TEAR Correspondent - Spring 2012 by Tearfund NZ

TEARFUND.ORG.NZ

ISSUE / SPRING 2012

CORRESPONDENT Desert Experience WORKING TOWARDS PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND PAGE 5

STARVING THE PLIGHT OF NORTH KOREA’S CHILDREN PAGE 6

POSTWAR AID PREVENTING CORRUPTION PAGE 7

PEACEBUILDING:

A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE AND GOOD DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE UNCIVILISED WAR: A Sri Lankan government soldier walks with his weapons near the town of Putumatalan, 2009.

By Steve Tollestrup

n observation all of us at TEAR Fund have made is how poverty and conflict accompany each other. They are like evil twins. Find one and you will discover the other, and it is always the most vulnerable that suffer as a result. Visit a community living under the shadow of open conflict and their fear, discomfort and sense of being in limbo is tangible as they fend for themselves. A week after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, I was one of three non-nationals given access to a heavily guarded internment camp south of Vavuniya for Tamil refugees and suspected sympathisers of the insurgency. It was a ghastly scene. Young and old, mostly women and children lay wounded, dying on the concrete floor or staring perplexed and traumatised

at the walls of the razor-wire encircled warehouse where they were kept. As I was leaving, a woman in a mudstained sari shoved her way toward me carrying a small photo album. Grabbing my arm, she looked at me as if to say, ‘Bear witness to who I was and what I had’. Opening the album, the first picture I see is a teenage girl. She’s wearing a bright red sari and beaming, holding a certificate for a school prize in dancing. “My daughter,” she says. I turn the page. I see two teenage boys sharing the seat of a small motorbike; brothers who’d grown up together and shared dreams for the future. “My sons,” she says. I turn the page. I look at a black and white formal photograph of two young people on their wedding day staring at the camera with wooden expressions of apprehension. “My husband and I,” she says. I look at the woman holding my arm, and I see her distantly in this photograph. Without

words she is saying, ‘I mattered. I was a mother and a wife I was loved and loved.’ Then she said in a voice hoarse from sadness, “they’re gone, all gone”. They had died just days before, caught in crossfire of battle at Mullaitivu lagoon. That is the sharp and tragic reality of civil violence and warfare and TEAR Fund wants to be part of ending the suffering of the victims of conflict like this bereft widow. Conflict and violence are not always accompanied by bullets and steel. Sometimes it is much more subtle. Look closely at oppressed and desperately poor communities and you will find other forms of violence. Caste, patriarchy, control of needed resources by the powerful or elites, denial of rights, family and domestic violence, unequal division of labour, extortion by money lenders and labour contractors, exclusion by race, religion and gender are some of the subtle and not so subtle forms of conflict in the fabric of poor communities.

PICTURE / REUTERS ALERTNET/ DAVID GRAY

For any community to prosper and meet the challenges of poverty, social cohesion is required. The greater the solidarity, opportunity for inclusion and participation, and the sense of community, the greater the lift in economic activity and well-being. That is why TEAR Fund is bringing peace building into the core of our development practice. Continued on page 3

PRAY • Pray for calm in conflict-affected communities TEAR Fund works with. • Pray for those affected by subtle violence like denial of rights, control and all other things that oppress people. • Pray for freedom where conflict and violence have caused the devastation of people.

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

2 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

Inside Out

t the end of December I’ll be leaving TEAR Fund after eighteen years. That decision was made last February with the thought that it is good to push the refresh button on one’s life and the organisations we serve from time to time. I intend to take a season out to reflect, then work with and support local communities, leaders and churches here in New Zealand. In the last eighteen years I have been blessed by a godly, hardworking and professional staff and board – they are outstanding in every respect. I know them well and without hesitation can commend their energetic commitment to you, our donors, and the poor they serve and honour. It has also been a privilege for me to work alongside our field partners. I know their passion, courage, skill and their faith in the face of the challenge of poverty and injustice. They are ever-resourceful, prayerful and determined – they never give up. It has been such a special honour to serve you, our sponsors, donors and the church. Your support of TEAR Fund has helped it grow to become one of the largest development agencies, Christian or secular, in the country. Your partnership is deeply appreciated. I leave TEAR Fund satisfied with what we have accomplished together. We have increased dramatically our reach to the world’s poorest children. We have pioneered a uniquely Christian expression of community

