SUMMER ’17
WWW.TEARFUND.ORG
HUNGER STEALS SELF-WORTH
TERRY WAITE
DODGING BULLETS
MEETING OF MINDS
On learning through suffering
Miraculous escape in the DR Congo
CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien on stage
2 . TEAR TIMES
WELCOME... IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS ‘In the past the way I looked was different,’ says Polly from Malawi. ‘I didn’t like to bath because I saw myself as a poor person. I would not buy clothes for myself. Now, because I respect and value myself, I buy clothes. And I even use skin cream.’ What was extraordinary about meeting Polly in Malawi is how selfless and generous she is towards others. She provides for her elderly grandmother, Ada, who is unable to do very much – paralysed down one side because of a stroke. Polly pays the college fees for her cousin Edgar who was thrown out of his own home when his father remarried. She also worked her field alone while her husband, Bright, volunteered as a school teacher (he’s now been offered a paid job). And it took a great deal of digging for Polly to reveal what she does for herself – her life is focused on providing for her extended family, and needy people in her village. Just two years ago life was very different. Polly’s harvests did not provide enough to feed her family, let alone give extra to look after others. Her family was desperately hungry every day. So you may wonder what happened in two years to turn their lives around. And you can find out on page 8. But first you will learn about Sylvia, also from Malawi, whose life is still stunted by hunger. She’d love to provide for her family, and have enough left over to care for others. Maybe a little something for herself. That may seem like an impossible dream. Polly’s story proves that it isn’t.
Peter Shaw, Editor twitter @TearTimes | email editor@tearfund.org
Photo: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
TEAR TIMES . 3
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CONTENTS NEWS & UPDATES 04 News East Africa crisis and more updates 24 Dear Tearfund... Why we love to share our stories 25 Hunger steals, the Church gives Order our Malawi church pack
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FEATURES 08 Malawi is a crime scene... But the church is on the case 14 A roadmap for the future Better farming is transforming Malawi 18 You can renew Sylvia’s world Giving everyone a chance to live 22 The power of love Cash distribution brings dignity 26 Narnia, Middle Earth and me Literary minds brought to life on stage
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30 Hear my prayer Transforming disability in Afghanistan
PULL-OUT POSTER 16 Life to the full in Malawi
REFLECTIONS 20 Dodging bullets in the DRC Church transformation in DR Congo
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28 What I took from my time of suffering Q&A with former hostage, Terry Waite
Copyright Š Tearfund 2017. 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: Sylvia from Malawi and her daughter Tabish Photo: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
4 . TEAR TIMES NEWS
IN THE
NEWS HUNGER CRISIS IN EAS T AFRICA: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPASSION In March we joined with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to launch the East Africa Crisis Appeal – and, thank you, your generosity has been overwhelming. With 16 million people facing starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment the DEC have so far raised more than £50 million. We’re so grateful that £3m of this has come from Tearfund supporters like you. The crisis has been brought on by drought and conflict. Famine has been declared in parts of South Sudan and is close to being a reality in Somalia. In Kenya, the government has declared a national emergency. And in Ethiopia there is a new wave of drought following the strongest El Nino weather on record.
Women, children and older people are particularly vulnerable – more than 800,000 children under five are severely malnourished. In a recent visit to a feeding centre, Tearfund’s South Sudan Programme Officer Josie Smith met women who had walked many miles to bring their children. 'I was really touched by the determination of mothers in South Sudan to see their children survive,' says Josie.
'I was really touched by the determination of mothers to see their children survive' Tearfund is working through church partners in South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Somaliland, and their first hand reports of the need have been sobering to hear. We also have Tearfund staff providing lifesaving nutrition at feeding centres. A Tearfund nutrition worker, checks a woman's upper arm circumference in Panyangor, South Sudan Photo: Tom Price/Tearfund
NEWS TEAR TIMES . 5
THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING YEMEN RESPONSE Ongoing conflict has devastated Yemen, one of the world’s poorest nations. More than 18 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance. This is made worse by a lack of safe water, healthcare and sanitation. According to data from monitoring group ACAPS, it is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Guy Calvert-Lee, Tearfund’s Deputy Head of the region, says, ‘Massive destruction of hospitals and clinics has meant there are few functioning medical facilities left. As a result, millions of people are suffering from conflictrelated injuries or from the recent outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever and scabies.’ In December, Tearfund launched an emergency appeal (as part of the national Disasters Emergency Committee appeal). In the following weeks you raised more than £1.1m – a fantastic, much-needed response. Thank you.
