Correspondent October 2018

CORRESPONDENT October 2018

Goats and human trafficking pg 4

Room at the Inn Story and photo by Helen Manson You know how you can meet someone who has such a profound impact on you that you just know you’ll never forget them? I had one of those experiences when I was in Lebanon recently with a man called Bassam*.

Agriculture reducing poverty pg 8

Bassam is a Lebanese Pastor in Beirut. We met in a nondescript apartment building in the heart of the city one cold winter morning.

As he ushered me into the apartment and offered me a seat at the table, I noticed there were about ten people around his table—all Syrian refugees. He told me that most Lebanese people hate Syrians even if they are Christians because they were at war for 30 years.

“Personally, I’ve had many bad experiences with them including a Syrian putting a gun to my head.

Yet, somehow, God has changed all these bad feelings to love. In the morning when I wake up, I want nothing to do but come to this apartment because this is our church. The Syrian refugee crisis brings to life what it means to ‘love our enemy’. I know from personal experience that it’s not by speaking; it’s when Jesus fills your heart with his love.”

Vitória living in full colour pg 11

Bassam says that when Syrians come to his church, he tells them two things. “Firstly, I want to help you, but I need to tell you that we will make mistakes. No one has taught us how to serve Syrian refugees. You came suddenly, and we were not prepared.

Secondly, if you want our church to help you, you must help yourselves.

I will help anyone who wants to find a job.”

Pastor Bassam’s church helps Syrian refugees by providing mattresses, blankets, food vouchers, hygiene items, milk and nappies. They also provide cooked meals three nights a week.

“We are constantly reassessing our work to make sure we are reaching the most vulnerable. As we are all living in this community, we know who really needs our support,” he says.

“I know God’s done something in my life because sometimes when I’m in the cinema relaxing, I’ll find myself thinking of these people. At first, I used to think I was helping these people, but I discovered that they are really helping me. They are praying for me. I am blessed because of them. Our church is helping more than 100 families every month, and we’ve been doing it for four years."

"I’ve seen that when God puts someone in my way he wants me to take care of, he gives me the heart to do it.

Jesus is passing by here these days.”

Pastor Bassam personified the verse in the Bible where Jesus talks about loving your enemy.

Tears fell as he spoke of the love he’s developed for the people group he once hated, and how he’s ‘made room at his inn’ for them.

Each refugee around the table

Pastor Bassam's heart breaks for his former enemies, Syrian refugees.

testified to how God was using this church to reach them in their time of greatest need. There was not a dry eye in that apartment that day.

I still think about him now.

Jesus’ earliest years were spent as a refugee after his family fled persecution. Over two thousand years later—this Christmas—we’re asking if you will make room in your heart for a refugee family.

Will you help refugee families and pastors like Bassam who are giving their all to help these families? Or, if you’re a pastor, would you consider taking a collection?

$175

can provide a family with a winter pack (blankets, mattresses and fuel for stoves)

$105

can provide a one-month food basket for a family

$44

can help a child attend a childfriendly space for a month

*Name has been changed for security reasons.

Gift Guide pg 6-7

2 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

Syrian refugees receive the gift of warmth in a Lebanese refugee settlement.

PICTURE: Andy Robinson

What's in this Correspondent?

Editorial: By Keith Ramsay Many of us have a love-hate relationship when it comes to the impending Christmas season, but if we analyse what we hate, it mainly has to do with the commercial aspects that we feel pressured to conform to.

Many people are making the decision to break away from the commercialism of Christmas to some extent and to get back to the true meaning of the season.

Christmas is a time to celebrate our Saviour's arrival on this planet as a baby. Jesus was no stranger to being a refugee. He was born into humble conditions in a stable and lived in Eygpt to escape

Inside Out

By Ian McInnes “No stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveller,” said Job. (Job 31:32) Recently my wife, Himali and I found ourselves stranded between countries, unable to move from one to the other because of a problem with our entry visas. We were staying in someone’s empty house and I sheepishly called the owner to ask if we could stay a few days longer, even though they were

persecution. More than 2000 years later, Syrian refugees are facing a similar existence as they prepare for yet another Christmas of sub-zero conditions far away from their homes, in makeshift shelters. We have the opportunity to bring the true spirit of Christmas to them by helping to keep them warm by donating to our “Room at the Inn” Syrian Refugee appeal, which is supporting the church to provide fuel for heating, blankets and mattresses. You can read more about this on the cover of this issue. You can also read about a man named Rafique, who was a Rohingya refugee and has now made his home here in New Zealand. That story is on page 3.

So, what do goats and human trafficking have in common? You can learn the answer to this on page 4.

returning from their vacation the next day.

his newly acquired social work degree to give back to others. New Zealanders made room in this land for him and he has thrived here.

My friend Marco didn’t hesitate.

“Of course you can stay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” What a relief. We went on to get to know Marco and his family better than we ever would have otherwise. It was an enriching time for all of us.

This Christmas, we are asking you if you could squeeze a little room in your life for someone far needier than Himali and I. Someone who will appreciate it immeasurably more.

I was quite touched reading the article about Rafique, a Rohingya man from Myanmar who has settled in New Zealand as a refugee, taught himself English, and is learning Te Reo. He brought his family out and now uses

If you are keen to escape the commercialism of Christmas and are a goat lover, check out what’s on offer in our Gift for Life on pages 6 and 7.

On page 8, we discuss how agricultural programmes are one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty in low-income countries.

You can read how Tearfund’s work

in this area is paying dividends for those in our Empower Cause programmes.

Christmas time is a really special time for children and if you are a child sponsor, you will have the opportunity to give your sponsor child a card and a gift this Christmas. You can read about the joy a mother had recently of meeting her sponsor child in Sri Lanka with her daughters on page 10, and how sponsorship can make a difference in the life of a child from a broken home on page 11.