PRAYER FOR

development and celebrate a broad and effective solidarity with the church here in New Zealand and internationally. Through our affiliation with the Integral Alliance, we are part of the Nargis in 2008. r following cyclone ma most prepared an My in up str Steve Tolle Christian disaster this, the man dodging the response coalition vehicles, rushed to get to the boy. He in the world. tried to stop the stream of traffic and TEAR Fund’s micro-enterprise get someone to drive him and the programme has meant hundreds child to hospital, but he couldn’t flag of thousands of families have been anyone down. Then in desperation released from poverty and have he screamed, “My son , my son – economic independence for the first time. please someone help me save my son”! Whether in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, With this cry a car pulled over, the central Africa or the Holy Land, we door opened, and they were put in the have been active in pursuing peaceback seat. “Please, drive me and my building and reconciliation strategies. son to the nearest hospital before he Through Compassion International, we dies.” All the way he repeated to the have over 12,000 children sponsored driver – “faster; my child is dying, you by you. Here at home, we have an must get there quicker – speed up!” education team making available to As they pulled up at the emergency you biblically-centred and ‘theologically entrance, both men leapt out of the sharp’ material to consider. We car carrying the boy beyond the advocate before government and waiting room, right to the nurses and leaders for justice and peace. doctors. “Help, my child has been hit Perhaps what I’m proudest of is that by a truck and he’s dying, quick, do TEAR Fund is about a movement of something.” The doctors took the boy Christian people standing collectively out of the man’s arms and rushed him for the ‘Justice of Jesus,’ resisting

Your support of TEAR Fund has helped it grow to become one of the largest development agencies – Christian or secular, in the country. Your partnership is deeply appreciated.

consumerism and greed and embracing love and mercy. My good friend, Noel Pabiona, who leads one of our partners in the Philippines relayed a story to me that so clearly reflects what our Christian response to poverty and injustice should be. Let this be my final words as Executive Director to you. The story took place in Manila, but it could have happened anywhere in the developing world. A man was walking down a busy street full of vendors, vehicle exhaust and the chaos of any big city traffic. He noticed a street child trying to navigate his way across the road, perhaps to sell sweets or small items to motorists when they stopped at the traffic lights. Half way across, he was clipped by a car, spun around and went under the wheels of a truck. The driver unaware of what had . happened carried on. es pin ilip Ph in the ts alongside children The boy lay critically Steve Tollestrup ge injured and unconscious. Seeing

to surgery. The man and the driver waited in the recovery room. They probably prayed and hoped for the best. Hours later the doctor appeared and told the man, “Your child has died.” Alone in the lobby, the man said to the driver, “I’ve got to find that boy’s parents”. “But I thought you were the father. You were shouting ‘my son, my son,’” the driver said perplexed. “Aren’t they all our children?,” he replied. The answer is yes. The poor are our children. They are also our brothers and sisters, and our mothers, fathers and grandparents and best friends. I believe that if Christians were to have that man’s urgency and passion to give and advocate on behalf of the poorest – crying out for young and old, for justice, peace and mercy, “my child, my good friend, my sister, my father, my mother is dying from poverty and oppression,” we could end the evil of poverty in a generation. What a witness to Christ that would be! Shalom, Steve

PEACE

ON EARTH

EVERLASTING FATHER, You are God eternal. You created a world in harmony with you and within itself. That harmony has been broken, and now conflict and strife are ever-present. The effects of conflict can be seen everywhere in broken lands and broken people. Hatred builds; people die, and children starve. In your sovereignty, do not stand far off. Give us, your people, the strength to be your presence amidst conflict, providing for the needy. Give us courage to stand up for the victims and to sow love, peace and reconciliation where there is turmoil, anger and generational hatred. PRINCE OF PEACE, The prophet Isaiah stated that there will be “no end to the greatness of your government and peace”. Where earthly governments are in conflict, may your establishment of justice bring their actions to shame and them to repentance. Where earthly governments and organisations work desperately to defend the victims of conflict and provide for their needs, may your governance compel all to give the resources necessary for that to take place effectively. As we consider the needs of those in Niger, we ask for your intervention where there is malnutrition. WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR, You move the hearts of people. We ask that your mercy would be upon all. Soften the hearts of those hardened by entrenched hatred of people who differ from them. We think of the divide between Palestinians and Israelis and ask that you counsel the hearts of those caught in that conflict and move them towards reconciliation. Where there is hopelessness, sow hope that overcomes the barriers of our human frailty – compel us to unity and love even where these things are hard. We surrender and submit ourselves to your justice and righteousness. Make us instruments of your work. We make our prayer through our gracious Lord and Saviour born as a child in humble surroundings, Jesus the promised one. Amen.

