Tear Times Autumn 16 by Tearfund

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 1 AUT UM N â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

.....................................................................................................

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL IN NEPAL www.tearfund.org

LADY LAZARUS

CHURCH VS POVERTY

TEN YEAR VISIONS

The miracle Ebola survivor

Thank you for transforming lives

Decade of development in Malawi

2 . TEAR TIMES

WELCOME... LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE DONE! Thank you for opening up this special edition of Tear Times. This is our opportunity to encourage you with how much your prayers and gifts make a huge difference in some of the poorest and most overlooked communities in the world – turn to the centre pages for full details. We know how important it is for you that we are good stewards of the money you have entrusted to us. So, I thought you’d like to know your individual copies of Tear Times and the Prayer Diary cost just 70p to produce and send. But they regularly bring in income of more than £200,000 in donations and around 100 more of you each edition pledge to give a regular monthly gift to Tearfund. Thank you, wonderful people! All the donations you give and the fervent prayers you offer are vital, particularly as poor communities face unprecedented levels of natural and man-made disasters. For Ganga in Nepal, last year’s earthquakes were a bitter blow. But, thanks to your long-term support, as soon as the earthquake hit – not days later when emergency supplies arrived – there were people trained and ready in her village to offer support. As I can personally testify, having visited Nepal, the needs in that country are huge, without being struck by such a devastating disaster. While the outpouring of generosity following the earthquakes has made a massive difference, these long-term needs persist. You can read more about Ganga and Nepal on page 8. So, thank you again for your prayers and gifts and be encouraged by what you are achieving.

Peter Shaw, Editor twitter @TearTimes | email editor@tearfund.org

Photo: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

TEAR TIMES . 3

CONTENTS NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES 04 News Big Church Day Out success and more updates 16 Big Bake Get baking to feed hungry families

20 Christmas Three ways to celebrate with Tearfund

FEATURES 08 Ganga’s life was in tatters… Then the Nepal earthquake tore it apart 13 ‘Inside I am dancing’ Tearfund’s vision, ten years on 18 The future belongs to God Baker Tom Herbert on making lifestyle changes

YOUR T U PULLO OF W REVIEYEAR THE

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Church vs Poverty Pull-out centre page review

REFLECTIONS 22 Lady Lazarus Meet the miracle Ebola survivor

Copyright © Tearfund 2016. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for Tearfund promotional use. For all other uses, please contact us. Cover image: Kopila who leads the Women's Group in Bhaltar, Nepal Photo: Tom Price/Tearfund

4 . TEAR TIMES NEWS

IN THE

NEWS ONE MILLION MEALS GIVEN AT BIG CHURCH DAY OUT On the weekend of 28 to 29 May, more than 25,000 Christians gathered at Wiston House in West Sussex for Big Church Day Out (BCDO) – an incredible time of celebration, prayer and praise. During the weekend, festivalgoers were given the opportunity to pledge £5 a month to help achieve our goal of raising enough support to provide 1 million meals. Incredibly, the final number of meals totalled 1,066,530. Praise God for this wonderful provision. ‘Disasters reduce people’s ability to live safely and have an impact on health and a family’s ability to earn a living,’ said Steve Adams, Head of Communications. ‘We are grateful for the generous response to the campaign, which will help communities affected by the complex consequences of disaster.’

was also at BCDO. On visiting Ethiopia in April to see Tearfund’s work, Will was introduced to teff – a gluten-free Ethiopian grain and staple ingredient – and at BCDO, gave festivalgoers a teff crêpe baking masterclass. Will said, ‘It was incredible to see how Tearfund works through local churches to unlock people’s potential and, in doing so, helps them discover new ways to help themselves. Seeing the support for Tearfund’s Give Like Jesus campaign this weekend made me realise there are thousands of generous people with a real passion to help others.’

‘We are grateful for the generous response to the campaign’ For more about Give Like Jesus visit www.tearfund.org/givelikejesus

Tearfund ambassador and award-winning chocolatier and patissier Will Torrent

Photo: Clive Mear/Tearfund

NEWS TEAR TIMES . 5

SHARE YOUR PASSION FOR FAMILIES IN POVERTY

‘There’s so much good news and so many stories to share’ Are you a great communicator who preaches with passion? Then you’re exactly who we’re looking for... If you enjoy speaking in public, have a deep passion for the Bible, poverty and justice and want to encourage others to give, we’d love you to join our team of Tearfund speakers. ‘Having been to Uganda and seen Tearfund’s work there, I’m really excited to be a Tearfund speaker,’ says Rev Sue Cooke. ‘There’s so much good news and so many stories to share. Being a speaker has challenged and strengthened my faith. It reminds me how good our God is and how much he has given to each one of us.’ We expect all our speakers to be excellent communicators, able to talk engagingly about the lives of people in poverty. If you are up to the challenge, we offer excellent training and development opportunities. To find out more visit www.tearfund.org/speakers or call 020 8943 7972. Above right: Tearfund speaker Rev Sue Cooke Photo: Nadine Parkinson/Tearfund

PAMOJA PARTY IN TANZANIA Pamoja means ‘together’ in Kiswahili and it’s also the name given to self-help groups in Tanzania. Launched in 2014, there are now 376 groups with more than 9,000 members. To celebrate the great achievements of group members, they gathered together in the Kongwa district to share stories, perform plays and enjoy games together. Self-help groups are a highly effective means of transforming the lives of people, families and communities, releasing the life-changing potential of people to escape a life of poverty. The 62 groups in the Kongwa District alone have saved 48 million Tanzanian shillings [£15,000] that they use to support each other with loans to start businesses. As a result of the celebration, another 11 groups were formed and a reforestation initiative – to encourage Pamoja members to plant trees – was launched. Thanks to your support, Tearfund partners have also established thousands of self-help groups across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Somaliland.

