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Bringing healthcare home in Malawi
BY CUTHBERT GONDWE WHEN A GROUP of women in Mbuto, Malawi, started gathering to study God’s Word, they soon felt God calling them to find new ways to reach out to people in need. “Acts of love [became] an important part of our ministry as women in our church,” says Edina Maenje, one of the leaders. This group of passionate, scripture-inspired women was started through two of World Renew’s local partners, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Nkhoma Synod (CCAP) and Eagles Relief and Development. A key step for these women was to meet with community members to discuss a shared vision for the future. Improving healthcare and food security were top concerns. Together, members and leaders got to work. They built a woodlot close to the community borehole to improve water preservation. They planted over 3,000 trees. People were trained in fertilizer making and permaculture and were given resources and training to grow bananas.
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In the last 10 years, gifts like yours helped 99,804 people in Mozambique access tools and training as they journeyed out of poverty.
With the nearest clinic located 10 km away on unsafe roads, many pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children in Mbuto were not receiving the medical care they needed. Poor nutrition, illness, stunting, and other complications were serious risks. After a politician's promises of a new clinic project fell through, leaders made plans to build a temporary clinic with mud and thatch while money was being raised for plaster and iron sheets. They also started to build a house for a health worker who could serve locally and travel to neighbouring villages. “Our church has been part of many development projects in our area. We have been in the forefront of mobilizing our communities,” says leader Mary Magombo. At various stages of these initiatives, she and other leaders embraced opportunities to work alongside other church leaders in the area. Thanks to the women’s efforts, the people of Mbuto now have new hope for their community’s future and are committed to bringing healthcare home.
Prayer Requests
BY THE SOUTH EAST AFRICA MINISTRY TEAM •
We ask God to guide World Renew South East Africa staff as they adjust to organizational changes and for insight and clarity for all involved in the recruitment of the new South East Africa regional director.
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Rains have finally arrived in Zambia; pray that they continue in the coming months so farmers can grow enough crops to feed their families and communities.
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Please continue to pray for political stability and peace for countries where we work in South East Africa, including Tanzania and Uganda.
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Seeds of knowledge sprout renewed hope
BY WORLD RENEW NICARAGUA CLAUDIA, 31, lives with her husband, Ezequiel, 34, and their son, Juan Francisco, 11, in a region in Nicaragua where long periods of drought leave farmers struggling to grow enough to support their families. “Since I was a child, I have been passionate about farming and have worked in the fields since I was 11 years old,” Claudia shares. “For a long time, I followed traditional techniques learned on large farms, but when we arrived in this community three years ago, we learned new practices.” Claudia explains that World Renew’s local partner, the San Lucas Foundation, invited farmers in the community, including Ezequiel, to visit a demonstration plot and witness for themselves the success of using conservation agriculture techniques, water collection systems, and more. They then received training in these methods. “The first training my husband attended motivated him greatly. He shared with me what he learned, and we started working together on our plot,” Claudia recalls. “Now we
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In 2025, to help reduce their farming costs, 100 farmers in Honduras were trained in making fertilizers, thanks to gifts like yours.
implement soil improvement practices such as the Huaca method, which helps maintain plants during the dry season. Additionally, thanks to the Zamorano tank (water collection system) and the micro-irrigation system provided by San Lucas, we ensure the healthy development of our crops even in dry periods.” Claudia and Ezequiel are grateful for all they learned. “This change has been an important step. We understand that to achieve good harvests, we must continue learning and applying these techniques,” Claudia says. “Our dream is to grow and become self-sufficient, working on our land and generating food and income from our harvests. We want to inspire others to work in a family-oriented and sustainable way.”
Prayer Requests
BY THE LATIN AMERICA MINISTRY TEAM •
As the United States government continues to tighten migration policies, pray for God’s provision for Latin American families returning to their homelands.
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Pray for opportunities to rebuild for Haitian families who were displaced by gang violence and those who lost homes and livelihoods to Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.
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Please pray for innovation and resilience for World Renew Latin America and our partners so that we are able to extend God’s hope to more families in 2026.
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A coupon for hope BY WORLD RENEW WEST AFRICA
IMAGINE BEING GIVEN an ultimatum to choose between: converting to a radical form of Islam, paying a tax worth about a month of living expenses for each male in your household, and having your child taken from you to be forced to join the armed extremist group, or being forced to leave without taking anything with you. Since April 2024, this has been the situation for many villages where World Renew West Africa’s local partner Showing Everybody Love* (SEL) has worked for years. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, 600 families received a coupon for five bowls of grain, with a choice between millet, sorghum, and corn. This approach gave them more ownership over their food sources while also decreasing the risk for SEL, as staff didn’t need to be responsible for transporting, storing, or distributing food. “Before receiving this assistance from SEL, it was really difficult for me,” one beneficiary named Tiganda shared. “I have 10 people that I am responsible for. Since we got to 6
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In the last ten years, 19,737 people in Senegal benefitted from generosity like yours and are now better equipped to overcome adversity.
the city, we have only been able to eat twice a day. With this assistance from SEL, we are now able to eat three times a day. The food we received should last us for 30 days. We are thankful for this assistance. May God bless SEL and all who have helped.” Please pray for God’s protection and provision for all people around the world who are persecuted because of their faith. *Partner name is a pseudonym. Due to security concerns, country location and partner name have been omitted.
Prayer Requests
BY THE WEST AFRICA MINISTRY TEAM •
Pray for God’s provision for families who have been displaced by conflict and for God’s peace across the region.
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Pray for a year blessed with good weather and bountiful harvests for all families who rely on what they grow to survive.
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Pray that this year brings new opportunities for World Renew and our partners to share God’s hope with communities struggling with hunger, poverty, and injustice.