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

Letters to the Editor Dear Sir, Murray Sheard’s article on income equality and well-being contained so many logical and factual errors it was staggering. It is crazy to claim that if everyone has the same income, everyone would be happy. Communism teaches this philosophy and I can assure you that those who have the misfortune of living in communist countries would be the first to say that they are not happy. To rank Japan as having the highest well-being factors, is sheer madness and mischief. Japan is the subject of numerous health studies as they have epidemic suicide levels and extremely serious mental health problems. Their lifestyle is well known for its extreme stress and is known as one of the worst countries in the world for well-being. The reality is that equality of income has nothing to do with the happiness of a country. Happiness levels have dropped in the west in recent decades simply because people have turned away from God; it has nothing to do with equality. Your article was misleading. Sincerely, Grace Smith, Prebbleton, Christchurch (Abridged) Murray Sheard responds. Neither the authors of The Spirit Level or TEAR Fund hold up Japan as a paragon society. However, statistically, it does a lot better over the full range of human development indicators than most of the developed countries. New

ILLUSTRATION / DANIEL ALEXANDER

Zealand (with less equality) on average fares worse over those indicators and the USA (still less equal) is even further behind. Japan’s personal stress levels are certainly high but the pressure to get ahead is one strong reason for this. You are right to say that if everyone

had the same income, everyone would be happy, is false. My claim was only that, according to the authors of The Spirit Level, economic data suggests that the less equal economies tend to do worse in statistics on human development. This does not mean everyone should have the

same income – only that letting the rich get richer while the poor get poorer has led away from positive social health and, it would also seem, a sense of well-being. We appreciate your interest in TEAR Fund and your ongoing support.

Technical details: All letters should be less than 200 words and have full-contact details. Letters may be edited or abridged. All correspondence can be sent to PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, addressed to the Editor of the Correspondent or can be emailed to enquiries@tearfund.org.nz

Continued from page 1 Christian response to peace-making eace-building is particularly a Christian ministry and a witness of Christ’s resurrection presence among his people. Peace-building is the gospel made tangible and palpable in needy communities oppressed by violence in whatever form. There are over 400 verses in the Bible that speak of peace. In the Old Testament we are counselled to ‘Seek peace and pursue it’ (Psa 34:14). Peace is also the evidence of a person knowing God deeply (Prov 3:17). When we come to the New Testament and meet the ‘Prince of Peace’, we hear of a radical peace-making where we are encouraged to turn the other cheek (Luke 6:29), serve kindly our enemies (Matt 5:20), where we are given a sublime peace not found in the world ( Jn 14:17) and ultimately are given it as ministry and witness ( 2 Cor 5: 18-19 ). TEAR Fund’s peace-building initiatives So how do we at TEAR Fund bring peace into the equation on the field and with our partners? Certainly, in environments where hostilities are active and violent as is the case in the Middle East or South Sudan, we work closely with and provide support to those present who are committed to nonviolence, and have a clear mandate as well as capacity for reconciliation. For instance, TEAR Fund works in the Holy Land, through Bethlehem Bible College, the Holy Land Trust and Musalaha, and in Africa through the Great Lakes Peace Initiative and the African Evangelical Alliance.