‘You’ve raised more than £1.1m – a much-needed response’
This has enabled Tearfund partners to distribute food and hygiene kits to reduce the spread of deadly disease, organise an emergency shipment of medicines, and to launch projects providing clean water and improved hygiene. However, it’s not been an easy task. Conflict means we cannot access certain areas, and the operating environment is still difficult. It’s vital we continue to pray, give and speak up for the people of Yemen. Our partners face daily dangers, and many people are still desperate for help. For up-to-date news visit www.tearfund.org/yemen
COURAGE UND ER FIRE Spring this year marks six years since the beginning of the Syrian uprising that led to the civil war, which the UN calls ‘the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time’. Tearfund’s partners, amid much adversity, are serving families who have remained in Aleppo. Over the winter they were able to bring food and hygiene packs to families trapped in the besieged city. Volunteers from the local church loaded buses with emergency packs of essential items including canned goods, sugar, tea, herbs, soap and women’s sanitary products and then distributed these to beneficiaries. Despite the bombs and the bullets, they carry on serving – aided by your prayers, supported by your gifts. Above: Food distribution in Aleppo, Syria.
6 . TEAR TIMES NEWS
IN THE
NEWS PREMIER PRAISE
charity of the year
Over the last 12 months, Tearfund has partnered with Premier Christian Radio as its Charity of the Year. This has been a privilege and a great opportunity to share stories of the work we do – of lives changed, communities transformed and hope restored. Through this, we’ve also raised awareness of Tearfund. Featuring on radio and on the web, we’ve reached new and bigger audiences. This has led to many generous gifts to our Give Like Jesus campaign, as we follow Jesus where the need is greatest. We’d like to thank Premier for this opportunity and for blessing poor families through this partnership.
FAITHFUL IN PRAYER On 3 March thousands joined together for Women’s World Day of Prayer. Since 2010, Tearfund projects have benefitted from being the focus of this event: reaching out to orphans and widows in Burkina Faso, teaching employment skills in Egypt, and helping churches in hurricanehit Haiti to be salt and light in their communities. Thank you! Above: The National Committee Women’s World Day of Prayer, England, Wales and N Ireland Photo: Paul Steadman/Footprint
KEEP RUNNING THE RACE
A doctor from East Sussex is running eight marathons around the world – inspired by a man she briefly cared for in hospital but barely knew.
‘Behind every patient is a person with a story to tell.’ Erin Doherty met Revd Patrick Goodland, a former Tearfund board member, on her respiratory ward. He was admitted with pneumonia but died shortly after, aged 85. A few weeks later she received a card from Revd Goodland’s daughter enclosing a copy of his CV. Reading it was a revelation to Erin: ‘I was astounded to learn that this confused, elderly patient had dedicated his life to helping others. He taught me that behind every patient is a person with a story to tell.’ She started her marathon adventure in November 2016 and is due to finish in June with The Big Five Marathon in South Africa. Her hope is to raise more than £3,000 for Tearfund and the British Lung Foundation. We love hearing stories like this. Let us know yours at www.tearfund.org/fundraise Above: Revd Patrick Goodland with Sir Cliff Richard at a fundraising event
NEWS TEAR TIMES . 7
I COMPLETED THE
MEAN BEAN CHALLENGE
MEANEST OF DIETS Churches, youth groups and individuals spent five days in March experiencing the same simple diet of millions across the world. Mean Bean participants were spurred on by the story of Lyson's family in Malawi – forced to mix their food with pig feed when crops failed. 'For too many people this is not an experiment, it is their daily lives,' says Michael Shaw, Mean Bean participant. Visit www.tearfund.org/meanbean to find out more.
GOOD GOVERNANCE We're delighted Clive Mather has agreed to continue his role as Chair of Tearfund for another year. He's led the board since 2008 and visited many of our partners. ‘Clive is a wise and generous Chair who loves to see Tearfund flourishing,’ says Jane Pleace, Global Fundraising Director. We have our Annual General Meeting in Teddington on 27 September and we have availability for 100 supporters to attend. We’d love some of you to be there to discuss our achievements this year and plans for the future. Please RSVP to info@tearfund.org or call 0208 977 9144.
Giving thanks for A fruitful partnership as Premier Christian Radio’s Charity of the Year – sharing stories of transformation. Supporters Erin Doherty and Jonathan Bryan, who have made a stand against poverty and raised money for Tearfund. The faithfulness of thousands of women who joined together for the Women’s World Day of Prayer.
PRAYER
PULSE
Praying for The ongoing crisis in the Middle East which has left many families without food, shelter and security. For the 16 million people facing starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment in East Africa. Tearfund’s Board of Directors and Executive Team, that they would have wisdom as we renew our vision and strategy.
8 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
E N E C S E I IS A CRIM
MALAW BUT THE CHURCH IS ON THE CASE WRITTEN BY PETER SHAW ‘We pray every night for there to be food tomorrow,’ says Sylvia. ‘We pray to God that he would give us good rains so that the next day we can have enough food.’ Sylvia has been robbed, stripp ed of all that she has and abandoned – left for dead. The perpetrator is a known killer that has committed many crimes, indiscriminately and ruthlessly targeting the poorest and most vulnerable. But it’s not a person who did this – it’s hunger.
