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I am delighted to welcome you to this edition of our digital magazine, where we share the remarkable impact of generosity in action.
In this edition, you will discover the power of charitable giving. The story of Aparecida, an 80-year-old Brazilian widow who saved coins from her small pension to help others in greater need is a heartwarming inspiration.
From Aparecida’s humble bag of coins in Brazil to Fr. Ulick’s water pump in Liberia in Africa, each story reveals how your support brings not just material aid but also restores dignity and hope to those facing hardship.
For over 14 years, Christians in Syria have endured war and disasters, yet they maintain hope because of friends like you. Dear Benefactors, as you read these stories, remember that you are the humanity in which Sonya from Syria still believes.
Thank you so much for your interest and solidarity in our mission of bringing aid to persecuted and discriminated Christians. Your concern and your love give us the strength and the ability to continue our mission.
If you have any questions about the work and commitments of Aid to the Church in Need, or would like to reprint any of the articles in this magazine in your parish or group newsletter, please do get in touch.
United in charity,
Stephen Axisa
Director
ACN Benefactor Aparecida Oliveira with Deacon Bruno Redígolo
In Brazil, an 80-year-old widow named Aparecida demonstrates the power of charitable giving through her remarkable dedication to helping others despite her own limited resources. Like the widow in the Gospel story who gave her last two coins, Aparecida doesn’t donate what she has left over—she sacrifices what she needs, exemplifying the purest form of charitable giving.
Aparecida de Oliveira raised eight children, including one with special needs, mostly on her own. Despite receiving only a small monthly pension, she was moved to action after reading about suffering Christians in the monthly magazine of Aid to the Church in Need. She began collecting spare change in a plastic bag, with each coin representing a personal sacrifice—something she denied herself to help others in greater need.
“Those coins were sacred to me. No one could touch them. They were with me, but they already belonged to ACN,” Aparecida explains, demonstrating how religious donations can be a deeply meaningful way to express one’s faith. When she finally brought her heavy bag of coins to a Mass for benefactors at São Paulo’s Saint Benedict’s Monastery, her humble contribution moved Friar Rogério Lima so deeply that he shared her story during his sermon, explaining that the bag wasn’t just filled with coins—it was filled with miracles.
Aparecida’s faith-filled approach to charitable giving inspires us all: “You can give away everything that Jesus places in your heart, because He will provide for all your needs.”
Through contributions like the one of Aparecida, Aid to the Church in Need supports over 5,000 projects annually worldwide, transforming the lives of millions of Christians facing persecution, discrimination, or extreme poverty.
Aparecida de Oliveira collected her coins for a whole year and, at the ACN (Brasil) thanksgiving Mass, she handed over the coins as an extra donation
Ready to make your own miracle? Even small donations can create significant impact when given with love. Donate today and join thousands of benefactors like Aparecida in bringing hope to those who need it most.
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From left to right Daughter of Aparecida Oliveira, Ana Manente (President of Concil of ACN Brazil), Aparecida de Oliveira and Friar Rogério Lima (Eclesiastical Assistance of ACN Brasil)
SYRIA: BRINGING LIGHT TO SYRIA’S DARKNESS
For young Syrians like Sonya, childhood memories aren’t filled with carefree play but with the sounds and sights of war. “I didn’t have a beautiful childhood. I was growing up when bad things started to happen,” she shares, her voice echoing the pain of an entire generation that has never known peace.
Young people in Syria lighting a candle in front of an image of the crucified Christ
Yet amid this darkness, humanitarian aid from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) provides essential lifelines of hope. Through dedicated project partners like Sr. Annie and her Congregation, ACN delivers food, medicines, fuel, and dignity to families who have lost everything. After 14 years of conflict, compounded by devastating earthquakes and political instability, these humanitarian projects have become crucial for survival.
Despite everything she has endured, Sonya maintains an extraordinary perspective: “I have hope in humanity.” This remarkable statement speaks volumes about the impact of ACN’s humanitarian projects in crisis regions—they don’t just meet physical needs but restore faith in human goodness.
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At ACN, humanitarian aid goes beyond material assistance to include the restoration of dignity and hope. For Christians in Syria, this support means:
• Emergency relief for earthquake survivors,
• Summer camps where children can escape violence and chaos,
• Repairs for damaged homes and churches, and
• Funding to keep Catholic schools operational
These initiatives are investments in Syria’s future and the preservation of its ancient Christian communities.