Uniquely, TEAR Fund is mainstreaming peace-building right into all its programmes. That means we engage aid and development in the communities we serve with a peace perspective. Therefore, when we work in community we support structures, processes and activities that bring people together to participate democratically and learn new ways of collaboration to cooperatively overcome challenges and disagreements. It isn’t always perfect, but peace is a journey and we walk it over time with our partners. One of our special programmes is the Musalaha project that brings both Jews and Arabs together to share safely and openly about the impact that conflict has had on them. Part of the process is a special desert excursion where they become reliant upon each other in a type of ‘survivor’ experience which has the opportunity to profoundly change perceptions and old paradigms of prejudice. We are using this integrated approach successfully in post-conflict Sri Lanka with our cooperative dairying programme between Tamil and Singhalese. Peacebuilding as a tool in economic development and social transformation will increasingly feature in the work we do as one of our important strategies for building resilient and empowered communities that reflect Kingdom values in their daily life. Donate to one of TEAR Fund’s Peace on Earth programmes by filling in the form on page 11, or visit tearfund.org.nz

RUINED LIVES: Children are the worst affected by war.

REUTERS ALERTNET/ DAVID GRAY

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4 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

NO EASY WAY FORWARD FOR PEACE Story and Picture Frank Ritchie

urveying the history of the Middle East over the last 150 years reveals a region fraught with conflict. The situation is extremely complex and has many factors feeding into it. However, it could be argued that much of the problem lies in the formation of nations following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire that controlled much of it; the carving up of nations following World War I— a distribution determined by governments outside of the Middle East, and all the power struggles one would expect during such a period. Those struggles have been exacerbated by the desire of external powers for access to oil, which the Middle East has in abundance. Late in this formation, was the emergence of Israel as a nation in 1948. Coming out of the Holocaust, many Jewish people around the world understandably desired a homeland. Moves had already taken place over the preceding 50 years to see that happen in

the land they connected to historically, known at the time as Palestine. In 1948, there was a violent clash with the Arab population in the land which saw many Arab families forcibly expelled from their generational homeland. There was also a tense battle with neighbouring countries who had not agreed to the UN partition plan that established a large section of the country for the minority Jewish inhabitants and another, smaller section for the majority Arab population. When the nation of Israel declared independence, refugee camps for displaced Palestinians were established in what are now Gaza and the West Bank, as well as in other places like Lebanon. Many others fled to Jordan. Since this time, the small piece of land, now made up of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, has been one of the central conflicts in the Middle East and been the subject of wars, abuses and violent clashes. Peace seems almost impossible as both sides (Israeli and Palestinian) have competing stories and desires

SUSTAINING HOPE: Women who are given a hand up out

BARBED CONFLICT: Peace a thorny issue for the Holy Land. for the land that seem irreconcilable. Political moves for a two-state solution seem woefully naive when faced with the reality of entrenched hatred on both sides, and the current impasses around the release of land to viably create a Palestinian State. But the situation is not hopeless. As with all real peace, the way forward involves the hard work of reconciliation. Peace is not simply the absence of conflict. Instead, in this situation, it would be the ability for these people groups to live together out of mutual love and respect. The political solutions should simply follow this ability and desire built from the bottom-up and

Christianity should be at the forefront of the creation of peace. It is the work towards such a peace that TEAR Fund supports.

PRAY • Pray for Christians on both sides of the Holy Land conflict – that they would act as a catalyst for real peace. • Pray for those trying to show a way forward in the Holy Land conflict. • Pray for calm in the wider Middle East so those working for peace are safe to do that work.

Biblical Snapshot: Isaiah 9:6-7

PICTURE / FRANK RITCHIE

By Frank Ritchie

hese famous words from the prophet Isaiah were given to king Ahaz of Judah and his people during a time of great conflict. Ahaz was a king who turned to Baal idols and sacrificed his children. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, Judah was being attacked by Israel, Syria and Samaria and had called on Assyria for help, only to find themselves subjected to harsh treatment at their hands as well. However, in the midst of all the conflict and words of judgement, God offered hope. Darkness, conflict and strife were not to be the end of the story: ‘for to us a child is born, to us a son is

given...’ We recognise these words of Isaiah as messianic; foretelling the birth of Jesus. They refer to Jesus as the Prince of Peace, having no end to his governance and peace. His Kingdom is to be marked by justice and righteousness. The words preceding our chosen passage state: ‘Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire’. Isaiah 2:4 states: ‘He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people’. The end of these disputes would be followed by true peace. As the people were in that time, we, today, are faced with many conflicts. We particularly think of the conflict in the Holy Land and the conflicts that plague parts of Africa, heightening the effects of drought and destroying the ability of people to live. In the face of these conflicts, we live with the hope of the words given by Isaiah, knowing that the Prince of Peace has come and his Kingdom has come near. We remain faithful, knowing his peace and working towards his peace, trusting that he will one day make it complete. We face conflict knowing that it is not the end of the story.