We hope you find something to inspire you in this issue and we wish you blessings over the Christmas and New Year period.

If anyone should fear an unannounced visit from a refugee, it’s the pastors of Lebanon who still shiver at the memories of Syrian occupation. Helen’s rendition of the Lebanese pastor who once had a Syrian gun pointed to his head is deeply touching. He now hosts a home group with Syrian refugees and concludes, “I am blessed because of them”.

When we open our hearts and our homes to others, it is us God moves, even while he provides for the needs of those who need it most. And when you do it for the ‘least of these’, we open the inn for Jesus himself. Who would miss that opportunity?

PICTURE: Helen Manson

3

Rohingya refugee finds new life in New Zealand

By Laura Brookes It’s not often we get the opportunity in our Tearfund offices to meet someone like Rafique. But when he showed up wanting to thank us for our work helping the Rohingya people in Bangladesh, it was our privilege to host him.

Rafique knows what it’s like to be a Rohingya refugee. He was just ten years old when he first became a refugee—a status he never wanted, nor expected. For the next 14 years of his life, Rafique lived in Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

Today, this camp is the largest refugee settlement in the world, housing more than 900,000 Rohingya people fleeing increasing violence and persecution in Myanmar.

“When I was in the refugee camp, I had no aim. No future. Refugee life is like jail life.”

Rafique was born in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, very close to the border of Bangladesh, and became a refugee in 1992 along with his family. “I never expected to be a refugee because where I belonged, we had a farm, land, property,

Biblical Snapshot

By Frank Ritchie “Get up, take the child and his mother to Egypt” (Matt 2:13).

These were the words uttered to Joseph by an angel following the visit of the Magi to the Christ child.

With those words spoken to him as a warning, Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod, who was seeking to kill the child.

Rohingya refugee, Rafique meets the Tearfund staff.

PICTURES: Sophie Rice

cattle, everything we owned. The Rakhine state is mostly empty.

Our land is probably now jungle.”

While living in the camp, Rafique worked for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as a voluntary community support worker, visiting families to check how they were coping. In a place where human trafficking, early marriage and domestic violence are prevalent, this work was vitally important, he says. It was this job which granted Rafique the opportunity to move to New Zealand in 2008.

He was 24 when he arrived by himself under the refugee quota, and despite being fluent in four languages, Rafique’s lack of ability to speak or understand English made it a very difficult transition.

“When I first arrived, I couldn’t speak English, I couldn’t write, I couldn’t do any of that. I had a telephone connection and phone bills, but I didn’t know how to pay the bill. I didn’t know what it was, or where to go, so I was given a bad credit rating and had to wait five years for it to clear. It was a huge struggle for me.”

Laura and Rafique. three to upskill. He enrolled in English classes, advancing from ESOL to intermediate to academic, and six months later when his family joined him in New Zealand, he was able to guide them through the process.

Now fluent in English, Rafique has started learning Te Reo Maori and has completed a Bachelor’s degree in social work. He is determined to make use of his first-hand understanding of what it means to be a refugee by helping others.

I understand the feeling of a refugee, the struggle of a refugee, the pain of a refugee, how they suffered, they lost somebody… that’s why I chose social work—to help other families.

He’s a wounded healer, an inspiration, and an incredible reminder of why we do what we do because the life of every person counts, and that’s a belief worth fighting for.

“When I came to New Zealand, I realised social work would be the best way to help people, and being a refugee, I understand the situation of a refugee.

Donate to Tearfund’s Rohingya crisis by visiting Tearfund.org.nz.

We’re also raising funds for Syrian refugees this Christmas through the ‘Room at the Inn’ appeal.

Fleeing to escape persecution and death. Fleeing to provide safety for his family. Fleeing so that his family would not fall victim to the violence that was about to unfold.

It was the story of Jesus’ early life, and it is the story of so many who have been affected by the conflict in Syria. As the conflict continues, so does the struggle of those most affected by it, the refugees.

story of Christ as a child? We follow a Saviour who experienced the immensity of the human struggle, including the hardship faced by refugees who flee their homeland because it is no longer safe.

keeps going, but the challenge is to keep making room for those who flee danger.

Is it any wonder that part of the challenge of scripture (Matthew 25:31-46) calls us to see Christ in those who struggle when the plight of refugees in our time reflects the

The plight of modern refugees is a crisis, and that crisis is not letting up, as conflict continues to ravage millions of lives. It would be easy to feel fatigued by it because it

But it didn’t take long for the intelligent, motivated father-of-

If we had lived in Egypt and the unknown Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had turned up in our neighbourhood, would we have made room for them?

Tearfund’s work with Syrian refugees in places like Lebanon continues thanks to the generosity of churches who have taken up the challenge. Churches there have and are making room for refugees, but they can’t do it without us all choosing to make room for those people in our lives in some way.

You have been generous in making room for Syrian refugees, and our hope is that the door of your heart will remain open as the need continues.

"Get up, take the child and his mother to Egypt."

Matt 2:13

PICTURE: Helen Manson

4 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

Goats and human trafficking

By Sarah Pollok It was on a mountaintop in the remote village of Petitol, Nepal, when I first looked into her eyes.

After years of giving to Tearfund, I was finally seeing where my money had ended up; who it helped to empower and educate.

Tentatively, she met my gaze and it would have been the most touching of moments had she not smelt of manure and baked soil.

Although, as a goat, I guess she didn’t mind.

Running back to the rest of the herd, her owner, a woman dressed in a vibrant red sari, beams and babbles away in Nepalese at a speed that our translator Samendra only just keeps up with. Although you don’t need to speak the language to understand this lady is positively thrilled about her goats in a way that is infectious. She goes on to explain that the 20-strong herd before us started with just two baby goats and a loan from her local Women’s Action Group, an initiative started by Tearfund’s partner, Share and Care.

