, leads a cell group and preaches regularly. Theology Adviser to A Rocha UK, Ruth runs its Living Lightly initiative, and is also part of the Spring Harvest leadership team.

Interview: Peter Shaw Photo: Matt Freer of the same thing. Jesus’ understanding of the kingdom was never purely ‘spiritual’ – by which I mean ‘otherworldly’. His understanding of the When I was younger, I started to become more kingdom is very much based on Old Testament aware of environmental issues. I read a lot, but theology. The Psalms and Proverbs in particular it was mostly non-Christian writings. American are very earthy and tangible. It’s not about ecologist Aldo Leopold, said, ‘One of the being whisked away to some ethereal sphere: penalties of an ecological education is that one it’s about new life beginning here, with God lives alone in a world of wounds.’ When I read coming into the centre of his people and that, I burst into tears, thinking, ‘This is me: I’m through forgiveness. So, themes around living alone – no one else understand this world forgiveness and redemption must walk hand of wounds.’ Then I came across A Rocha and in hand with themes around caring for people’s discovered that there are other people who physical well-being and caring for creation. carried the same burden – I wasn’t on my own.

You can’t separate them.

Now I am part of a whole crowd of people, including Tearfund, who are interested in caring Why are you supporting the Enough Food for God’s earth. A Rocha has been a great For Everyone IF campaign? encouragement for me.

The centrality of food in the Bible is something I have been recognising more and ‘This is me: I’m living alone – more. Right at the start of creation, all the no one else understand way through to the end of Revelation, food features. Food is given to us and the wider this world of wounds.’ creation from God. It’s a blessing. The IF campaign very much ties in with that and I Why should Christians care about believe the campaign is completely biblical. environmental issues?

It is something God is thrilled to see us doing.

Because we can use food to damage people We are in a situation in which working on and his wider creation. Or we can use food issues of hunger or the environment is to respect and care for his creation. Food sometimes seen as being in competition with reminds us that we are mortal. Food is a gift, wanting to see people become Christians. For something we must approach reverentially, me, there is no competition – they are all part How did you become interested in caring for creation?

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‘I believe the IF campaign is completely biblical. It is something God is thrilled to see us doing.’

Why do you think it is important to make lifestyle changes as well as campaign?

My husband and I were involved in practical overseas action, and we then became involved in campaigning – supporting the work of Tearfund and others. We started to think we also needed to look at how our own lives are contributing to these very problems.

Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

with care, respect and thought. For me, the aims behind IF – challenging world hunger – are very much biblical aims and principles.

That didn’t mean stopping campaigning or taking action – changing our lifestyle was the third leg we needed to bring in. So we began to think about the changes we could make to our own lives. I realised that I can give to something and I can campaign. But if it is not impacting my life or I’m not making any personal changes, then I am really being a hypocrite. I’m calling on other people to do things, but not being prepared to make any changes myself. So it is crucial to see all those things as working together, not in competition.

‘I can give to something and I can campaign. But if it is not impacting my life then I am really being a hypocrite.’

Visit www.ruthvalerio.net to find out more about Ruth and her work. Ruth has written a seven-day IF Bible reading plan for Tearfund, which you can sign up to through YouVersion here: www.tearfund.org/IFbible – or you can read a shortened version on page 6 of the Prayer Diary (enclosed with this Tear Times).

Ruth Valerio speaking at the Oxford Diocese ‘Food Matters’ evening, to launch the IF campaign. teartimes summer 2013

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live below the line

‘The most physically and mentally challenging month of my life.’

Why I chose to go hungry Words and photo: Hayley Faulkner

A

cross the world, 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, living off less than £1 a day. That’s an outrage and I wanted to do something to fight against this injustice.

So I chose to volunteer with Tearfund on a project in Bolivia, through its International Citizen Service scheme. And I needed to fundraise to make it happen.

I decided to challenge myself to live below the poverty line – spending just £1 a day on food and drink for a month. As well as getting sponsorship, I wanted to use this as a platform to raise awareness for those living in extreme poverty every day – so I wrote a daily blog about the experience.

