the
The newspaper from the Church of England for everyone in the Diocese of Guildford November 2015 - Issue 86
cofeguildford
@CofEGuildford
www.cofeguildford.org.uk
Bishop Andrew calls for PEACE I think the main aim is that all of us work together, local councils, Government, the churches and charities in order to help find good permanent solutions to this issue.
Find PEACE on the centre pages >>>
Government to double appeal donations tackling malaria in Nigeria This year’s Christmas appeal from Christian Aid will focus on the diocese’s link country, Nigeria, which accounts for a quarter of all cases of malaria in Africa and where 250,000 children under the age of five die as a result of malaria every year. The Government has announced match funding for the appeal. Pregnant women are vulnerable too with a higher risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, severe anaemia and delivering babies with low-birth weight – a leading cause of child mortality. A lack of knowledge and poor access to information on health issues make the situation worse with malaria accounting for 11% of all maternal deaths in Nigeria. An announcement by the Government that it will match every pound raised in Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal, which could help prevent many thousands of unnecessary deaths from malaria, has been welcomed by Bishop Andrew.
The UK Government will match every donation made to the Christmas Appeal between November 6 and February 5 up to a total of £5m and Christian Aid has prepared a range of resources to help parishes engage with the appeal, including an alternative nativity, prayers, reflections and decorations. Many of the partner organisations Christian Aid works through in Nigeria are diocesan organisations, including Aguata Diocesan Community Human Services (AD-CHUS) in Ora-Eri, south-eastern Nigeria, which provides life-saving mosquito nets and a public education programme delivered by trained community health agents. Community Development Committees have also been set up to ensure the Nigerian Government provides quality healthcare and free malaria treatments to clinics. Bishop Andrew said: “I commend this appeal which will protect the lives of many across the populous nation of Nigeria. It’s so important to look beyond ourselves and our close family
Onuchukwu Okoye is 28-years-old and has just given birth to her second child, a son called Israel, in the health centre in Ora-Er village. Seen here with staff nurse and midwife Dorothy Ukowfu, who had prescribed her with medication so that she didn’t get malaria during her pregnancy
circle at Christmastime, as we praise God for his ‘indescribable gift’ of his Son. “With UK Aid Match doubling every pound that is
raised and this being the fiftieth year of our link with the Church of Nigeria it seems a perfect opportunity for parishes to give generously. No child should die from a preventable disease.” Christian Aid regional coordinator for Hampshire, Charlotte Page said: “With churches’ support for this UKAid Match appeal, communities will better understand how malaria is transmitted, prevented and treated. “Last year, congregations across the country helped to raise more than £3.65 million for the Christmas appeal. “Our hope is that with the Diocese of Guildford’s long-standing relationship with the Church of Nigeria, parishes will lead the way in helping prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths from malaria.” Just £3 could buy a mosquito net and £60 could train three community health workers to deliver the nets and life-saving health advice in their local area. For more information and resources visit www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/christmas/
Inside: Google a grave - P2 • Tunisian beach attack survivor’s story - P5 • Is your church listening? - P7