Based out of Kathmandu, the organisation tackles trafficking by educating villages about safe migration and empowering women through various Action Groups. While the team were met with apprehension when they first arrived in Petitol, five years on, the 21 members continue to gather with over 50 women on a waiting list to join.

So, what do goats have to do with human trafficking? Many young women are lured into human trafficking because of their financial vulnerability. They are promised good jobs in other countries and in their desperation to lift the financial burden off their families, they choose to believe the jobs are legitimate. In most cases, they end up being trafficked. Goats can provide a livelihood for women that reduces their vulnerability.

The system works like this: a Women’s Action Group is formed. It has a chairwoman, deputy, treasurer and secretary.

Members are loaned 2,500RP (about $32) to buy animals like chickens or goats. Two months later, the loan is returned to the ‘motivational basket fund’, and the women continue to make money by breeding and selling their livestock. Members also pay a monthly fee of 50RP (about 60c) each month, which grows their loan fund.

See, in these little villages, the inaccessibility isn’t just geographic but social; women don’t handle the money, not because they are incapable or untrustworthy, but simply because it is usually the man’s responsibility.

In the same way that a goat isn’t just a goat for these women, the Women’s Action Group isn’t just a micro-financing group; it’s a system of support, education and guidance. Before they know it, two goats become 20 goats, and a loan becomes a stable source of income for an excitable Nepalese woman who can suddenly afford to send her daughter to school along with her son.

Sure, a goat isn’t as flashy as a new building, or as impressive as feeding 1,000 kids, but it's systematic. It’s the sort of system that changes families, changes lives and changes society in a way that will outlast any single donation or project. I guess, as smelly as they are, I’m comforted by the fact that my money can buy something as simple as a goat that can help towards changing a woman’s life.

Eventually, it’s time for the Tearfund group to clamber back into the dusty trucks and leave Petitol. As we bump down the mountain road, the rear-view mirror is filled with the smiling woman amidst her baby goats, and I can’t help but smile too.

Helping to restore lives after a disaster.

New Restore Fund launched At Tearfund, we are always challenging ourselves to be more efficient and to make the most of the donations you trust us with. With this in mind, we are excited to tell you about our latest initiative—the Restore Fund.

The Restore Fund aims to help disaster-affected people faster and more effectively, and we’re inviting you to be part of this. In addition to single gifts to disaster appeals, the Restore Fund is a regular monthly donation from as little as $30 a month. So, what does this mean for Tearfund’s disaster responses?

With a regular gift from people like you we can: • Respond faster to the needs of disaster-affected people • Be proactive and more targeted in our responses • Take preventative action to reduce the loss of lives and the damage caused by disasters and conflict through ongoing Disaster Risk Reduction measures • Support people suffering from the effects of protracted conflicts until they can safely return home • Respond sooner to slow-onset disasters such as drought, before the situation turns to famine • Help to support peacebuilding initiatives

Sarah and Barb Pollok with goat farmer Ambika Dulal.

PICTURES: Helen Manson

• Respond to ‘forgotten disasters’ that don’t stay in the news headlines for long, without needing to launch a disaster appeal

If you want to know what can be achieved by giving to our Restore Cause, check this out.

Tearfund responds to the needs of thousands every year. For instance, last year funds raised were used to support a programme inside Syria, which helped 2,655 displaced and vulnerable Syrian families (approximately 13,275 individuals) to keep them warm in sub-zero temperatures. The displaced people received blankets, fuel for heating, and winter clothes. Our Christmas appeal this year, “Room at the Inn” (see page 1) is again helping Syrian refugees to stay warm this winter.

And in Uganda, between July 2017 and January 2018, we delivered 7,710,000 litres of safe drinking water (7.7 million litres!) to support an estimated 44,900 people have a daily emergency ration of water (15 litres of water per person per day). About 70% of the population who received water were refugees who had fled extreme violence in South Sudan. This was a life-saving intervention. This was all achieved thanks to our Tearfund supporters!

If you would like to the join a community of people who are helping disasteraffected people in a more timely and efficient way, you can sign up on the Restore page of our website under disasters in the “our work” section or give us a call on 0800 800 777.

5

Events

Joel McKerrow

PICTURE: Supplied

Poetic Justice Joel McKerrow - Writer – Performance Poet – Speaker – Educator Touring with Tearfund, November 7 – Auckland, November 8 – Wellington and November 10 – Christchurch.

Check out www.tearfund.org.nz for dates and venues near you.

Joel McKerrow is an awardwinning writer, speaker, educator, community arts worker and one of Australia’s most successful international touring performance poets. Joel has performed for hundreds of thousands of people around the world since 2010.

Joel has released three music/ spoken word albums, two books of poetry, and has had his writing featured in a myriad of well-known and respected international publications.

Recently, Joel’s debut theatre show, The People of the Sun, which he co-wrote with actress Anna McGahan, played to sellout audiences and received rave reviews throughout Australia.

Alongside his poetry and writing, Joel is a highly sought-after speaker at conferences, churches and gatherings all over the world, teaching on the intersection of spiritual formation, social justice, creativity and identity.

“Joel McKerrow is a masterful wordsmith, and a transfixing performer.

Joel's passion for people and for the brokenness of this world to be restored is evident through his advocacy and his solidarity.

- Vickie Reddy He inspires us through his poetry to care for humanity and to seek out the flourishing of all. I am excited for the rest of the world to discover Joel McKerrow.’ *Vickie Reddy is the Executive Producer of The Justice Conference US.

Tour of NZ 2019 Saturday, April 6 to Saturday, April 13, 2019.

Join us on an adventure of a lifetime! Tearfund is excited to present the opportunity to cycle in the iconic Tour of New Zealand. Riding/racing through the beautiful South Island (Queenstown, Crown Range, Mount Cook), then flying on a

chartered flight from Christchurch to Rotorua, we will then make our way down to Wellington, past the Chateau and Whanganui River. We will be fundraising to help bring freedom to people caught in sexual exploitation.