It was the most physically and mentally challenging month of my life. £1 does not buy very much and the minuscule meals were a shock to the system. Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest challenges was hunger, and all the side effects that come with it.

‘My body became used to eating less but the hunger was never really satisfied.’

By the end of the challenge, my body had become used to eating less but the hunger was never really satisfied. Throughout the month, it became clear to me that feeling a little bit hungry for 31 days was nothing compared to living in extreme poverty indefinitely.

Whereas I could see the end of my challenge, for one in eight people, hunger is a constant reality. Although a trial, the Live below the line challenge was one of the best things I have ever done. Suffering in a small way allowed me to learn a lot. It sparked some interesting conversations and ignited my passion for fighting the injustice of poverty.

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‘It’s extremely humbling.’ Hayley decided to take up the challenge of living below the poverty line for a month.

I would recommend this challenge to everyone. It’s an excellent way to raise money and extremely humbling – it will change your attitudes for the better. It was also really exciting for me to raise awareness. I love Tearfund and I can see how its vital work, joining with local churches and communities, is playing a significant part in helping people out of poverty.

Could you live on £1 a day?

To find out more about Live below the line and how you can take up the challenge, visit www.livebelowtheline.com/uk-tearfund

summer 2013 teartimes

reflection On a recent trip to Uganda with New Wine leaders and members of a Tearfund team, the most glorious and moving project we saw was a poultry farm where a number of locals pooled their small sums of money to buy hens.

Words: Ian Parkinson, New Wine Photos: Jamie Fyleman/Tearfund

Church service in Soroti, Uganda, where Ian visited.

A glimpse of heaven in Uganda

T

hey received a modest income from the sale of the eggs, and also became a support group for one another, stepping in with practical help when any group member fell sick. Ten years on, the farm – worked exclusively by those with HIV – is quite literally a foretaste of heaven, a place where people display a sense of joy and dignity, which is striking.

Those who have benefited from Tearfund’s initiative turn out to be the greatest evangelists, filled with a longing that their neighbours might also enter the process and find a new quality of life, both spiritual and material. There is now a widespread understanding, explained to us by various people in the different projects we visited, that the concept of development is not simply about the provision of resources. Rather, it is about the provision of ideas and expertise in such a way that people might own them for

‘It was a foretaste of heaven – a place where people display a sense of joy and dignity.’

Get in touch with us! www.tearfund.org www.twitter.com/tearfund www.facebook.com/tearfund Email: enquiries@tearfund.org Tel: 0845 355 8355 100 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)

Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow, G4 0AD T y^ Catherine, Capel Cildwrn, Llangefni, Ynys Môn, LL77 7NN 241 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 1AF

teartimes summer 2013

themselves and share them more widely.

The impact of this Participatory Evaluation Process – which encourages communities to engage with scripture and, as a result, show practical love to their communities – has been Ian Parkinson nothing less than dramatic.

Here were principles which I wanted to bring back home and apply to some of the ministries I and others seek to grow in resource-hungry areas of our own nation. I came back from Uganda renewed in my confidence in the power of God’s story to change lives, and in the conviction that the church which intentionally inhabits this story truly is the hope of the world.

Ian Parkinson is the Regional Director for New Wine North & East, and vicar of All Saints’ Marple.

Discipleship Year with Tearfund and New Wine We’re excited to be partnering with New Wine on its Discipleship Year programme – a year of discovery and adventure for 18to 24-year-olds. Students will be equipped, encouraged and empowered as disciples of Jesus, through weekly teaching and practical local church internships. They will also have the opportunity to go on a 14day overseas mission trip with Tearfund.

For more information, visit the New Wine website: www.new-wine.org/dy

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You can help halve hunger In 50 villages in Uganda where Tearfund works through church mobilisation, we’ve seen hunger halved.

But we won’t be satisfied until we play our part in ending extreme hunger for good.

That’s why we need you to give now, and give regularly – to find out more, see page 8.

Your £16, £20 or even £30 each month can protect more families from hunger.

www.tearfund.org/halvehunger

Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland) Photo: Cally Spittle/Tearfund 31007-(0513)