‘Self-help groups are a highly effective means of transforming the lives of people’ Photo: Azgard Stephen

6 . TEAR TIMES NEWS

IN THE

NEWS MARGARET’S ETERNAL GENEROSITY Margaret ‘Hank’ Andrews, was a committed Christian who lived out her faith in Jesus for more than 45 years. Brought up in south London, Margaret trained as a Chartered Surveyor alongside 25 male peers. She went on to become a lay reader, taking services and preaching. She sadly died in 2014. Margaret’s life was characterised by her generosity towards others. A close friend describes her as, ‘A remarkable lady and an inspiration to many.’ For more than 17 years, Margaret gave regularly to Tearfund and decided to continue blessing people in poverty by giving a gift in her will.

‘A remarkable lady and an inspiration to many’ Kirsty Hawes, Tearfund’s Legacy Executive, said, ‘It’s very encouraging for us when amazing people like Margaret leave a gift to release communities from poverty through Tearfund. We know her legacy will live on and have a huge impact.’ For more information about leaving a gift to Tearfund in your will, please contact Kirsty at legacies@tearfund.org, call 0208 977 9144 or visit www.tearfund.org/will

WRITING’S ON THE WALL FOR TERRIBLE LOOS It was a Toilet Twinning advert in a Welcome Break service station that showed Ali Vahdati how he could fulfil a lifelong ambition. He had grown up in Iran and had bad memories of school toilets. ‘I vowed that if I ever made any money, I would use it to make life better for schoolchildren in a poor country,’ he says. Ali and his wife, Emma, were both teachers before going into business. Now they have funded toilet blocks and wells for 18 schools in northern Bangladesh. When they visited the schools recently, one head teacher told them that the lack of toilets had ‘hampered our dignity and health’. ‘Ali and I are both passionate about education,’ says Emma. ‘We hope the toilets will mean the students are happier to be at school, and that they go on to lead successful, healthy lives.’ ‘This is the best money we’ve ever spent,’ says Ali. The Somerset couple are now funding a project in Guatemalan schools. To find out how to twin your toilet visit www.toilettwinning.org Above: Ali and Emma in Bangladesh Photo: Lorraine Kingsley/Toilet Twinning

Photo: Courtesy of Christopher Case

NEWS TEAR TIMES . 7

SWIFT WORK BRINGS CLEAN WATER TO CONGO Ungwa Sangani used to wake at 4am each day and take a two-hour round trip to collect water for herself and her three children. All this is a distant memory now that Tearfund has constructed a new gravity-fed water system which pumps water to Ungwa’s village, Lulinda, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ungwa says there has been a significant improvement in the health of her children since Lulinda received access to clean, safe water: ‘I’ve noticed that my children are less sick and we don’t have to go to the clinic like we did before,’ she says. This work has been done through the SWIFT Consortium, which aims to deliver sustainable access to safe water and sanitation and encourage the adoption of basic hygiene practices in the DRC and Kenya. The consortium, funded with UK aid from the British people, is part of the Department for International Development’s WASH Results Programme.

Giving thanks for The fantastic response to our appeal at the Big Church Day Out, and the provision of more than 1 million meals An amazing year in which, despite the huge challenges of natural and man-made disasters, the church was resilient in response The huge impact that Tearfundsupported self-help groups are having across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somaliland and Tanzania

PRAYER

PULSE

Praying for More passionate people to come forward and volunteer their time to tell the stories of poor communities as Tearfund speakers

SWIFT has provided almost 850,000 people in the DRC and Kenya with access to safe water or sanitation, and hygiene promotion activities. For more about the SWIFT Consortium visit www.swiftconsortium.org

Above: Ungwa Sangani now enjoys clean water Photo: Jane Beesley/SWIFT

An end to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has claimed up to 6 million lives since 1999 People to feel encouraged and moved when they receive messages of hope from the story of Jesus’ birth in Tearfund Christmas cards

8 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE

BY PETER SHAW

When the earthquake hit Nepal on 25 April last year, it was a bitter blow to Ganga and her family. It must have felt like salt being rubbed into an already open wound. Ganga’s simple home, that she shared with her husband and five children, was completely destroyed. Life was already a struggle for Ganga, who lives in the poor Dhading district in central Nepal. Like most families in the village of Bhaltar, she survived by farming vegetables. Unlike many other mothers, her income is not supplemented by her husband’s. Most working-age men in Bhaltar leave the community to find jobs in nearby Arab states – sending money home to their families. Photos by Tom Price/Tearfund

BRANDED ‘LAZY AND DIRTY’ Ganga is 38 years old, but her husband, Dilak, is 83. He’s too weak to help farm. Their older son Maila has a job, but it’s not enough to feed the family.

farm – which leaves a 2,000 square metre plot of their land uncultivated. For this reason, even within the poor community of Bhaltar, the family has been shunned, considered ‘lazy and dirty’ by villagers.

Alongside the struggle to provide food and essentials, Ganga has suffered the loss of two of her children – one aged eight, and the other when he was just four years old. She still mourns deeply for her sons and – in her grief – Ganga finds it harder and harder to work the land.

On top of all this, Ganga had given birth to a baby just one month before the earthquake. This could have been the last straw for an already desperate mother.

Two of Ganga’s surviving sons have mental health problems, so are unable to help her

Except for Kopila and the compassionate women of the village. Aged 22 and with a daughter of her own, Kopila is the vicesecretary of the women’s agricultural group in Bhaltar. It’s an initiative set up by

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 9

Tearfund’s partner United Mission Nepal (UMN) long before the earthquake. WOMEN WORKING TOGETHER Community leaders in Bhaltar invited UMN to help the village after they heard a radio broadcast warning of the health risks of chemical pesticides, including cancer, hearing and vision loss. Thanks to the farming training and support from UMN, the use of chemical pesticides has dropped by 75 per cent in Bhaltar. Families choose to use biopesticides instead.