For costs and information, please contact Beth Harper at beth@tearfund.org.nz or phone 0800 800 777.

Create your own challenge to help Tearfund fight human trafficking and exploitation.

PICTURE: Alex Carter

Poverty Cycle comes to you

By Laura Brookes You’ve probably heard the news…

Poverty Cycle is going nationwide!

It’s changing in a big way, and I’m here to share with you the reason why.

In 2011, Tearfund’s Poverty Cycle started as a road event, and for the past seven years, we’ve watched it go from strength to strength.

Hundreds of people have taken part, and along with other spin-off cycling events, raised more than $800k for our anti-trafficking and exploitation work.

It’s because of this strong foundation, built from blood, sweat and tears—that we’re now able to take the Poverty Cycle nationwide. We’re able to extend it beyond just one day. Beyond one city. Beyond just one sport.

The new Poverty Cycle is a nationwide, month-long challenge open to all New Zealanders.

Why? Because we want this vision to go as far as it can—from the tip of Cape Reinga down to the southernmost point of New Zealand, and to every town in between.

You can participate using any kind of movement. It doesn’t matter whether you run, cycle, swim, hike or jump-rope, as long as you’re moving with us this March.

Not for us, but for our friends in Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Fiji and Sri Lanka. For the 24.9 million people enslaved in forced labour exploitation around the globe.

We’re moving for them this March.

Will you join us?

Go to: povertycycle.org.nz

6 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

The gift that brings hope Are you looking for a unique and meaningful Christmas gift?

You’ve found it!

Gift for Life is the perfect way you can honour a loved one with a Christmas gift that’s a little different, while helping someone in need.

Giving a little has never meant so much!

Here’s how it works: When you buy a Gift for Life, you’re actually giving a donation. Your donation goes to a project, helping people in vulnerable communities to receive these gifts.

You’ll receive a card to give to your loved one, letting them know you’ve donated a gift on their behalf.

PICK A

GIVE A

gift

card

love

Choose a life-changing gift from this collection.

We’ll send you a card to personalise for a friend.

Tell them the donation goes to those who need it most.

Soul Aid

Worth a Shot

Training in psychosocial first aid

Immunisations

Share Survival Your gift will help provide life’s essentials to vulnerable communities

$10

"Before the programme, I didn’t know about immunisations, nor about nutritious food or how it’s important to get some sunlight for vitamin D. The medicine and supplements have given my son strength." Paru Devi Bunker, India

$40

Snuggles

Warm Hearths

"I learnt how to breastfeed and about nutrition. As a result of breastfeeding, my son is healthier than my other two children. I love to learn about caring for children, and the things I have learnt I keep in my heart."

"It was winter and it was cold.

We didn’t have any mattresses or blankets. Tearfund's partner came alongside us and gave us mattresses, blankets, clothes, food and fuel for a stove to keep warm."

Newborn care

$30

SA VE TIM E ON TH E IN TE RW EB !

A cow

"Our only source of income, a buffalo, was killed during the earthquake. We were given chickens to raise. Chickens grow fast, and we earn a good income.

Now we can rebuild our home and send our kids to school."

$180

Amisha*, Nepal

Fresh Milker

"Before the project, we had few markets for our milk. I am happy to be part of the project because I have seen how the lives of poor people have improved. They can send their children to school."

Ilangeswarvanana, Sri Lanka

Home to Roost

A calf

"My income from the sale of excess milk has increased and this month I received $110(USD)… this is big money for us. I have never seen such an income—this will help my daughter in her university education." Banumathi, Sri Lanka

$100 Moover & Shaker

A chicken

Your gift will help provide food and income to vulnerable families

Trauma counsellor, Bangladesh

Syrian Refugee, Lebanon

Hen Picked

$12

"Family by family we seek out the most vulnerable, hearing their stories and assessing their most critical needs. Recognising the deep emotional pain in many refugees, plans are set in motion to address this invisible crisis."

Fuel for cooking and heating

Asniman, Indonesia

Farmer's Friends

SHARE THE

A chicken farm

$75

"I received training on how to raise chickens, and it has been life-changing. I grow them until they are big enough and make a good profit. I am keen to share this knowledge with others."

Buddhikari*, Nepal

$420

Order for Christmas faster at

giftforlife.org.nz

Purchasing online is faster and significantly reduces processing costs.

NB: If the number of gifts sold exceed the amount needed for a project, we'll redirect donations to where most needed. You’ll still receive the card you originally chose.

7 Kick Start

Early Start

Small business start up

Farmer training

Change Makers

$25

Your gift will help someone in a vulnerable community earn a stable income

"With the increased income from applying the skills I gained in organic farming, I have been able to concrete my house and buy a motorbike so that my children can travel to school instead of walking 7km."

$150

Marilou Buclasan, Philippines

Literal Change

"It was difficult to feed my six children and pay for school expenses. I joined a self-help group and borrowed money to start a butter business. With the profits, I’ve been able to educate all my children. My life has changed, and I am happy."

Saphange**, Ethiopia

Veggie Patch

Women’s literacy

Community garden

"Learning was difficult for me, and my confidence was low. Now that I can read and write, I have my own identity as someone who is literate. I can speak to others and participate in awareness programmes in my village."

"I like to eat meat, but it has been nice for everyone to work together growing vegetables.

It is good to have another way of making a living and looking after our children."

$40

Boumaya, Nepal Illustration by Alice Berry

$300

Chogdon, Mongolia Illustration by Alice Berry

Deep Healing

Free School

Vorleak* was taken advantage of by a family member when she was 12 years old. Through a trauma-informed care approach, Tearfund’s partner provided a safe and encouraging community where she was able to heal.