Waging Peace The Editor

s Christmas draws near, we think of Jesus who came as a baby to reconcile us to the Father. He was called the ‘Prince of Peace’. In a world filled with conflict, peace seems to be an elusive, intangible ideal that will only become a reality when Jesus returns. But his spirit is at work in this world right now, and he has chosen to work through his people to bring about peace. We may not be able to achieve world peace, but we can be part of the peace-making process in the spheres where God puts us. TEAR Fund takes this peace-making responsibility seriously and invests in peace-building projects around the world. Not only is it part of our mission, it makes sense. Working around the world helping communities grow strong and have

access to the necessities of life requires a stable foundation. This means ensuring factions do not erode what is being achieved. Overnight, conflict can destroy years of hard work and investment as people are displaced, wounded or killed and infrastructure and services are destroyed. TEAR Fund believes in peace-building as a way to prevent this breakdown and chaos and preserve what we and our partners have worked so hard to achieve with the help of you, our financial supporters. TEAR Fund works with partners in the Middle East, Africa, Sri Lanka and the Solomon Islands to help preserve peace. You can read more about our Peace on Earth projects on page five.

This Christmas, please help TEAR Fund extend the gift of peace by giving to our Peace on Earth projects - see the form on page 11.

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

WORKING TOWARDS PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND T

HEALING OASIS: Desert Experience bringing Israelis and Palestinians together.

PICTURE / SUPPLIED

Understanding brings healing in the midst of conflict

By Frank Ritchie

t TEAR Fund our commitment in the Holy Land is focused around peace and reconciliation. It is a broken land in need of the peace that only Jesus can bring. That peace can come with reconciliation and the group best placed to work towards that is God’s Church on both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian divide. The stories of reconciliation are too often untold as the wider media focuses on the violence in the conflict, painting a picture of two opposing sides that have absolutely no room to build meaningful relationships towards peace. The dominant narrative dismisses the hope present in the hard work of reconciliation. A shining example of that untold story of those engaged in the hard work of peace is Musalaha, an organisation run by Israeli and Palestinian Christians that brings people from both sides together to hear each other’s story, get to know the other and form bonds that transcend the conflict; bonds that reach across the traditional divide. Make no mistake, what they do is difficult, they are praised and ridiculed by people and groups from both sides, with many unable to grasp why room should be given to hear the other side. Grievances run deep, but Musalaha, holding Jesus up as the example, are compelled to move past the criticism, to bridge the gaps, to engage in the tears, the anger, the hurt, the laughter and the joy of the work of true peace. There is little that could be more compelling than stories of Israeli and Palestinian youth being thrown into the context of the desert, starting off

suspicious of each other, but being in a space where they have to hear the stories and history of the other, being compelled to empathise and having to depend on each other to survive in a harsh land. They learn so much about each other and lifetime friendships are born. It is this that we support, and in so doing, we trust that God’s ultimate story of reconciliation and redemption will play out; that the Prince of Peace will shine through and break down the conflict that divides these beautiful people. Desert experience creating an oasis of peace Shadia Qubti, a Palestinian-Christian Israeli, is one of Musalaha’s youth leaders during their desert encounters where Palestinian and Israeli youth are taken into the desert together where they are provided a context that requires them to get along or face the dangers of the desert alone. Shadia offers her thoughts, using the biblical story of Joseph as a catalyst for encouraging others to think about reconciliation: “Joseph had many people angry with him, and many times we have people who are angry with us, without cause. How do we deal with this anger? Like Joseph, we are caught in bad situations. In these situations, are we trying to be a blessing to our enemies? Also, we are free in Messiah, what are we doing with our freedom? And, like Joseph, we need to be reconcilers. Joseph, though suffering from injustice, chose to follow God’s commandments; forgive and love his brothers. Through his choice, he united his family, which brought about survival and eventual salvation for us.