‘GANGA’S FAMILY HAS BEEN SHUNNED, CONSIDERED “LAZY AND DIRTY” BY FELLOW VILLAGERS’

Above: Ganga, whose home was destroyed in the Nepal earthquake

10 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE

‘THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITY OF WOMEN IN BHALTAR IS TO FEED AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN. WE FORMED THE WOMEN’S GROUP TO MAKE IT EASIER.’ But the most significant change that UMN’s expertise and compassion has brought to the village is the creation of the women’s agricultural group. The group brings together farmers to pool resources, share expertise and support each other. ‘The main responsibility of women in Bhaltar is to feed and teach their children,’ says Kopila. ‘They need money to do this. That’s why we formed the women’s group to make it easier.’ The group now has 21 members and, through growing and selling vegetables, the women have saved 80,000 rupees (£530) to support each other’s agricultural activities and give grants for new farming initiatives. From small beginnings the women’s group

has become a powerful and supportive force for change in the community. SHAKEN BY THE EARTHQUAKE But a huge test for the resilience of the group came at 11:56am on Saturday 25 April 2015, when a major (7.8 magnitude) earthquake hit Nepal. It was the worst natural disaster to strike the very poor country since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless and entire villages flattened – more than 8,000 people were killed and over 21,000 injured. In the crucial weeks of recovery from the disaster, a second major earthquake struck on 12 May. Poor communities in Dhading district rely on farming to feed their families. So, it was a devastating blow that so much livestock was lost in the earthquakes. Vital water sources shifted or disappeared, which meant irrigating the land to grow vegetables became very difficult. But, in the aftermath of the earthquakes the Bhaltar women’s group did not falter – they took immediate action. Rather than looking just to their own needs, they sought out the weakest and most vulnerable hit hardest by the quake. Group members were also bolstered by the gift of emergency relief packs of tools and food from UMN. That’s why they were able to reach out to the poorest, including Ganga and her family. As vice-president, Kopila used her position to steer the group towards supporting the most vulnerable members of the community. When they learnt of Ganga’s hardship following the quake, the group paid for galvanized metal sheets to provide shelter. They alerted the local social worker to Ganga’s plight and UMN gave the family tarpaulin covers. REACHING OUT TO THE POOREST After the initial provision of shelter, the group invited Ganga to join them, so that her family could also benefit in the long term from the agricultural training, financial and emotional support. Left: Kopila, and her daughter, who led the initial earthquake response in Bhaltar village, Nepal

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 11

‘IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE EARTHQUAKES THE WOMEN’S GROUP TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION’

‘I have learnt to grow vegetables successfully and to make biopesticides from waste products found in our community,’ says Ganga. ‘My income has increased and I hope to start growing maize soon using seeds given to me by the women’s group.’ Since joining the agriculture group, Ganga’s children have begun to go to school regularly. ‘She is more active and involved

‘I AM WORRIED ABOUT HOW WE CAN BUILD A NEW HOME. WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE HERE – WE NEED A PROPER HOUSE.’ Above: Members of the Women's Group who help to transform lives in their Nepali village

with farming than ever before,’ says Dilak. Kopila hopes that by being part of the group, Ganga will gain in skills and confidence. ’Before they joined, some of the women didn’t feel confident even telling other people their name,’ says Kopila. 'They now have much more confidence to speak up. Through the training we offer, some women are learning to read and write for the first time.’ A NEW HOME FOR GANGA Although she’s making amazing progress, life continues to be a struggle for Ganga – as it is for the more than 700 families who lost their homes and possessions in Dhading district alone. ‘I am worried about how we can build a new home,’ says Ganga, whose family still live in the temporary shelter provided by the women’s group and Tearfund partner UMN. ‘We don’t have enough space here – we need a proper house.’

12 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE

Nepal remains one of the most deprived countries in the world, the second poorest in Asia. For more than 60 years, our partner UMN has worked to improve lives – supporting families and seeing amazing results. So it was a huge blow when the earthquake struck and – as with most natural disasters – hit the poorest hardest. Now UMN have an additional 700 lives and homes that need to be rebuilt, and many thousands more who need help with irrigation and restarting livelihoods.

Across the world, Tearfund is helping poor communities to be more prepared and resilient when disaster strikes. Just £10 a month could help a woman like Ganga provide for her family through agricultural training and a farming starter kit of tools and seeds. Please give what you can today using the tear-out form on page 8, because it will be a lifeline for families like Ganga’s.

OUR CHRIST-CENTRED RESPONSE TO POVERTY AND DISASTER BY NIGEL HARRIS, TEARFUND CHIEF EXECUTIVE One year into my time with Tearfund and I am even more passionate about our role in bringing whole-life transformation to the poorest people – individuals, communities and nations. Visiting Tearfund partners and projects this year in Ethiopia, Uganda, India and Nepal, I have been struck by the strength and relevance of our identity as a truly Christcentred organisation. I’ve been travelling to poor communities for many years now and have never met such strong, empowered, confident women as I have visiting Tearfund self-help groups, like the group in Ganga’s village. Self-help groups are a fantastic model for transformation, and for more than ten years we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of women lift themselves out of poverty through self-generated income. In Ethiopia, I met with one lady who cried when she described her life before the Nigel visiting Tearfund projects in Nepal

group, which has enabled her to send her children to school and university. All through saving just 10p a week. When we asked the women what the special factor was in these groups, the answer was consistent and simple – we love each other. And you can see that clearly in how Kopila has led her group to reach out to the most vulnerable people in Bhaltar, including Ganga. We need to keep the love of Jesus at the heart of all we do – seeking his guidance as we look to serve families in Nepal and across the poorest places on earth.