"After my father died, it was difficult to pay my school and stationery expenses. This meant I had to drop classes. The scholarship means I don’t need to worry about that. My hope is to become a teacher one day." Durga*

Trauma care

Traffick Alert

$100

Your gift will help combat human trafficking and exploitation

High school scholarship

$270

Vorleak*, Cambodia

(15), Nepal

Unlock Freedom

Snapped

"I was offered a job in childcare, but in reality, I was forced to work in a brothel. I met an investigator, and even though I was afraid, I went with him. I am thankful that I am no longer a slave."

Sarah*, Thailand

In a Thai case involving an organised network of brothels, six offenders received significant sentences but only two years' probation. Tearfund’s partner successfully appealed this outcome, awarding THB $2mil of compensation to victims and imposing THB $2.3mil of fines.

Prosecution of traffickers

Anti-trafficking

$120

Illustration by Hope McConnell

Good to Goat A goat

Timely Tucker

Kabita is 24 and lives with her husband and disabled daughter.

They were struggling financially, but Kabita was able to buy two goats with a loan. She now has seven goats and plans to continue goat farming.

Emergency food

Top Gifts

$15

Our all-time most popular gifts for New Zealand

"I’ve been given food boxes in the last few months. I don’t have a favourite thing inside it because everything inside the box is grace."

$50

Syrian refugee mother, Lebanon

Double Shot Coffee plant

"After Cyclone Pam, I felt discouraged. I had lost all my hard work, and was going to give up on coffee, but then I received training and seedlings from Nasi Tuan which encouraged me to replant and improve my plot."

Nowia, Vanuatu

$580

Kabita, Nepal Illustration by Alice Berry

A bit of everything Something for everyone Can't decide what to give your loved one? Get them a bit of everything! This gift helps ensure that no one misses out on the help they need.

$20

$50

*Names have been changed for security reasons.** Saphange not pictured.

1. Your Details

2. Choose your gifts

Supporter Number (if known)

Full Name

Address

Post Code

Phone D.O.B. Email Please send me monthly emails from Tearfund about your work.

Got a questi

on?

CALL US NOW 7O7N 0800 800 7

Qty

GCHILD Worth a Shot $10 GCHICK Hen Picked $12 GFEED Timely Tucker $15 GCOFFEE Double Shot $20 GFARM Early Start $25 GBABY Snuggles $30 GLEARN Literal Change $40 GAID Soul Aid $40 GGOAT Good to Goat $50 GGIFT A Bit of Everything $50 GCALF Fresh Milker $75 GGUARD Deep Healing $100 GFUEL Warm Hearths $100 GSTOP Unlock Freedom $120 GMBL Kick Start $150 GCOW Moover & Shaker $180 GEDU Free School $270 GVEGE Veggie Patch $300 GCHFA Home to Roost $420 GRIGHT Snapped $580 Pack of Christmas Cards GPXMAS $25 GPBDAY Pack of Birthday Cards $25 Pack of Thank you Cards GPTHANK $25 Add a little extra to help cover postage?

Add whatever amount you'd like in the space to the right:

Send via courier I don’t need gift cards for this donation

$5

Grand Total $

$ Total

3. Payment Options Credit Card

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Expiry

Number on card

Post this form to: Tearfund, Freepost 140677, PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150

Themed Greeting Cards Pack of six cards that make a difference

Purchase a Birthday pack, Christmas pack or Thank you pack—they’re perfect for all sorts of special occasions!

What’s more, all profits go towards Tearfund’s life-changing projects around the world.

$

us : Bony pack

r Eve with a es pcom of wra r! et she g pape pin

$25

PER PACK

8 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

Agriculture effective in reducing poverty

By Keith Ramsay

Working collectively

When it comes to investing our hard-earned cash, we tend to focus on the return on investment. In other words, how is my investment likely to perform? If you are looking to use your charitable giving for maximum impact, the smart bet for your donation is investing in programmes that support smallholder farming, according to a recent Food and Agriculture Organisation Report.

Most of these smallholders work their land by themselves with the aim of providing for their families and perhaps trade a little locally with other smallholders. But when farmers are organised, they can harness the production of their collective small plots to regularly supply the volume necessary for markets for improved prices.

The 2017 report showed that small-scale agriculture growth is almost three times more effective at reducing poverty than growth in the industrial and service sectors. However, despite a UN Sustainable Development Goal that aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030, agriculture remains largely underfunded.

According to the World Bank, worldwide, there are around 2.1 billion poor people, and 767 million still live in extreme poverty. Of these, nearly 75 per cent live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their subsistence. This means that those living in poverty have at least two assets: land and their labour. However, this army of smallholders are missing a few pieces of the puzzle that could potentially help them to move beyond subsistence levels and greatly improve their incomes and their local economies. The smallholders not already on the journey to sustainable agriculture usually lack some of the following critical inputs:

Access to small amounts of fair credit Access to fair credit can help farmers to move beyond subsistence. They can use this capital to buy seeds or animals, work their land, or to provide for their families until their crops or animals are sold. They may also be able to eventually upscale their production with access to loans.

Training for effective production Better knowledge can improve production levels and improve the quality of produce. Many smallholder farmers have been brought up to rely on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which are costly and harm the environment. Organic methods, however, can reduce the cost of production and improve the quality of the soil. There is also often a ready market for organic produce.

Connection to markets Connections to markets is a critical part in improving incomes. This requires a supply chain from farm to market so that the produce reaches the markets in a quality state and there is sufficient volume to meet market needs. This may include chilled transport if markets are far away, or a shipping infrastructure.

Adding value to raw products

Tearfund is helping people like Malou in theplant Philippines to create a Smallholders communal vegetables sustainable income. following Cyclone Pam on Tanna Island, Vanuatu. by further processing can also enhance returns.