Sylvia, from Malawi, is 34 years old. All her life has been a struggle to provide enough food. Adding to the pressure, her husband recently left. Now Sylvia has to care for their four children and her elderly mother alone. With drought gripping the country, Malawi’s government declared a state of emergency in June last year – it’s the worst food crisis for decades.
'I don't know if my hus band will come bac k.'
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 9
HUNGER STEALS INNOCENCE SENSING DREAD IN MALAWI I’ve visited Malawi before but I knew that this time was going to be much, much tougher. Not just because of the escalating food crisis, but because this time I have children of my own. The thought of seeing firsthand mothers struggling to feed their children filled me with a sense of dread. When I met and talked to Sylvia, my fears were confirmed. Despite her best efforts, Sylvia only harvested four bags of maize. She tells me she has one left now, and the next harvest Photos: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
is five months away. ‘It’s just a matter of surviving,’ says Sylvia. ‘When I have nothing to give them, my children cry all day – looking for food.’ But this is not an issue confined to Malawi or southern Africa. Across the world 795 million people face hunger, and the vast majority of these are in developing countries, including many countries where Tearfund serves. Unsurprisingly, it is children who suffer the most, with poor nutrition causing nearly half of deaths under five.
10 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
THE CONSTANT THREAT OF HUNGER
WHY SYLVIA IS NOT ALONE
‘All of my life I have struggled to feed my four children and now I have one bag of maize left,’ Sylvia tells me. I ask her how she will feed her children when the last handful of maize runs out. ‘When I have nothing left to give them, I give them anything I find to ease their hunger. ’
Considering the blessings my children enjoy, it breaks my heart to hear Sylvia’s story. But my faith means I will not give up hope. Jesus says: ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ John 10:10
‘But I have nothing to give them. I try to find work in the village but there is not enough. I know that soon we will run out of food completely.’ Hunger has been a constant presence throughout Sylvia’s life, and now that same presence is threatening her family. ‘My children have been without enough food for eleven years. I am desperate for change.’ Hunger steals as irrefutably and maliciously as any robber. Hunger takes children from school, it breaks relationships, it removes any joy from life and – most of all – it robs families of hope.
‘Taking care of my children is very painful,’ says Sylvia. ‘I am finding it hard on my own.’ But Sylvia is not on her own. The church is coming with a gift. Just 70km away, experiencing the same drought and the same farming conditions, I meet Polly, aged 24, who has harvested nine bags of maize. That’s enough to feed her family – three children, her husband and disabled grandmother – until the next harvest, with two bags left over to sell. In just under two years of abundant harvests, her life has turned around. ‘I had a very difficult life before,’ Polly tells me. ‘We did not have enough food for our family. Even just buying clothing was a big challenge.’
HUNGER STEALS PURPOSE
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 11
‘Taking care of my children is very painful’ THE LOCAL CHURCH BRINGS A GIFT The gift of the church, through Tearfund partner Assemblies of God Care (AG Care), is expert knowledge of how to farm land that has been blighted by the changing climate, soil erosion and overuse of chemical fertilisers. It’s a remarkable farming technique known as Foundations for Farming (see page 13 for details). Now Polly no longer struggles daily for food – her future has been unlocked. She has surplus to buy pigs to rear and sell, she’s set up a business making and selling donuts, and has plans to buy a sewing machine.
THE CHURCH GIVES POTENTIAL
Photos: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
The contrast is staggering. It is such a faithaffirming experience to meet Polly and her family, to see them so full of joy, enterprise and hope. 'I believe my children will be educated because AG Care have given me a gift,’ says Polly. ‘The gift they have given me is the livestock I bought through farming. When my children go to secondary school, I can sell livestock to pay the school fees. I did not go to secondary school because my parents died when I was nine years old. But now I have the potential to take care of my children because of the gift I was given by AG Care.'
12 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
STRENGTHENING FAITH IN JESUS This remarkable transformation has strengthened Polly’s faith. ‘I believe God sent AG Care to our village. I suffered very much when I was a child. So I’d like to thank everyone who has supported them to come. But most of all I thank God. I see God’s hand in all of this.’ For more than 20 years, hunger had stolen all of Polly’s potential. The church gave her the gift of a new start. But Sylvia and many millions like her are still hunger’s victims. However, all around the world, local churches are ready to lead their communities out of an existence impeded by hunger – into fulfilled lives with food, education, training, sanitation and so much more. In short: lives of abundance.
WILL YOU BRING SYLVIA A BREAKTHROUGH? Tearfund is empowering churches all over the world to release families from hunger. Once a person knows where their next meal is coming from, they are free to plan for the future – together with their whole community. Step by step, families can rebuild every area of their lives. Your gift could help families whose whole lives have been blighted by hunger, bringing the breakthrough they so desperately need. £15 a month over a year could provide 18 families with farming training – to grow enough food and secure a stable living. Your generous support and prayers can help more churches bring fullness of life to families across the world facing hunger, poverty and disaster.