‘SELF-HELP GROUPS ARE A FANTASTIC MODEL FOR TRANSFORMATION, AND WE’VE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY’

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 13

YOUR T U PULLO OF W REVIEYEAR THE

CHURCH

POVERTY Tearfund Annual Review 2015-2016

Natural and man-made disasters are more prevalent today than at any other time in our history. Is the local church up to the challenge? A decade ago we launched Tearfund’s ten-year vision. At the heart of the vision was the church and our Christian partners across the world, inspired by Jesus, mobilised to transform communities. What we didn’t know was that the coming years would be characterised by unprecedented numbers of disasters. Floods, earthquakes, hunger, drought and conflict – often exacerbated by corruption and injustice. Could the church and our partners cope with these extremes?

‘COULD THE CHURCH AND OUR PARTNERS COPE WITH THESE EXTREMES?’

Jesus tells us that the church is built on a rock. And when the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against it, the church did not fall. Time and time again we’ve seen how resilient and resourceful local churches can be. Here are just a few examples of how disasters are no match for the determined people of God... Photos: Cally Spittle/Tearfund, Warren Allott/Tearfund

CHURCH

CONFLICT

Feeding the multitudes in South Sudan

When 200 hungry, displaced people turned up in his church in Lozoh parish, South Sudan, Pastor Noel could have been overwhelmed. Just a few years before, his community would have been in despair – not knowing how to feed themselves, let alone more than 20 extra families. South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, has been rocked by civil war since December 2013, which has caused 2.3 million people to flee their homes. People in Lozoh parish used to be reliant on the wider diocese to give them money for food. But something had changed their mindset. The church and community no longer looked around and saw meagre resources – they saw the abundance that God had given them. What had transformed their thinking was the training and support Tearfund’s partner had given them. Church and community mobilisation is a complete, transformational, community-based approach which uses Bible studies to work with church groups to encourage them to start economic, social and physical transformation. Photos: Polly Hughes/Tearfund

So Pastor Noel was unfazed by the arrival of 200 people facing starvation. Not prepared to let them suffer, he donated enough cassava to feed all the families for a month. But Pastor Noel was confident the determined villagers would make up any shortfall. ‘As I speak now, conflict rages less than nine miles from here,’ says Pastor Noel. ‘But, as a church, we are active and productive. We farm our land to sell to provide for ourselves.’ Even in the midst of conflict, churches are using their Godgiven resources not only to benefit themselves, but also to be a blessing to those around them. Church wins round one.

‘AS I SPEAK NOW, CONFLICT RAGES LESS THAN NINE MILES FROM HERE. BUT, AS A CHURCH, WE ARE ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE’

An unshakeable community In April last year, about 8,000 people were killed in the Nepal earthquake. Many more lost their homes.

the support first. There were no arguments among local people, because they knew that everything was being done fairly.’

The earthquake hit Ishoori’s community hard. ‘When the earthquake struck we were meeting at church,’ she says. ‘We hadn’t realised anything had happened as we were in the presence of the Holy Spirit. When we heard people running to the church crying we realised something was wrong. Everything was very dark and the air filled with dust. Two homes were left standing: mine was one of them.’

A year on from the disaster, Ishoori’s community has been able to quickly pick itself up again. Tearfund’s partner provided building materials so everyone had safe shelter and the church provided a safe space for children. People who had received business training before the disaster were soon able to re-establish their livelihoods.

Ishoori’s home quickly became a place of refuge. With no outside help arriving for days, the church was able to quickly mobilise local people. Its experience of reaching out to the community meant it became the centre of the earthquake response. ‘We undertook a community needs assessment,’ Ishoori says. ‘When help arrived, we knew exactly who to target to make it most effective, with people in greatest need getting

When natural disasters like hurricanes, floods and earthquakes hit communities, churches that are trained, active and effective are often the first to respond. They know and love local people and are at the heart of their communities. They can mobilise immediately, initially saving lives then supporting the long-term recovery. Church wins round two.

‘WHEN WE HEARD PEOPLE RUNNING TO THE CHURCH CRYING WE REALISED SOMETHING WAS WRONG’

CHURCH

DISASTER Photos: Jamie Fyleman/Tearfund, Daniel Denness/United Vision Nepal

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Here’s how generous you have been, and how we have invested your gifts

YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS Income 2015/16

Thank you for all your generosity which will be used to support some of the poorest people on earth in Jesus’ name...

GENERAL DONATIONS £37.2M

52%

Gifts donated to Tearfund to support all of our work. This includes money from fundraising events and activities, individuals and churches.

EMERGENCY APPEALS £11.5M

16%

Gifts donated by fundraising events and activities, individuals and churches in response to emergency appeals and disaster situations.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS £18.8M

CONTRACT INCOME £3.8M

Contracts awarded to Tearfund to carry out specific contracted water, sanitation and hygiene work overseas and deliver our International Citizenship Service Programme – both funded by the Department for International Development.

OTHER INCOME £0.9M

Income from others sources such as card sales, overseas trips for supporters and interest from investments.

26%

Grants awarded to Tearfund from sources such as the UK government and the European Union to carry out work overseas.

TOTAL INCOME

£72.2M

HOW WE INVESTED YOUR MONEY Your gift follows Jesus to the place of greatest need. This is how we invested the money you entrusted to us...

11%

FUNDRAISING £7.6M

Making your gifts go further to have a much greater impact serving people in poverty. We grow relationships with churches, respond to your enquiries and keep you informed of the greatest need.

SUPPORT AND RUNNING COSTS £4.4M

Putting robust systems and processes in place to keep our frontline staff safe, and evaluating our work to learn and improve so that your money is used more effectively as a result.