So how do these farmers take the leap from land and labour to be players in the local economy that will see their household incomes improve and, at the same time, develop community support networks?

That is where the smart donor investment, along with a strong community development programme, comes in.

Using the building blocks above, Tearfund’s Empower projects are achieving incredible results with support from our supporters. In our dairy project in Sri Lanka, our coastal agriculture programme in the Philippines, and vegetable growers in Mongolia, people have seen their incomes grow significantly.

PICTURE John Sophie Rice PICTURE Watson

Dairy farmer incomes in our dairy programme in Sri Lanka have grown by more than threefold, allowing them to cover costs including education for their children. For instance, Banumathi, a dairy farmer from Sri Lanka, says he earnt $100 US in just one month from the sale of his surplus milk. “This is big money for us. I have never seen such an income—this will help my daughter in her university education.” In Mongolia, the average grower has seen an increase of almost 700% in their income over five years from the sale of vegetables.

This has been achieved by organising producers, providing fair credit loans, training, and establishing a value chain from the farm to the market.

If you would like to support one of Tearfund’s Empower projects, go to our website and look under Empower. You can help Empower farmers in several countries around the world.

Quick Facts The UN Global Compact states that small-scale food producers produce 40% of the food which is traded and 70% of all the food in the world.

Worldwide, the 475 million small farms of up to two hectares account for more than 80% of all farms but cover only about 12% of the world’s farmland. (FAO SOFA, 2014)

PICTURE John Watson

9

Advocate!

Kiwi shoppers are using Tearfund's Ethical Fashion guide to buy clothes that are more ethically produced.

PICTURE Unsplash

Ethical Fashion update

By Claire Hart On April 18, Tearfund released the 2018 Ethical Fashion Report and Guide in conjunction with Baptist World Aid Australia. More than 3,000 Kiwi’s downloaded The Ethical Fashion Guide on April 18, and over 8,500 have a copy.

The Ethical Fashion Guide and the Ethical Fashion Report, which it is based off, are powerful tools for creating change in the fashion industry. We are seeing positive change in the companies that we are working with. About 60% of New Zealand companies assessed in 2017 and 2018 have improved their grade. To achieve a grade improvement, companies have been committing significant time and resources to ensure that the workers in their supply chains are protected. The companies understand that it is no longer acceptable for workers to be exploited in order to sell clothes at a low price.

At Tearfund, research has begun for the 2019 Ethical Fashion Report, where we will be working with 30 New Zealand companies.

We can’t tell you who they are yet, but we know you’ll be just as excited as we are.

In other exciting news, we have a new addition to our Ethical Fashion Research Team. Meet Annie, a former veteran of the fashion industry, and now our resident ethical fashion guru.

Annie is no stranger to the intricacies of producing wellmade clothes, having previously designed and produced her own collections throughout her Bachelor of Design, and working at one of New Zealand’s top labels.

Her time working in the thick of the fashion industry has proven to be invaluable in understanding the ins and outs of ethical production.

Annie will now journey alongside brands, to improve their ethical practices through the production of the Ethical Fashion Guide.

The Wardrobe Challenge If you’re like me, you would have had moments when you cringe at just how many clothes you own from brands that didn’t rank highly in this year’s Ethical Fashion Guide.

If only we could get whole new ethical wardrobes… but if we threw out every item in our wardrobes tomorrow, we would be like all those multi-national brands that dump their unwanted clothes.

Instead, there is a quick and easy way to speed up the process of making over your wardrobe!

Assess the situation Take a hard look at your clothes.

Take out your activewear or old clothes you use for gardening.

Put these aside. They aren’t part of this challenge.

Make three piles The always wear, the special occasion wear, and the never wear.

The ‘always wear’ pile With this group, you want to be able to say with confidence that you wear every item in this pile regularly. Not that you wish you did, or you plan to in the future.

These clothes are your go-to, all-day everyday wear. When you’re sure that each item fits this description, you can leave this pile alone.

Annie Hollister-Jones

events? Or do you have a whole lot of statement pieces you’ll never wear again, but the price and/ or detail means you can’t part with them? Be ruthless and put the items you won’t wear into the ‘never wear’ pile. The rest keep right there.

The ‘never wear’ pile Now, that never wear pile… why aren’t you wearing these items? Are they broken, do they scratch, or are they uncomfortable to wear? Have you outgrown them? Do they have some memory attached to them?

I want you to separate these clothes into two piles—the ‘fix-it’ pile and the ‘goodbye’ pile.

Fix-it, or goodbye?

This is where it gets exciting. Sure, it’s also a little anxiety-inducing but now is your time to step up and move these two piles along. For the fix-it pile, take it to a handy sewer you know, or to a clothing alterations shop.

As for the goodbye pile… well, it’s up to you what happens to these clothes. Here are a few suggestions to help you out: • Drop them to your local op shop • Tear them up into rags to use for cleaning around your home

The ‘special occasion wear’ pile

• See if a local fabric store or upholsterer will take the scraps

Take an honest look at this pile.

Do you have a few garments that are your favourites for fancy

• Host a clothing swap with friends (and encourage them to take up the challenge too)

Join us at The Justice Conference

By Sophie Rice The Justice Conference is one of the world’s largest biblical and social justice conferences.

Hosted by Tearfund, it’s kicking off on November 2 and 3, in Auckland. We bring together followers of Jesus to be equipped and encouraged to pursue justice as they hear from leading theologians, practitioners and artists. And we create space to explore a theology of justice and wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus in a modern world.

So we asked some of our Tearfund staff…

Why is justice important to your faith?

Victoria: “As Christians, justice is our obligation. We’re supposed to be God’s hands and feet, and He fights for justice.”

Katy: “Injustice is the polar

What issue is most important to the New Zealand church right now?