'I'm de sperate for change'
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 13
FARMING IN A MIRACULOUS WAY Over the last few decades the cost of farming in Africa has escalated and yields have significantly decreased. Africa’s changing climate means rain is usually restricted to brief intense periods, which washes away ploughed land and not enough moisture is retained. Most farming methods take the goodness from the soil but do not replenish it. An innovative alternative method of cultivating crops called Foundations for Farming – adopted by AG Care and many other Tearfund partners in southern Africa –
can reverse this damage by protecting and preserving the soil, and retaining moisture. It is inspired by how soil is naturally replenished, with no ploughing and using mulch cover from leaves and plant materials. By adopting these methods it is possible to increase yields tenfold. At the heart of Foundations for Farming is biblical teaching to encourage people to work hard and farm to a high standard, to do it with joy and thanksgiving, not waste anything and give unselfishly to others.
‘MOST OF ALL I
th a n k G O D . I SEE GOD's H I N A L L O F T HAI N D’ S'
14 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
GIVING FAMILIES A ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE I lead Assemblies of God Care (AG Care), one of Tearfund’s partners here in Salima, Malawi. For me, my role is fulfilling a calling of God in my life. I have a degree in Agriculture from the University of Malawi and a postgraduate advanced certificate in Plant Genetic Resources Management, which I studied in Germany. I also have a Master’s Degree in Biodiversity Management. So, I could have chosen a number of careers, but my passion is to work with disadvantaged people. It pains me when I see families not reaching their God-given potential because they are held back by poverty. I like to challenge people that the best is not where they are, the best is yet to come… At AG Care we love to move people closer to Christ and we also care for their physical needs. Foundations for Farming is changing the lives of people who had very little hope for the future. By learning and applying these farming techniques, people are reaping better harvests which enables them to buy livestock and other assets. Whole communities are doing this so that they can trade together.
Photos: Abigail Drane/Tearfund, Tom Price/Tearfund, Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
Written by John Kanthungo, Executive Director, Assemblies of God Care
FREEING FAMILIES FROM HUNGER People who have been part of Foundations for Farming for less than two years are opening shops, selling merchandise which improves their income. So people who before felt they were trapped by hunger have a roadmap – they have plans for the future to improve their lives. We would love to work in as many villages as possible so that the phenomenal growth in living standards thanks to Foundations for Farming could be replicated in many places. We want to reach out to many, many more villages – helping entire communities move out of being trapped by hunger. This year has been exceptionally bad. In Malawi we have experienced floods as well as drought – 6.7 million people have been affected. But through Foundations for Farming we’ve learnt that even in times of drought you can still harvest enough food. I am excited about our partnership with Tearfund. We have been able to use the resources they entrust to us so efficiently and effectively – moving families out of dire situations of hunger. So, if you are able, please give more to Tearfund so that we, and many other partners, can reach out to more disadvantaged communities.
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 15
'BY LEARNING THESE FARMING TECHNIQUES, PEOPLE ARE REAPING BETTER HARVESTS'
‘WE LOVE TO MOVE PEOPLE CLOSER TO CHRIST AND CARE FOR THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS'
16 . TEAR TIMES
Polly and her extended family singing together outside her home.
Photo: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
TEAR TIMES . 17
‘THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.’ JOHN 10:10
18 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
YOU CAN RENEW SYLVIA'S WORLD WRITTEN BY SARAH EDWARDS
'I have seen a big change. When I was a girl the rains used to come consistently. It was good for farming,’ says Sylvia from Malawi. ‘Last year, I harvested four bags of maize from my garden. I only have one bag left. In the past, I needed 20 bags to feed my children and elderly mother.'
SUPPORTED BY
Photos: DIFD, Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
Farmers like Sylvia are facing the worst effects of climate change. Sylvia gets up early and works the land to feed her four young children by growing maize in her village. Seasons are unstable and the changing climate is making it harder for farmers. Sylvia’s stunted harvest this year is not enough to feed her children. To fill the gap, she plans to get work on her neighbours’ fields – as many days as she can, for money or maize. But this means money and food are tight. And it’s getting worse because of rapid climate change. (You can read more about Sylvia on page 8.)
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 19
GIVING EVERYONE A CHANCE TO LIVE
CHRISTIANS COMING TOGETHER
Tearfund has launched a new, global campaign called Renew Our World, which seeks to welcome God’s kingdom – in our daily lives, in our prayers – speaking out to people in power for the love of our neighbours everywhere.
Thankfully, the church gives hope, which is why we are joining with churches around the world as part of Renew Our World. The church can lead the way towards a vision of a zero-carbon world: Christians in rich and poor countries standing together to stop people being pushed further into poverty by climate change. So far the campaign is bringing together Christians from Brazil, Nigeria, Peru, Honduras and Zambia as well as the UK, Australia and the USA.