CHANGING UNJUST POLICIES £4.7M

Because poverty is also top-down, we campaign in the UK and globally for fair policies to support – not harm – poor people.

39%

DISASTERS RESPONSE £26.6M

Most people (92 per cent) who are affected, or killed, by disasters are in poor countries. Our 50 years’ experience responding to floods, earthquakes, tsunamis; typhoons, food crises and conflicts enable us to act quickly, using your support to save lives.

ENABLING THE GLOBAL CHURCH TO ACT £6.0M

Equipping the church to end poverty. The giants of poverty must be faced by a more powerful force if they’re to be overcome. So we use your support to work through local churches – the world’s largest voluntary network.

28%

£4.4m £7.6m

£4.7m £6m

£26.6m

EXPENDITURE 2015/16

DEVELOPING COMMUNITIES £18.8M

Enabling communities to defeat their poverty. Clean water. Food for tomorrow. A roof when it rains. A livelihood. Whatever the need, we don’t do it for them. We go one step further: we help them do it.

£18.8m

This is just a snapshot of some of the progress and achievements we’ve made this year; to download the full Annual report and financial statements visit www.tearfund.org/annualreport or you can request a printed copy from info@tearfund.org or call 020 8977 9144.

The gift that keeps on giving Gift lives in Malawi where 2.8 million people face severe hunger due to drought. Three years ago, he enrolled in a church-based training scheme run by a Tearfund partner that helps people cultivate food in a changing climate. Conservation farming (also known as Farming God’s Way) teaches people how to maximise crop yields using techniques that make the best of challenging growing conditions. Farmers are taught to mulch, which keeps the soil as moist as possible. This turns to humus, which reduces the need for chemical fertilisers. Despite the rains not arriving on time, Gift was able to plant two months earlier than those around him because the mulching meant his soil was soft enough to sow seeds. His maize thrived on just two days of rain. Now Gift’s garden in Jammu village boasts healthy maize plants that are taller than he is. Since learning about conservation farming, Gift has expanded from cultivating a small piece of land to having two gardens.

CHURCH Photos: Clive Mear/Tearfund

Now he can produce enough crops to feed his wife and four children. Gift’s success prompted his neighbours to start investigating these new methods for themselves. Gift is happy to share his knowledge with others, working in three districts with Tearfund’s partner to share the news about conservation farming. Gift says, ‘This kind of farming seems to be tough, but the benefit of this hard work lasts longer.’ Climate change is causing drought to be more prevalent across some of the poorest places on earth, but local churches are leading the fightback through improved farming methods. Church wins round three.

‘THIS KIND OF FARMING SEEMS TO BE TOUGH, BUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS HARD WORK LASTS LONGER’

HUNGER

CHURCH

INJUSTICE Voices in the wilderness

Guatemala is one of the most corrupt countries of the world, with high levels of poverty and violence. Since April 2015, Guatemala’s civil society has started a movement to demonstrate their opposition to corruption through marches and protests. Christian leaders and churches have joined the movement, including Tearfund partner Centro Esdras (the Ezra Centre Foundation). This has had a profound effect on Jimena, a staff member with the foundation. ‘This is the first time I have taken part,’ says Jimena. ‘It has taken a long time for people to stand up to injustice in Guatemala. My father was assassinated when I was ten years old – I saw him die in my mother’s arms.

‘MY FATHER WAS ASSASSINATED WHEN I WAS TEN YEARS OLD – I SAW HIM DIE IN MY MOTHER’S ARMS’

‘My father longed for people to have better lives through justice and opportunities. That’s why he was killed. ‘God’s word teaches us that his disciples cannot be indifferent to injustice. As Christians, we have the obligation to tell the truth and use the prophetic words that God gives us. We must also denounce what is unjust. ‘The first time I went to a protest march it was liberating. God helped me to be free of my fears from the past, and reaffirmed that – as Christians – we are doing the right thing. We are a prophetic voice that denounces evil.’ Across the world, thanks to your support, Christians and churches are gaining the confidence to speak up about injustices that hold communities back. And, as a result of their actions, unjust laws are being challenged and overturned. Church wins round four.

Photos: Clive Mear/Tearfund, Virginia Lattul/Tearfund

CHURCH WINS PRAISE GOD! ‘All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.’ Acts 2:44–45 The struggle against poverty is not about winners and losers. For far too many families across the world, life continues to be a daily battle to provide the barest essentials of life: clean water, daily food, decent sanitation and safe shelter. But these stories demonstrate that there is an alternative. The answer comes from the people of God – local churches discovering their true, God-given potential. And it all happens thanks to you praying, giving and speaking out on behalf of the poorest people on earth. When we say that Tearfund is following Jesus where the need is greatest, we mean you are. Everything we do, and all the lives you release, entrepreneurs you inspire, children you help to receive an education and older people given support by a loving church community, can only happen because of your unfailing support. When it comes to you vs poverty, you come out on top. Every time. So, on behalf of Pastor Noel, Ishoori, Gift and Jimena, thank you for all that you’ve helped to achieve this year.

‘THE ANSWER TO POVERTY COMES FROM LOCAL CHURCHES DISCOVERING THEIR TRUE, GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL’ Photo: Andrew Philip/Tearfund

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 13

‘INSIDE I AM DANCING’ TEARFUND’S VISION, TEN YEARS ON…

By Cuthbert Gondwe, Church and Community Mobilisation Coordinator

Back in 2006, Tearfund launched its ten year vision to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches. We started that journey by highlighting the work of one of our local church partners, Eagles Relief and Development in Fombe village, Malawi. Cuthbert has been with Eagles throughout the last ten years. We asked him to look back over the progress made and how church mobilisation is transforming communities... I remember when we started to work with communities around Chikwawa in southern Malawi. We met with the pastors, including

Pastor Harry from Fombe, and they were very poor. We asked them why their communities were so deprived, and what their churches were doing to respond. We challenged them to work together. After the meeting they went home and tried to do things on their own – and failed. They all came back to us – admitting they needed to collaborate.