Will you stand with Syria’s Christians? Your contribution today can provide life-changing humanitarian aid to those Christians who have endured unimaginable hardship. Kindly support ACN’s work in Syria and be part of Sonya’s reason to hope.
Distribution of the anoraks in Aleppo. Sr Annie Demerjian
A girl praying the rosary at St Michael’s Greek Melkite Church in Aleppo
SUPPORTING ELDERLY CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA THROUGH MEDICAL AID
“Do not cast me off in my old age” – this biblical plea resonates deeply with elderly Syrians facing isolation and poverty. Unable to join family members abroad and currently caught in an economic crisis where inflation has made medications unaffordable, these vulnerable seniors rely entirely on humanitarian aid from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to maintain their dignity and health.
Sister Nataly one of our project partners taking care of a sick woman
Through the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, ACN provides life-saving medicines to elderly people across 13 towns and villages in Syria. This humanitarian aid addresses a critical gap in Syria’s healthcare system, which has been devastated by years of conflict.
Sr. Marie Rose Al-Barkil explains the urgent need: “After reviewing the situation of many elderly Christians in our parishes, we decided to increase the number of elderly beneficiaries so that we can provide them with medicines.” As inflation and poverty soar in Syria, the Sisters’ work becomes increasingly vital.
Supporting this initiative does not just provide medication—it preserves dignity in life’s final chapters. Each contribution represents a commitment to honoring our elders and ensuring they are not forgotten amid ongoing crises.
Help preserve dignity for Syria’s elderly
Christians. Your donation today will provide essential medicines through trusted partners on the ground. Kindly give now and ensure no elderly person is cast aside.
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Please “Help us support those in Need” thank you
An elderly woman collecting medical supplies supported by ACN in Aleppo Syria
An elderly woman supported by ACN in Aleppo, Syria
BRINGING CLEAN WATER AND RENEWED HOPE TO LIBERIA
In the African country of Liberia, where poverty and limited infrastructure create daily struggles, access to clean water represents more than convenience—it is a lifeline. For dedicated Priests like Fr. Ulick, the hours previously spent collecting water can now be devoted to serving their communities, thanks to humanitarian aid from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), in the form of water projects.
YOUR DONATION IS SAVING LIVES
Christian village people in Liberia in search of clean drinking water
ACN’s installation of a new water pump in Fr. Ulick’s parish demonstrates how targeted humanitarian projects create ripple effects of positive change. This single improvement transforms not just the Priest’s ministry but the entire Christian community’s access to this essential resource.
Fr. Ulick’s parish represents just one of many communities in Liberia still struggling to access clean water—a basic human right that remains out of reach for countless Christians.
That is why your continued support is so crucial. Your donation can bring hope and life to more parishes in desperate need, improving health and quality of life for countless individuals.
Bring the gift of clean water to communities in need. Your contribution will support lifechanging water projects in Liberia, improving health and bringing joy and relief to those who need it most. Kindly donate to water projects and help transform lives one drop at a time.
Water supply system in favour of St. Paul College Seminary - Gbarnga
50 BOTTLES
(€5.00) = A lunch for a poor schoolchild in Lebanon
80
BOTTLES
(€8.00) = A hot meal for a person in need in Syria
100 BOTTLES
(€10) = A blanket for a displaced child in Nigeria
200 BOTTLES
(€20) = One year of schooling for a displaced child in Nigeria
At a time when war is ravaging, with poverty and persecution of Christians on the increase, we ask you not to look away but to kindly turn to our Christian brothers and sisters with compassion and generosity. Our brothers and sisters need you now more than ever. Your kindness can be the lifeline that brings hope and relief to them in crisis. Will you stand with them and make a difference?
www.acnmalta.org/pleasedontlookaway
EMERGENCY AID FOR A CHRISTIAN FAMILY
Your kind generosity will help ACN to provide Christians in Syria with emergency aid – water, food, medicines and other essentials for struggling families in desperate need.
LIFE-SAVING MEDICINES FOR THE ELDERLY
Your support will help ACN provide life-saving medicines to elderly people in Syria, ensuring they can live with dignity despite the challenges of poverty and inflation.
SUMMER CAMP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
This project is an opportunity of hope and healing for children who are victims of poverty, war and persecution. Your donation can help a girl or boy heal from the
WATER PROJECT FOR A PARISH
In Liberia, many parishes face severe challenges without easy access to clean water. Your donation can help more parishes in desperate need, improving health and quality of life for countless Christians.