And, reconciliation is essential for our relationship with God.” Qubti learnt this when she was not much older than the youth she leads, during the desert encounters. “When I was younger, I met a Messianic Jewish girl on a Musalaha Desert Encounter and learned her story and background as she had served in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces). This brought back the pain and suffering I had endured during the second intifada,” she said, describing the event of soldiers firing ammunition at Palestinian stone throwers. “But, there’s no point in arguing over the injustice without a relationship. With a relationship, we listen and we share our hurts, pain, fears and attempt to understand the other person—our brother or sister’s perspective.” The value of these desert encounters can’t be overstated in a place where anger and hatred towards the other is so deeply ingrained. To encounter the humanity of the ‘other’ provides a way towards the hard work of reconciliation.

he aim of TEAR Fund’s support of partners in the Holy Land is to pursue peace and reconciliation and minimise the impact on the most vulnerable as a result of the on-going conflict and tensions between Israel and Palestine. In addition to peacebuilding, our partners are providing medical assistance for low income Palestinian families and the provision of educational resources for a Christian school in Gaza. About our partners in the Holy Land Shepherd Society: The Shepherd Society was established in Bethlehem in June 1996. Several Palestinian pastors and Christian leaders felt called to extend Christ’s love in a practical way to those in great need within their community. The goal of the Shepherd Society is to provide means for the global community and Christians worldwide to encourage and financially assist struggling Palestinian people in the West Bank. The name, The Shepherd Society, is a reference to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who told his disciple, Peter, to care for his sheep (John 21:16). Musalaha Ministries: Musalaha is a non-profit organisation that promotes reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians as demonstrated in the life and teaching of Jesus. They endeavour to be an encouragement and advocate of reconciliation, first among Palestinian and Israeli believers, and then beyond to their respective communities. Musalaha also facilitates bridge-building among different segments of Israeli and Palestinian societies according to biblical reconciliation principles. Holy Land Trust: Through a commitment to the principles of nonviolence, Holy Land Trust aspires to strengthen and empower the peoples of the Holy Land to engage in spiritual, pragmatic and strategic paths that will end all forms of oppression. They create space for the healing of historic wounds in order to transform communities and build a future that makes the Holy Land a global model for understanding, respect, justice, equality and peace.

Your money helps: • Purchase medicine and prescriptions for the poor

• Assist with surgeries and other medical procedures for the most needy

• Contribute towards hearing aids and

PRAY • Pray for those in the Holy Land who struggle to get access to good medical care – that TEAR Fund’s provisions would enable better care. • Pray for the reconciliation work of Musalaha and that their work would bridge the gap between young Israelis and Palestinians. • Pray for the work of the Holy Land Trust as they seek to build well equipped young leaders.

•

prescription glasses for those who desperately need them but cannot afford them Assist the work of reconciliation between young Palestinians and Israelis to combat entrenched hatred that fuels the conflict Assist the development of future leaders focused on peace in the middle eastern conflict

To give to one of these Peace on Earth projects in the Holy Land, fill in the form on page 11, or visit us online: tearfund.org.nz

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

6 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

The hidden face of suffering behind North Korea’s ‘bamboo curtain’

The UN has called North Korea one of the world’s most under-funded humanitarian emergencies, with approximately 400,000 malnourished children in urgent need of food. TEAR Fund’s partner, Mission East, is distributing aid to thousands of children in North Korea, to address the current food crisis. By Keith Ramsay

ission East’s managing director, Kim Hartzner says, “In the 1990s, an estimated one million people died from hunger, and we are worried that a similar situation may take place again”. Being a closed country, the rest of the world is not aware of the disasters North Korea experiences regularly. “I have just returned from a very dramatic trip to North Korea,’’ says Kim, “After five consecutive natural disasters, the North Korean population of 25 million has been exposed to a sixth—two typhoons in the course of three weeks and more are expected. After the first typhoon at the end of July, more than 212,000 people were left homeless and 65,000 ha of crop land was destroyed. About 169 died, and 400 people were reported missing. With three typhoons during this month of August, all of these