They told me they had come to realise they did not have money, but what they did have was God-given strength in numbers and unity. So they decided to work together to change the lives of their communities. We started with 16 churches. Now, those same pastors look very different. One group of six very poor pastors are now able to buy uniforms and notebooks

‘WE ASKED THEM WHY THEIR COMMUNITIES WERE SO DEPRIVED, AND WHAT THEIR CHURCHES WERE DOING TO RESPOND’

2006

2016 Photos: Marcus Perkins/Tearfund, Chris Hoskins/Tearfund

14 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE

for children and orphans in their village. God has really blessed them. ‘IT’S EXCITING WHEN WE’RE NO LONGER NEEDED’ Tearfund’s vision has been a real success across Malawi where we work. The thing that excites me most is when communities carry on developing and improving in our absence. At Eagles, we are called to be the facilitators of that process, to start people off on the right track, but leave the community at the point where greater things will happen. As Jesus says, ‘...whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these’ (John 14:12). Jesus was a facilitator who started a revolution, and we are following his example.

‘YOU CAN SPEND MILLIONS AND LIFT COMMUNITIES OUT OF POVERTY IN MINUTES, BUT THE DAMAGE YOU WOULD DO WOULD LAST DECADES’

But what if we had not taken this approach? What if we simply went to communities, assessed their problems and – instead of empowering people to come up with their own solutions – we did it for them? Firstly, if Tearfund had sent a team to ‘sort out’ Fombe, the villagers would have thought very highly of Tearfund at first. ‘What a great organisation,’ they would have said. They would have named their water well ‘Tearfund’, all the goats they had would have been named after Tearfund, Tearfund seed, Tearfund toilets. You would have left them with a lot of things, but very little capacity or vision. When things broke or failed or when they needed something new, they would know exactly who to ask: Tearfund. FEWER RESOURCES, MORE INSPIRATION If that had happened, ten years on, Fombe would be a forgotten community. Tearfund would not be willing to talk about Fombe because they would be ashamed about what they had done. You can spend millions and lift communities out of poverty in minutes, but the damage you would do would last decades. And there simply aren’t enough monetary resources to do the same for every poor community in

Malawi, let alone across the world. Instead, we use fewer resources and more inspiration. We encourage leaders to close their eyes and dream of what their community could be like. They come up with a vision for their community, and we help them start a journey of small steps to achieve it. But what does this transformation look like? I remember one woman in particular: she was more than 70 years old, very weak and found it difficult to walk. Her roof leaked, so she had to store all her food in plastic bags. But the church in her village had been inspired to transform its community. They saw this lady and her need. The community came together and – in one day – built her a new, safe house with a good roof. This is what the lady said to me: ‘My legs are weak so I don’t dance much anymore, but today, inside I am dancing.’ Thank you for your support for Tearfund’s vision over the last ten years. Thanks to you, across Malawi and the 50 countries where we work, many, many people are dancing inside, even outside! Because they have been empowered and encouraged and their Godgiven potential is released.

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 15

‘MY LEGS ARE WEAK SO I DON’T DANCE MUCH ANYMORE, BUT TODAY, INSIDE I AM DANCING’

PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING PROGRESS (SO FAR)! Tearfund’s ten year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches. Nine years on...

132,000

CHURCHES HAVE BEEN ENVISIONED Churches living out faith in Jesus in every aspect of life, recognising that people are more than their hunger or despair – they are made in God’s image

MILLION

PEOPLE REACHED THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS People living in communities that can demonstrate longer term positive changes to their livelihoods, health, relationships and natural environment

303

POLICIES CHANGED Policies and practices changed at local, national and international levels resulting in transformation in the lives of poor and vulnerable people

MILLION

PEOPLE SUPPORTED FOLLOWING DISASTERS People that can face the future positively, with hope, following natural or man-made disasters – equipped with basic commodities, resources and skills We're still calculating the final ten-year figures, which we will report back on in 2017.

Photo: Chris Hoskins/Tearfund

You are invited to help us beat hunger at our delicious Tearfund Big Bake. Yasmin lives with her fam ily in rural Chad, northern Central Africa. Her village is facing a devastating dro ught. Her mother Jumana spends hours dig ging in ants’ nes ts to find seeds to fee d Yasmin and her siblings, but they are hun gry all the time. Money raised throug h you r Tearfund Big Bake will help unlock the poverty-fighting pot ential of communities like Yasmin’s. Every penny counts.

Bakers gonna bake, bake

, bake!

The money you raise thr oug h your Tearfund Big Bake can help empow er communities like Yasmin’s to overcome poverty and disaster, to provid e nutriti ous meals and long-term solutions for their children.

Photo: Peter Caton/Tearfund

Photo: Emma

Hurrell/Tearf

und

king a b r u o e s ‘Let’s u r faith u o s s e r p x to e thers’ o p l e h d n a eam ollison, T Martha C ker and r, autho ba r, e d n u rf Tea tant BO contes former-GB

£15 £60 £240

e cake sold at £2.50 6 slices of chocolat a nutritious meal for a child each could provide ths. like Yasmin every day for three mon

s sold at £12 each coulind 5 large iced cake s meal for a child like Yasm provide a nutritiou every day for a year.

Big Bake s meal for One Tearfund prov ide a nutritiou raising £240 could for a year. four children like Yasmin every day

THE

BELONGS TO GOD

PHOTOS: ELEAN OR BENTALL/TEARFUND

ow the small but significant lifestyle changes we make can have long-lasting significance I’m Tom Herbert, a fifthgeneration baker and presenter of TV shows including Channel 4’s The Fabulous Baker Brothers. It’s nice to meet you.