We’re starting by focusing on climate change – which we urgently need to tackle if we are to beat poverty and injustice. Our world is out of balance, people are being pushed further into poverty around the world because the climate is changing fast. There are more droughts, more floods and less reliable rains. Our generation has an opportunity – a special choice no other generation will get. If we take care of creation we can begin to restore the balance so that everyone, everywhere, has a chance to live well.
This year we’re campaigning to ensure governments make plans to keep their promises in the Paris Agreement (the global accord to reduce climate change and tackle its harmful effects), renew our energy by asking for more clean power, and renew our food by taking action on waste. Please join us in standing with other Christians globally to Renew Our World, to redress the balance and to stop people being pushed further into poverty by climate change. You can find out more to help inform your prayers, change your lifestyle, and take action at www.tearfund.org/action
RENEW OUR ENERGY One in six people around the world have no access to electricity, which means no light for children to study in the evenings or women to walk safely at night and no power for fridges to store medicine. People are often forced to use kerosene lights at home, which are dangerous, expensive and the smoke can cause breathing difficulties. We are calling for the UK Government to invest in renewable energy which reaches people in poverty and, at the same time, reduces carbon emissions from dirty fuels.
20 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
DODGING BULLETS IN THE DRC
WRITTEN BY TIM MAGOWAN AND ANDREW HORTON
A bullet grazed Bob McAllister’s forehead and he dropped to the ground. Growing up playing ‘Cowboys and Indians’ in North Belfast, he’d learned to play dead – now, with his family, it was not a game. They lay motionless until the rebels passed. Bob, his family and other missionaries had been taken hostage in July 1964 in the Boyulu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), moved to the city of Stanleyville (now Kisangi) and held for four months. Set within Photo: Tom Heath/Tearfund
the ongoing tensions of the Cold War the rebellion was led by followers of Patrice Lumumba who had been ousted from power in 1960 when the country took independence from Belgium. On 24 November 1964, the defeated rebel leadership ordered troops to flee and kill as many white people as they could. Nineteen missionaries and thousands of local Christians were slaughtered. Bob’s best friend and fellow missionary Hector was killed, shot in the back four times.
REFLECTION TEAR TIMES . 21
MCALLISTER MUSTARD SEEDS The McAllister family moved to the DRC in 1952 as missionaries. It had been costly leaving Northern Ireland for the DRC. Bob used his practical skills to train local people in construction and his skills as a pastor to plant churches. His wife Alma, a trained midwife, provided much-needed care for expectant mothers. They spent three decades living and working in the DRC, serving God and the local people. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, when it grows, it becomes a tree. This rings true for the McAllister family. Like mustard seeds, their fellow missionaries and thousands of local Congolese Christians had been planted in the darkness of the conflict in the DRC. It was a place with little light, warmth or life. But, the seeds took root. Incredibly, after being rescued, the family went back to continue their work establishing scores of churches, providing skills for hundreds of people and assisting hundreds of pregnant mothers. BACK INTO A WAR ZONE Today, 50 years later, Bob’s sons David and Bill are both bringing hope in the DRC. David is Tearfund’s DRC Country Director, running programmes that help thousands of people out of poverty through agricultural training and business support. Bill is currently establishing a university to invest in a generation of young leaders who can build a stronger nation.
But much work and prayer is still needed.. ‘Horrific crimes, including rape, are committed against women and girls in the DRC on a daily basis,’ says David.
‘A REBEL TOLD ME HE WOULD WIPE OUT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST’ ‘Tearfund is present in some of the most remote areas – often the only agency with an active presence on the ground. We work with government, local partners and agencies to help survivors recover from trauma, rebuild secure livelihoods and ensure access to safe water and sanitation. We also equip community groups to respond quickly to sexual violence.’ Bob went back to visit the DRC in 2014, aged 90. He said, ‘As we were being held hostage, a rebel told me “There is no God. There are no Sundays anymore. We are going to wipe out the church of Jesus Christ.” But today, in that same area, there are more churches than ever before. It's been worth everything we went through.’
It’s particularly striking that a significant amount of this work is carried out through churches and individuals who had been impacted by the lives of the McAllisters.The seeds which were planted in adversity have taken root, grown and now nurture others. David McAllister, Tearfund DRC Country with Yvette, a conflict survivor, who's learning tailoring skills.
Photo: Tim Magowan/Tearfund
22 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
A Yazidi family in northern Iraq
THE POWER OF
MONEY LOVE
WRITTEN BY CHERYL BANNATYNE
Made in the image of God, we all have infinite value. But when you have lost everything and can’t feed your family, it’s hard to feel you are valuable at all. In some desperate situations where Tearfund works, we have found giving cash is an effective way to meet needs and restore dignity.
‘We had everything we needed,’ says Alma, aged 60, remembering life back in Bashiqa, northern Iraq. ‘We had water and electricity. My family worked. That was before ISIS.’ Alma fled her home with 11 of her family. Since then her husband has had a stroke. ‘We set up a makeshift tent with one room,’ she says. ‘All of us, my children and my grandchildren, live here because we don’t have money to pay rent.’