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8 asia A woman’s courage in the face of adversity BY WORLD RENEW ASIA TO EASE THE burden of his family’s daily expenses, Asha*’s father married her off at the age of 16. But Asha paid the price for her father's inability to pay her dowry to her husband’s family. Asha was beaten and verbally abused by her in-laws and her new husband who struggled with alcohol addiction. Eventually, Asha was unable to bear the abuse any longer and returned to her parents’ home, where she was criticized and blamed for her fate. Asha felt helpless and alone. Many girls who are married at a young age never get the opportunity to complete their education, and some are denied the right to work. Asha took whatever day work she could find, but she continued to feel hopeless about her future. World Renew’s local partner implemented a Food Security and Resilience Project (FSRP) in Asha’s village in Asia*. In May of 2022, Asha seized the opportunity to join a women’s group formed with the support of the FSRP staff. The group members meet regularly to contribute to a group savings pool.
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Thanks to gifts like yours, in the last year, 1,294 people in Cambodia created a new business or improved their knowledge of income-generating activities.
Asha contributed to the group pool and participated in the weekly meetings. Because of Asha’s commitment and the challenges she faced, her group selected her to receive poultry rearing training facilitated by World Renew’s partner. She completed the training in 2024 and received five chickens to put her newfound knowledge into practice. Within three months, Asha’s chickens multiplied to 35. At the end of December 2024, she sold 15 chickens and earned $5,000 taka ($58 CAD). Today, she has 25 chickens and is planning to purchase 10 more. Asha, who is now 28 years old, has renewed hope for the future. She is extending that hope to others by sharing all she learned about chicken rearing with the members of her group. Encouraged by her success, other women have started rearing chickens and are experiencing good results. It makes Asha happy that her fellow members are also able to earn their own income. She is thankful to the FSRP project for the training that built her capacity and for the encouragement to journey to self-reliance. *For the security of the participant and partner staff, the participant’s name has been changed, and country and partner names have been omitted.
Prayer Requests BY THE ASIA MINISTRY TEAM •
Pray for peace and political stability in Bangladesh leading up to the general elections in February 2026; pray for a smooth transition from the current interim government that has been in place since the July Revolution in 2024.
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We praise God for the compassionate people who supported our Myanmar earthquake response and made it possible for our local partner to reach 1,300 vulnerable families with food Items, hygiene kits, tarpaulins for shelter, and sanitation kits.
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Please ask God for good health, wisdom, and encouragement for World Renew partners and staff working to renew hope for vulnerable families in Asia.
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“A light in our darkness”
BY JON SELF RAMIYA, 41, and her 19-year-old daughter Mirna live in a small, rented home with only a bed and a wardrobe for furniture. Mirna has cerebral palsy and joint laxity and needs constant costly care. Ramiya doesn’t have a stable source of income and often has to rely on the generosity of relatives who are also struggling. Even so, her real worries are about falling sick. She wonders, “Who would take care of my daughter if I did?” Ramiya’s husband provides no support. She says, “He completely abandoned us and doesn’t help at all.” Once, when Ramiya needed money to pay for basics, she had to sell most of her furniture. She shares, “I face the hardships of life alone, without owning anything in my name.” World Renew, with funding from Canadian Foodgrains Bank, works through a local church partner to provide support to vulnerable families in Syria, where civil war has left the economy in shambles. This support includes food baskets, winter essentials, and more. Ramiya heard that
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Over 2,150 families in Sudan and South Sudan are receiving life-saving assistance such as food, cash, and shelter thanks to generosity like yours. this church partner was providing support, so she went to register for help. She received food parcels, a carpet, a blanket, and boots and a jacket for Mirna. Ramiya says she is grateful for the assistance this winter. “Truly, you’re helping me a lot. You can’t imagine how much this meant to us,” Ramiya says. “The boots for my daughter came at the perfect time. She’s calmer now. She feels warm and protected. The jacket and boots really lifted her spirits.” Ramiya asks for prayers for her health and that she would find a steady job. She says, “It makes us feel less alone, that someone cares for us. It’s like a light in our darkness. It brings me comfort and gives me hope. It’s hard to think about the future when each day is a challenge, but knowing people stand beside us gives us strength. Thank you all so much—God bless you and those who donate.”
Prayer Requests
BY THE WORLD RENEW INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM •
World Renew Haiti is undergoing a restructuring and scaling up some new programming; please pray for this work as the country's security and political crisis persists.
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After the earthquake in August, families in Afghanistan are still in need of support as they rebuild their homes and livelihoods; pray for God’s protection and provision.
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Please pray for people in Bangladesh who are experiencing food insecurity, economic distress, and environmental issues due to the humanitarian crisis.
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We celebrate the work that has taken place over the years in these countries through World Renew. We also ask that you join us in praying for God’s guidance for the families we met in these three countries as we trust that, thanks to gifts like yours, they have gained the confidence and skills to continue journeying to food security, economic empowerment, and health. Pray too for partner staff and team members who have now completed their journey with World Renew. You may have noticed our Fieldnotes newsletter has undergone changes too! From this issue onwards, we will continue sharing stories about our community development work, but in each issue, we will also share a story showing how gifts like yours can help renew hope for families impacted by disasters. Thank you for your support. To learn more about our disaster response work, visit: worldrenew.ca/disasters
WORLD RENEW 3475 Mainway PO Box 5070, STN LCD 1 Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8
World Renew is grateful for compassionate people like you who support our mission to share Christ’s hope with communities struggling with hunger and poverty. We work faithfully to steward your gifts effectively. From time to time throughout our 60+ years of serving Christ, that has meant a closure of a country office. This year, our work of stewardship, alignment with our goals, and compliance with best governance and partnership practices has led us to close our Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique offices.
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A season of change