We met Joselite and Aluizio who own a small farm in north-east Brazil, down a long dusty track that turned off a road that took us more than six hours to reach. It’s certainly the furthest I’ve been from the Cotswolds! HOPES FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE Their son Carlos is a similar age to Bea. They played football together, ran races and fired stones from his catapult. I asked his parents what their hopes were for him.

This year, my daughter Bea and I had the privilege of visiting Tearfund’s work in Brazil. Bea is 12, she’s our second child. She also makes the best pancakes in the family!

‘We always hope for better times for our children,’ says Aluizio. ‘We didn’t have the opportunity to go to school so we hope they will have an education, we do what we can to ensure that they learn. There is a Brazilian saying that the future belongs to God. We cannot say what will happen

As daddy-daughter adventures go, this trip was pretty up there! I’m sure we’ll remember the experience for the rest of our lives. But these memories are also inspiring us right now to change our lives because of the people we met and the things we saw.

‘WE MET ALUIZIO WHO OWN A SMALL FARM IN NORTH-EAST BRAZIL – IT’S CERTAINLY THE FURTHEST I’VE BEEN FROM THE COTSWOLDS!’

The effects of a changing climate are brutally real in rural Brazil. Lack of water is evident from dry rivers which once gushed through the towns and the parched earth that once harboured diverse crops.

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 19

next, but if it gets worse, we can only fall on God’s mercy.’ Tearfund’s partner in Brazil is doing amazing work helping people like Joselite and Aluizio respond to the changing climate. They train farmers in water collection and storage, support local ventures like farmers' markets, juice businesses and bakeries. I was so inspired by their dedication, generosity and expertise. Back home I’m doing my bit, changing my own life to make the world fairer. We’ve switched to sustainable green home energy. We’re eating less meat, and even challenged ourselves to go vegan for Lent! CHOOSING TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT I’m changing to an ethically-sourced pension, and we’ve set up a buy-one-giveone for our latest offering, a gluten-free loaf. Each one we sell is one extra loaf for an orphanage bakery project in Tanzania. I’m getting together with friends and business owners in my area to run Stir-up Suppers, discussing other ways we can play our part. You can also run a Stir-up Supper in your community. Prepare a meal, download the pack from the Tearfund website and run an Below: Brazillian farmers Joselita Ramos da Silva Braz and Alvizio Braz de Sousa are having to adapt to the changing climate

‘I’D LIKE MY DAUGHTER TO CHOOSE TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE EARTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ALL SHARE’ excellent thought-provoking evening. It will help your church consider their everyday impact on the millions of people around the world facing climate change. The people I met are living a different way; that’s how I’d like Bea to live too. I’d like her to think about the decisions she makes, to choose to have a positive impact on the earth and the environment. As Aluizio told me, ‘If everyone on earth thought a little bit about their actions that helps or damages the environment, thinking with love, we can change what’s happening now. If everyone did a little bit, we could make a huge difference.’ CAUSE A STIR WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS Please join Tom in running a Stir-up Supper. Visit www.tearfund.org/supper to download the Stir-up Supper resource, which includes a leader’s guide, films, ideas for activities and resources to help you put on a supper in your church. You’ll also be able to watch a short film featuring Tom in Brazil.

20 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE

festive e h t t u o b a d e t i Get exc season with Tearfund Christmas time is just around the corner and it’s a wonderful chance for you to share your faith and encourage others. It’s also an opportunity to let your family and friends know how much you care about them, and for people living in poverty across the world. Here are three ways you can put your faith in action this Christmas...

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS CARDS We are delighted to present this year’s Christmas card catalogue, enclosed in this Tear Times. We hope you enjoy looking through the beautiful designs and inspiring, new range of seasonal cards. Tearfund Christmas cards are designed just for you – for all people, young and old alike – so that through these cards you can share the true meaning of Christmas. All our cards feature a Bible verse, are available in packs of ten or 20, all made in the

UK and printed in Yorkshire on FSC© paper from Cumbria. At the back of the enclosed catalogue is an order form that can be photocopied or alternatively, you can order from www. tearfundchristmascards. co.uk – where there’s also an additional selection of cards to choose from (including ranges from previous years), and exclusive online offers including three for two on certain card designs.

FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 21

CHRIS TMAS N O.1 This year marks the 200th anniversary of Silent Night, which is consistently voted the number one Christmas carol. Few songs better describe the beauty of the birth of our Saviour in a humble stable.

Full details at www.tearfund.org/christmas – donations will help families across the world this Christmas.

Not far from Bethlehem, modern families in Lebanon’s refugee camps experience similar circumstances – poverty, political insecurity and uncertainty. Burdened with the aftermath of war, some Christians have given up celebrating Christmas. Through our partner Hope for Lebanon we are helping families experience the joy of Christmas again. We’re inviting you to hold a carol concert to support families in Lebanon and elsewhere. We’ll provide you with all the resources you need: a carol booklet and PowerPoint; Children's activities, including songs from Out of the Ark; a short film highlighting Tearfund's work; and a Christmas carol smartphone app from Integrity Music.

Order toda y from free Christmaour range of fun, s resources.

CHRISTMA ACTIVITIE S CHILDREN’S S FOR GROUPS

EDITABLE CHRISTMAS POWERPOINT CAROL SLIDES

MUSIC AND FOR THE TOP LYRICS 10 MOST LOVED CHRISTMA S CAROLS

TOP TIPS FOR RUNNING A CHRISTMAS CARO L EVENT

SERVING S PORT THR OUGH

EXCELLEN

CE IN CHA PLAIN

AND SO MUC

H MORE!