Hundreds of thousands of families are displaced in Iraq, living in a life of uncertainty in camps and unfinished buildings. They hope against hope that they can rebuild their lives. BETTER CASH FLOW But there are almost no possibilities of going home and there’s little work for displaced people. Families have no money to buy basic necessities: food, soap and toothbrushes. Parents feel humiliated – powerless to provide for their families. The traditional idea of disaster relief brings to mind supply trucks snaking through bleak landscapes – a lifeline for those stripped of everything by disaster. But the picture is changing...
Photos: Stella Chetham/Tearfund
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 23
Eight-month-old baby Hope and her mother Hanan from northern Iraq
‘I WILL BUY MEDICINE AND LOOK AFTER MY CHILDREN’
Where local markets still function it’s often better to give families cash rather than goods, to cover basic needs and give people the opportunity to make a living. ‘Having cash helps people decide what they need most, giving them the flexibility and dignity of choice,’ says Ninos, Tearfund Programme Officer. ‘People know their needs. With cash they can meet them.’ More than 500 families were given cash in one project in Iraq, so they could prepare for winter by buying warm clothes, blankets and heaters. They supplemented their diets with fresh food from the local markets. Others were able to buy medical treatment. Cash benefits a region’s economy because money is spent on local goods and services. It’s often more efficient than providing goods – it cuts out the added cost of storing and transporting items.
Tearfund’s Cash Advisor, Dora Piscoi, says, ‘I will never forget the words of a man during one of my first cash distributions. He looked me in the eyes and said “Thank you for respecting me.” I’ve never been thanked like that before. ‘There are many advantages of giving cash. But the most important is that it recognises and respects people as individuals. What would we want done unto us if we were in their shoes? ‘By giving cash instead of deciding what item a person should have, we are demonstrating we know that – despite being in a vulnerable situation – people are powerful and capable. We are telling families they are equal and we don’t want to disempower them. We want to come alongside and respect people. For me, that is the power of cash.’
MAKE GOOD MONEY A QUESTION OF CASH When so many choices have been taken away, having cash enabled Alma to decide what was most important for her family. ‘I will buy medicine for my husband, and look after my children and grandchildren,’ she said. ‘Life is still very hard, but I am so grateful for this money.’ Giving back control and dignity in the midst of desperation is priceless. Some names have been changed to protect people’s identities.
• The same amount could help seven people with food or ten people with cash. • Every £1 can add £2.50 to the local economy. • Distribution of cash by aid agencies has increased from less than one per cent in 2004 to around six per cent today.
24 . TEAR TIMES NEWS
We’re passionate about the work you make happen, and we love telling you all about it. We want you to be closely connected to communities across the world and the people you support. Because without you none of what we do would be possible – we wouldn’t be able to follow Jesus where the need is greatest. Through our updates and mailings you can keep informed about the work we’re doing around the world – seeing the huge impact as a result of your support. But don’t take it from us. Here’s what some of you are saying about keeping in touch with all things Tearfund:
Of course, you’re more than welcome to change your contact preferences with us any time you like. We want you to feel comfortable with how and when you hear from us – if you want to receive less or more contact from us that's fine, just let us know. Please email info@tearfund.org or give us a call on 0208 977 9144 and our friendly team will be on hand. We promise never to pass on your details to another organisation for marketing purposes. Thank you! Photo: Mark Lang/Tearfund
YOUR CHURCH TAKING ACTION WILL EQUIP FAMILIES TO REAP BETTER HARVESTS
Sylvia is a 34-year-old mum from Malawi. She toils hard to farm her field and provide for her family. But severe drought and the changing climate mean she harvested so little this year that Sylvia has just one bag of maize left to feed her four children. Our latest church pack has everything you need to encourage and inspire all your church to pray, act and give on behalf of the world’s hungry, like Sylvia.
YOUR PACK INCLUDES: • A short DVD film featuring the moving and inspirational story of two families in Malawi. • Full-colour posters so you can advertise your church service or event. • Response envelope so you can request more and take a collection to bless families struggling for food. • Plus more tools to help bring the stories to life, including prayer and children’s resources.
Please complete and return the pull-out form above, email churches@tearfund.org or call 020 8943 7972. You can also download resources from tearfund.org/churchpack
26 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
Narnia, M
& iddle
TEARFUND
Earth, ME
WRITTEN BY CHERYL BANNATYNE
Eagle and Child pub, Oxford, 1963: Two giants of literature, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, in their twilight years, meet for the very last time. That’s the background to a new play, Wardrobes and Rings, where the two friends reminisce about how they met and influenced each other, and the impact Christ had on their lives. The dialogue is shot through with the humour and literary genius of the two men.