Glen: “Refugees. It’s great to see an increase in the New Zealand quota but we and other countries have got to do more.”

opposite of God’s heart. People really matter to God, and I won’t stand for unfairness or underserved outcomes for God’s children.”

Rosie: “Suicide and depression

Kelly: “It’s one of the things

between rich and poor in Aotearoa. How can the church keep ignoring families living in cars, in the middle of cold New Zealand winter?”

Jesus clearly demands from us (and there’s not many!). It’s his clear commission, I know it both biblically and in my heart.”

rates. Bringing hope to our young people who are having an identity crisis.”

Andrew: “The growing gap

Every single moment God is pulling creation towards His intended purposes to restore and renew. Come to The Justice Conference and gather with people like these, as we join in this prophetic act.

The Justice Conference Aotearoa 2018 November 2 and 3.

Victory Convention Centre, Auckland.

Register online now. thejusticeconference.org.nz.

10 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

Sponsorship shaping lives

By Melody Lamb My two daughters and I had the privilege of visiting one of our sponsored children in June this year. Pathum is 13 years old and lives in Sri Lanka. He shares his grandmother's house with his immediate family, consisting of his father, mother, younger brother and sister, and their extended family.

We were first greeted at the Compassion Sponsorship Project that is run out of the local church. We were made to feel very welcome. We were shown the history of their community through a beautifully illustrated timeline that they had taken the time to hand paint.

People at Curate church in Tauranga sponsoring children.

PICTURE Supplied

Curate creating community in Indonesia Six years ago, Joel and Katie Milgate attended their first Hillsong conference as pastors of Curate church in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga. When a short video was played about a young girl waiting to be sponsored in Indonesia, they were incredibly touched. They knew they couldn't sit back and do nothing about what they saw, and they believe God stirred in their heart.

Through Tearfund’s partnership with Compassion International, Curate selected a specific project in Manado, Indonesia and began to encourage their church community to sign up as child sponsors.

The next step was taking a small group across to visit the project.

We loved the thought of our sponsor kids being in community with each other, the same way we are at Curate.

They spent time with the local church in Indonesia that was administering the project and got to meet their sponsored children in person. This visit showed them the power of sponsorship as they saw first-hand the incredible difference it made in the lives of the children and their families.

Each year, they take one Sunday at all three locations (Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Whakatane) to bring focus to the community of children they sponsor through Tearfund in Manado. The response was amazing and another 87 children from their specific project were sponsored, taking their total to 200 children.

The pastor told me that before they partnered with Tearfund, their church was only around 50 people.

Now, nearly four years later, they have 350 and are very active in their community and extending their church.

It was very encouraging to see.

After some snacks and songs, we followed their van into what seemed like the jungle. After about 25 minutes, we arrived at an old house with a group of people and a couple of dogs waiting outside.

It was Pathum and his extended family, all waiting for us to arrive.

They were all dressed in their best clothes and made every effort to welcome and honour us. It was very humbling because they didn't

have much, but they made us feel like we were the Royal family. We gave them some groceries and gifts from New Zealand which were received with gratitude.

We sat and talked through an interpreter, who pointed out that Pathum was wearing the clothes he had bought with the birthday money I had sent through Tearfund. He looked very handsome and proud of his clothes. This warmed my heart, but also made me wish I had given more. I couldn't help comparing what we have to what they have and feel a little sad. But then I reminded myself that they were happy, and I was making a difference in their lives. The $52 a month I give to Tearfund is giving Pathum the opportunity to hear about Jesus, receive medical care and supplemental food, and because he lives far from the school, a bike to ride to and from school.

Although these are practical things and easily measured, when I looked into Pathum’s eyes and his mother's smile, I knew that the rewards of my sponsorship are hard to measure here on earth.

After enjoying some Sri Lankan refreshments, we bid our farewells and left with full stomachs and full hearts.

It was a very memorable occasion, and we will all treasure it for the rest of our lives. I believe that child sponsorship is not only helping shape the lives of these children, but the hearts of those who are giving, and I am glad to be one of them.

Another trip to Indonesia is planned and the church is engaged in writing to their sponsor children and receiving letters in return.

The impact that that Curate Church is making is huge as they partner with Tearfund and Compassion to release children from poverty in Jesus' name.

Want to sponsor a child too?

See the back page for more info!

Melody and her two daughters with sponsor child, Pathum and his family.

PICTURE Supplied

11

Vitória living in full colour

Vitória now lives a colourful life full of hope.

Story and pictures by Sara Navarro Brazil is known all over the world for its diversity of colours and joy.

However, in a country of extreme social inequality, the brightness of some seems to overshadow the lives of millions of people who have had their dignity stolen by poverty. Thousands of children are born in black and white contexts, without high expectations about themselves or the world around them.

Vitória's mother started to date another man. This man wasn’t very good to them, but he helped to support the family, so Vitória's mother moved to another neighbourhood and left Vitória to the care of her grandparents.

The house has only one bedroom, and the only water source is the makeshift shower in the backyard. Because they live by the river, in times of rain, the house floods and they have to shelter in another place.

Vitória is one of these children.

When she was born, her parents were addicted to drugs, and much of the money they earned fed their addiction. Their small house by the river is made of wood and clay and exposed Vitória and her family to many diseases. In addition to extreme poverty, her parents became ill, and Victoria's life became even more lonely and difficult. When Vitória was only three, her father passed away, making life harder for the family.

Vitoria’s grandmother, Emilia, is almost 60 years old and her body already feels the marks of time. Her husband suffered a stroke a few years ago and can’t help with the activities of the home. Even though she's only five, Vitória takes care of herself, bathing, brushing her teeth, changing clothes and brushing her hair. According to the Urban Child Institute website, lack of adult care in the first years of life makes it difficult for children to relate to others.