For further information , visit www Your free resou .singsilentnigh rces will be t.com availa ble to download from order and September 2016.

THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE PRAISE & WORSHIP SONGS

L SPECIA R O F OFFER ES IM T T E A R R S! D REA E This is a great gift to encourage and inspire your friends and family this Christmas. The World's Favourite Praise & Worship Songs features 50 of the finest modern worship songs sung the world over.

The CD includes I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, This Is Amazing Grace, At Your Name, Forever (We Sing Hallelujah) and We Believe. Featuring songs that cross the nations and span the generations, this collection showcases what the world's churches are singing today. A donation to Tearfund will be made for every CD sold, so by purchasing this album you are bringing change to some of the world's poorest people. Integrity Music has kindly given us an exclusive 10 per cent off discount code for Tear Times readers. Just visit www.tinyurl.com/jq4fcpe click ‘Add to Cart’ then enter the code TEAR10 in your Shopping Cart in the ‘Discount Codes’ box.

22 . TEAR TIMES REFLECTION

LADY LAZARUS M E E T

T H E

MIRACLE EBOLA SURVIVOR By Charlotte Flowers, Ebola Programme Support Assistant

April 2015: Wara’s husband watches as medical workers cover his wife’s body in chlorine. They wrap her in a polythene body bag. Wara died of Ebola, so no mourners are allowed near.

DREAMS TURN TO NIGHTMARES Then the most widespread Ebola outbreak ever swept across the country. Wara’s joy at finding out she was expecting a second child turned into a nightmare.

Before the outbreak, Wara, her husband and four-year-old son lived a happy life. Her husband was a farmer and she ran a successful shop selling sugar, flour and sweets in her home village, Masuba, Sierra Leone.

Wara’s daughter was born healthy. But when she was just a few months old, the virus spread to her village. Wara contracted Ebola while looking after a critically-ill relative, and because Wara was breastfeeding, her baby was also infected.

REFLECTION TEAR TIMES . 23

Wara’s condition worsened and she was taken to a treatment centre 90 miles away in the capital, Freetown. She deteriorated and was pronounced dead by health workers. Her baby daughter survived. Ebola is such an infectious disease that the bodies are kept in quarantine, attended to only by people in contamination suits, treated with chemicals and buried two metres deep. WAKING UP IN A BODY BAG Wara’s body was taken to Makeni, central Sierra Leone. As she was lowered into the ground, the local church pastor prayed. As he did, the crowd was shocked to hear a faint sneeze. This turned to amazement as mourners realised the noise came from within the body bag. The health workers examined the bag. They could see movement. Wara was alive! ‘It was chaotic and frightening,’ says Wara. ‘They lifted me out of the polythene bag. I had wounds all over my body. I felt like I was suffocating. No one believed their eyes.’ Although – incredibly – she was alive, Wara was still severely affected by the ravages of Ebola and chlorine burns. Ten months on from that incredible event, I met Wara and her baby, visiting survivors supported by Tearfund partners. Despite the scars on her arms and lips, Wara is overjoyed. ‘I thank God I am alive today,’ she says. ‘I survived Ebola.’ HOW YOU HELPED EBOLA SURVIVORS Of 1,000 villagers in Matsuba, 45 caught Ebola and 20 survived. Because of suspicion and stigma, life continues to be a struggle for survivors. Wara’s successful business collapsed because of her illness and recovery. But thanks to generous support from people like you to Tearfund’s Ebola emergency appeal, our partner the Evangelical

‘THEY LIFTED ME OUT OF THE POLYTHENE BODY BAG. NO ONE COULD BELIEVE THEIR EYES.’ Fellowship of Sierra Leone (EFSL) was able to support Ebola survivors, initially with food and essentials. EFSL gave Wara a business loan and training so she could start trading again. Her business is proving a success. Profits from her shop have enabled her to buy fuel and oil for her family to cook with. ‘The training from EFSL was vital,’ says Wara. ‘Even without the loan I would have done well, because the training helped me think about my business in a new way.’ EBOLA IS REAL – SO IS GOD Ebola caused devastation across three countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. As well as offering training and loans to start new livelihoods, Tearfund partners are supporting orphaned children to continue their education and giving them psychosocial support. Our partners are improving access to water, sanitation and awareness of good hygiene practices. Thanks to EFSL, Wara has a new sense of purpose. ‘I have brought a fridge,’ she says. It’s the first-ever refrigerator in the community, which Wara plans to use to sell cold drinks – all thanks to a loan from the local savings group set up through EFSL’s training. ‘If my shop continues to be a success, we won’t need any more support. We can look after ourselves,’ says Wara. Villagers call Wara ‘God’s miracle’ and she believes it. ‘I want to thank you for all your support to my husband, my children and myself,’ says Wara. ‘I am living proof that Ebola is real. But so is God!’

‘I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FEED MY CHILDREN’ Ganga’s husband is too old to work, she’s lost two children to illness and is looking after two more with mental health problems. And that was before the Nepal earthquakes destroyed her home.

£10 YOUR MONTHLY GIFT OF £10 COULD HELP A WOMAN LIKE GANGA PROVIDE FOR HER FAMILY THROUGH AGRICULTURAL TRAINING AND A FARMING STARTER KIT OF TOOLS AND SEEDS.

You can read more about Ganga on page 8.

www.tearfund.org/ganga

100 Church Road, Teddington TW11 8QE Tŷ Catherine, Capel Cildwrn, Cildwrn Road, Llangefni LL77 7NN Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD 241 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1AF

www.tearfund.org +44 (0) 208 977 9144 email info@tearfund.org www.twitter.com/tearfund twitter facebook www.facebook.com/tearfund Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales) Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland) Photo: Tom Price/Tearfund 31650-(0816)

XXXXXXX