The writer, David Payne – who also plays Lewis – was born in west London. Aged 16 he responded to a Billy Graham rally that was being shown live at a local church. A friend gave him a copy of The Screwtape Letters for his seventeenth birthday but David confesses that he was not an avid Lewis fan. However, he was a fan of Tearfund.
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 27
PUTTING THE ‘T’ IN TEARFUND David’s connection to Tearfund goes back to the very start. The Evangelical Alliance was looking after the overwhelming UK church response to the Biafran famine and planned to establish a relief charity. David was cofounder of Music Gospel Outreach (MGO) which was appointed advertising agent for the proposed organisation. ‘We were discussing the name and Peter Meadows (another of MGO’s founders) made a key suggestion,’ recalls David. ‘They were about to call it the ‘Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund’ when Peter made the point that this would be the Earfund. And perhaps they should include the ‘T’ to make Tearfund.’ David has remained an avid supporter of Tearfund. He moved to the US in 1995, where an advert opened up a completely new adventure… ‘Auditions for Shadowlands. British accents a help!’
Tearfund was delighted when our friends at Big Church Live suggested we tour the play with them, to raise money for people in poverty. At each performance, David shared his passion for Tearfund. ‘I’ve had a strong link to Tearfund over many years and knew George Hoffmann very well,’ he says. ‘So the opportunity to speak on behalf of Tearfund was a great thrill.’
‘TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF TEARFUND IS A GREAT THRILL’
David had never been on stage before but went along as he had a British accent. Much to his surprise he landed the lead role! Since then, David has gained an intimate knowledge of CS Lewis, playing him in hundreds of performances over two decades.
This autumn we will be doing the same with Wardrobes and Rings, so look out for a performance near you....
‘He was a very intriguing man,’ notes David. 'Many people described him as the most thoroughly Christian man they had ever met.’
8 September: Perth North Church of Scotland
Asked for his favourite CS Lewis quote, David picks: ‘I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.’
15 September: St Margaret's Church, Angmering, West Sussex
‘Lewis was very open about his faith,’ says David, ‘despite its cost to his reputation. During World War II he became concerned about the pilots training nearby, knowing their lives were in danger. Lewis spoke to them about his faith.’ David wrote a one-man play, An Evening with CS Lewis, which has been performed more than 700 times on both sides of the Atlantic. CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien depicted in the stage production of Wardrobes and Rings
WARDROBES AND RINGS TOUR
9 September: St Andrew’s Church, Arbroath
16 September: Burswood Health and Welbeing, Tunbridge Wells 17 September: Citygate Church, Bournemouth 22 September: Thurnby Memorial Hall, Leicester 23 September: St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast 29 September: Sarum Hill Centre, Basingstoke 30 September: Christ Church Woking, Surrey
28 . TEAR TIMES REFLECTION
WHAT I TOOK FROM MY TIME OF SUFFERING
Q&A WITH TERRY WAITE Interview by Peter Shaw Terry Waite is a Quaker and Anglican, humanitarian and author. He is president of the charities Y Care International, Emmaus UK and patron of AbleChildAfrica and Habitat for Humanity Great Britain. Terry was taken hostage in Lebanon in 1987 and kept in captivity for almost five years, where he wrote his autobiography – later published as Taken On Trust – in his head. The 25th anniversary edition includes an updated foreword and new final chapter.
WHEN YOU REVISITED TAKEN ON TRUST AND YOUR CAPTIVITY 25 YEARS LATER, WHAT NEW THINGS DID YOU DISCOVER?
Looking back, I wonder how I survived for five years in solitary confinement. I was surprised with myself for getting through that. I realised that you never know what resources you have until you're put into a situation of extremity. I’ve tried to take the experience and use it creatively. You can take something from times of suffering and learn from that. For a long time I didn’t think I had learnt anything – in fact I learnt a great deal. And that experience has proved Photo: Edward Woods/Tearfund
invaluable because it’s an essential theme of the Christian faith. The heart of Christianity is a symbol of suffering – the cross – beyond which lies resurrection. So out of suffering something creative can emerge. YOU ARE VERY INVOLVED IN PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, IS THAT BECAUSE OF YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE? I went back to Beirut a couple of years ago and met my former captors. I often asked myself what can be done to be reconciled and have a better understanding. I came up with a simple, almost naïve answer. I believe that people who have opposing views should sit down, agree to forget the past and build a future together. The way
REFLECTION TEAR TIMES . 29
to create trust is to put the past behind. But I thought it was useless to explain this to people unless I was prepared to do it myself. So I went back to my captors and said exactly that, let’s put the past behind and try to do something creative out of this unfortunate experience. They asked what they could do, so I suggested they provide heating oil for the refugees I’d met on the border. And they did it. LOOKING AT THE CONFLICTS AND CRISES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST, WHY DO YOU THINK THE REGION IS IN SUCH TURMOIL? I think we have had a lamentable understanding of the complexity that faces the people of the Middle East. If you look at history, the countries were formed by colonial powers. Ethnically and religiously disparate people were stringed together and asked to form countries – where there had not been nations before. So, we need to have a better understanding of the historical complexity of the situation. Too often politicians take decisions against good advice. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO PRAY FOR THE MIDDLE EAST? Prayer has to be put into action. I think that part of the function of prayer is to guide our thoughts into action. We need to welcome strangers in our midsts. We need to understand that people come from different backgrounds. The vast majority of refugees
don’t want to leave their countries but they have lost their homes, their jobs – lost everything. A whole generation of children are growing up without a proper education – which leaves territory rife for people to turn to terrorist groups. I don’t think any one country can take unlimited numbers – we have to see this as a global responsibility now, which puts responsibility to the United Nations. But I think we should make every attempt to welcome and understand refugees and put our prayers into action by receiving and giving them a reasonable standard of living. The 25th Anniversary edition of Taken On Trust, published by Hodder & Stoughton, is available online and in bookshops.