Vitória's mother was unemployed, and the only support they had was the help of Vitoria's grandmother. It was during this time that Vitoria was welcomed into Tearfund’s Compassion sponsorship programme.

“Once Vitória's mother came to pick Vitoria up and asked to speak to me privately,” says Joseja Silva, director of the project.

"In the early months, Vitória had very aggressive behaviour, and she was sad. She didn’t interact with anyone. She didn’t like to participate in project’s activities, and she was isolated from everyone,” says Josefa Silva.

She told me they had nothing to eat and asked us for help.

We provided a meal and donations for the family.

At the project, Vitória receives medical and nutritional support, learns skills and has the opportunity to learn activities that she would never have access to at home.

Despite the sadness and aggressiveness that Vitória

demonstrates, her project teachers know that her actions are the result of the lack of love and care in her life. Vitória had built a wall in her little heart that only love can destroy. Through the Compassion project and the constant love of her tutors and teachers, Vitória has experienced new colours in her life.

“Today, Vitória is a completely different child than two and a half years ago. Whoever sees her may not imagine that behind her contagious smile, there’s a life of so much suffering and abandonment.

The sad child has given way to an extroverted child who always tickles other children.

In all the activities we do, she stands out for her good communication and enthusiasm,” says Cláudia, her teacher at the project.

“I really like going to the project, but I prefer it when my grandmother goes with me because she talks to the teachers and says goodbye before she leaves. What I like to do most in the project is to play with my friends and eat the delicious

foods that we have there,” says Vitória.

The world which Vitória belongs hasn’t yet changed. She still wakes up in the same room that she shares with her grandparents, where she sleeps in a small hammock. At the time of the flood of rivers, she still needs to go to a shelter.

Despite this, there’s something new in her life that completely changes everything: hope.

Vitória's eyes are no longer sulking constantly. Now there’s the brightness and perspective of a different tomorrow.

Although her small heart feels the marks of her tough life, the love she has been receiving from her teachers and her sponsor is the essential cure for her wounds to be healed.

I’m so happy. I’d like to paint my body with pink and a lot of other colours, as my heart is inside, exclaims Vitória.

The love, joy and hope that Compassion gives her change the colours of her life.

12 | CORRESPONDENT – October 2018

Donate

Sponsor a child today!

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You can change a child’s life for just $52 per month.

Room at the Inn Disasters

The children featured on this page are waiting to be sponsored. Will you make their day by sponsoring one of them?

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To sponsor a child in this edition, call us on 0800 800 777.

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Location: South America Central America

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Briseyda

Age 5, from El Salvador

Maria

Age 8, from Ecuador

Sylvain

Age 4, from Togo

DOB 25/12/2012

DOB 6/11/2009

DOB 20/06/2014

Briseyda lives in El Salvador with her mother. Briseyda speaks Spanish. When you decide to sponsor Briseyda, you decide to start a life-changing journey with her.

Maria lives in Ecuador with her mother. Maria speaks Spanish. When you decide to sponsor Maria, you decide to start a life-changing journey with her.

Sylvain lives in Togo with his mother and father. Sylvain speaks French. When you decide to sponsor Sylvain, you decide to start a life-changing journey with him.

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Your details Fill in this section if you are making a donation or if you’d like to sponsor a child. We’d love to start journeying with you!

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Esther

Age 5, from Ghana DOB 4/04/2013 Esther lives in Ghana with her mother and father. Esther speaks English. When you decide to sponsor Esther, you decide to start a life-changing journey with her.

Address:

Kabilashani

Age 11, from Sri Lanka

Dilan

Age 7, from Ecuador

DOB 17/02/2007

DOB 20/12/2010

Kabilashani lives in Sri Lanka with her mother and father. Kabilashani speaks Tamil. When you decide to sponsor Kabilashani, you decide to start a lifechanging journey with her.

Dilan lives in Ecuador with his mother. Dilan speaks Spanish. When you decide to sponsor Dilan, you decide to start a life-changing journey with him.

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Debora

Davy Lukas

Age 6, from Ghana

Age 7, from Brazil

DOB 28/12/2011

DOB 19/10/2010

DOB 6/09/2012

Nana lives in Ghana with his mother and father. Nana speaks English. When you decide to sponsor Nana, you decide to start a life-changing journey with him.

Debora lives in Brazil with her mother and father. Debora speaks Portuguese.

When you decide to sponsor Debora, you decide to start a life-changing journey with her.

Davy Lukas lives in Brazil with his mother and father. Davy Lukas speaks Portuguese. When you decide to sponsor Davy Lukas, you decide to start a lifechanging journey with him.

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Vidu

Age 2, from Sri Lanka

Chakrit

Age 11, from Thailand

DOB 29/07/2016

DOB 19/03/2007

DOB 6/03/2009

Vidu lives in Sri Lanka with his mother and father. Vidu speaks Tamil. When you decide to sponsor Vidu, you decide to start a life-changing journey with him.

Chakrit lives in Thailand with his mother and father. Chakrit speaks Thai. When you decide to sponsor Chakrit, you decide to start a life-changing journey with him.

Nawkikoo lives in Thailand with her mother and father. Nawkikoo speaks Karen. When you decide to sponsor Nawkikoo, you decide to start a lifechanging journey with her.

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OUR PURPOSE

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Motivated by Jesus, we encourage Kiwis to act for justice and relieve poverty among the world’s most vulnerable people.

Editor: Keith Ramsay.

Contributors: Ian McInnes, Helen Manson, Laura Brookes,

0800 800 777 | tearfund.org.nz enquiries@tearfund.org.nz

Nawkikoo

Age 9, from Thailand

Frank Ritchie, Sarah Pollok, Claire Hart, Sophie Rice, Melody Lamb, Curate Church, Sara Navarro.

Art Direction and Design: Simone Cashmore.

Printing: PMP Print.