30 . TEAR TIMES FEATURE
HEAR MY PRAYER
WRITTEN BY JADE BEAKHOUSE, MIDDLE EAST COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER ‘I was born deaf, so I couldn’t go to school,’ says Kalan, aged 16, from Kabul. For decades schools in Afghanistan stood empty. Then, at the turn of the millennium, the Taliban rule collapsed. Aid poured into the country and schools reopened. But for Kalan, and thousands like him, nothing changed. LIVING WITH DISABILITY Nearly three-quarters of children living with physical or mental disabilities in Afghanistan are excluded from education. And they don’t gain the skills to get a job when they are older. Kalan believed he would always be shunned, in permanent need of support. 'My parents thought there was no hope for a good life for me,' he says.
What Kalan didn’t know was that people were lobbying on behalf of children like him. Tearfund partner Serve Afghanistan helps children with disabilities – teaching them sign language, literacy, braille and offering mobility support. Thanks to Serve Afghanistan, Kalan finally enrolled at school. 'I have lots of friends,' he says. 'Serve helped my teachers to understand my needs, and respect me. My parents are so happy.’ PIONEERING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION The encouragement from teachers has been pivotal to Kalan’s progress. And, thanks to your support for Tearfund, Serve Afghanistan are training more teachers to be inclusive – opening doors for more disabled children. ‘When I was younger, a blind student wanted to go to my school,’ says Ahmed, a teacher at Kalan’s school. ‘I refused. I thought he couldn’t learn anything.’ His attitude changed after a Serve training course. ‘I was surprised that I could teach
'I THOUGHT DEAF PEOPLE COULD NOT LEARN' Group of blind students, being taught braille by their blind teacher
FEATURE TEAR TIMES . 31
children with disabilities.’ Today Ahmed champions inclusive education and is a master braille trainer. But Serve Afghanistan are doing much more than changing one school. They have taken a central role in shaping Afghanistan’s education policies. Alongside several other organisations, Serve started advocating for inclusive education in 2009. They took a leading role: writing Afghanistan’s inclusive education policy (approved by the Minister of Education in 2014). Thanks to this law, across Afghanistan, thousands of children with disabilities can join their friends in school. 'Serve Afghanistan advocated for all children to have equal access to education,’ says Bruce Clark, Tearfund’s Afghanistan country representative. ‘By identifying and affirming this, the Afghan government has taken a very positive step to state that all children – children like Kalan – have a chance to improve their lives.'
Young deaf Afghan boy signing his name
'NOW ALL DEAF PEOPLE KNOW AND CAN FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS' 'Now deaf people have much more opportunity to know and fight for their rights. I talk to disabled children and tell them that they shouldn’t feel hopeless. They should ask their parents to find a school where they can get an education. I hope to become a teacher or be a help to the deaf community.' Joined by a new generation of advocates like Kalan, and with the help of our supporters, we won’t stop until marginalised children all across Afghanistan have been empowered to unlock their God-given potential through an inclusive education. Some names have been changed to protect people’s identities.
CLAIMING CHILDREN’S RIGHTS Kalan has learnt sign language and is no longer living on the sidelines. ‘I shop for myself and communicate through sign or writing,’ says Kalan. ‘I go to community events and weddings. I am very proud that I can help my mum with the housework, and my dad in his workshop. I am very happy. Photos: Serve Afghanistan
Tear Times and the Prayer Diary are also available in large print, audio and Braille versions. To join the mailing lists please email info@tearfund.org or call 0208 977 9144.
‘When there’s no food my children cry all day’ When Sylvia looks at the last bag of maize, then into the eyes of her hungry children she is terrified what will happen when they have no food left. Her desperate prayers are for a breakthrough... Your gift can make a difference to families like Sylvia's all around the world. Read the full story on page 8.
£15 a month over a year could provide 18 families with farming training – to grow enough food and secure a stable living. www.tearfund.org/sylvia
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