sombre figures will rise considerably.” Kim says he visited several families who had lost everything, and he saw the enormous damage caused by the flooding. “One of the biggest problems is the supply of clean drinking water, which has been contaminated for large parts of the population. This is a problem Mission East intends to address,” he said. Kim was in North Korea in order to monitor the distribution of food supplements from Mission East to 20,000 children and 1,500 pregnant women in South Hwanghae Province in the south-west of the country. On Kim’s first visit, he came across the worst malnourishment he had ever seen. “On this visit, it was a great joy to see how our assistance had helped most of the children during a difficult period with reduced supplies of food. However, it was terrible to see that the children worst off are in need of much more assistance just

SELLING FAMINE PREVENTION, A DIFFICULT JOB FOR NGOS By Keith Ramsay

xtreme hunger is now a daily reality for many families in Niger surviving on just one or two meals a day, some of whom are so desperate that they are resorting to eating wild leaves. For the third time in the past decade, drought has returned to Niger leaving more than 5 million people in the Sahel region facing starvation. It is a familiar scenario for the people in Sahel region. Successive droughts destroy their livelihoods by decimating their crops and livestock. When the rains come, their crops are washed away in floods; threatening the people with mass starvation. For us here in New

Zealand and other developed countries, the scenario is also familiar. Instead of committing money to avoid the situation, we wait until we see starving children on television before we give. At this point the cost, in terms of lives and dollars to restore the situation, has skyrocketed. This is heart-breaking for the people suffering but also heart-breaking for the numerous humanitarian agencies that fight hard to lobby governments and donors to act early. Signs of the looming famine in the Sahel were first detected late last year—when aid organisations started issuing pleas for help. But selling the prevention message is never easy when there is not the proof to go with it. The New Zealand government

YOINK: Badly malnourished children compete for much-needed food.

PICTURE / MISSION EAST

to stay alive.” Mission East is providing a rich nutritional supplement as the children only receive scarce portions of rice or maize and little other nourishment, resulting in many being chronically and acutely malnourished. “We have a unique opportunity to provide humanitarian assistance to children in one of the world’s most closed countries where many people, and particularly where the children, suffer greatly,” says Kim. Mission East has distributed food in North Korea several times and has conducted detailed checks to make sure the aid reaches the ones in greatest need. “We are now focusing on meeting the needs of the extremely vulnerable children at the orphanages in Haeju.

These children suffer from long-term food deprivation and are also deprived of the care children deserve and so desperately need.” Mission East plans to carry out a more detailed needs assessment in the eastern part of North Korea, looking at the wider issues of food security from a humanitarian and development perspective. TEAR Fund, through Mission East, is committed to do everything it can to help these children, but we need your support.

has recently released money to TEAR Fund for the Sahel crisis, but we are faced with a much greater task of having to more than double the amount as the situation has escalated, and we need your help to save lives. TEAR Fund has been working in Niger, one of the many countries that make up the Sahel, for several years. This work has focused on strengthening communities against drought through creating grain banks, water points, establishing garden plots, improving pasture management, livestock practices and herd numbers. Over many years, TEAR Fund has been working with climate-threatened communities to increase the availability of food, and in recent months, we’ve stepped up our help as the current emergency has unfolded. Taking a long term approach to such issues does bear fruit. A TEAR Fund study in Malawi showed that for every $1 invested in agriculture and reducing risk to climate change, there were $24 of net benefits for the communities concerned. This approach has been working well and has ensured that the people TEAR Fund is working

among in Niger have survived the harsh conditions for much longer. But this has been a double-edged sword as their resilience has meant help has been delayed, and now they are experiencing life-threatening hunger. TEAR Fund UK field representative for Niger, Gaston Slanwa, said the local clinic is seeing more and more cases of malnutrition, especially among children and reports that some families are only eating one meal a day. Sometimes this only consists of dried leaves, gathered from the bush, and flour. Please help the people of Niger survive by giving generously to TEAR Fund’s Save the Sahel emergency appeal.

Much more is needed to see these children and the most vulnerable through this critical food shortage. Please give generously to our North Korean Emergency Food programme.

LEARN • Photo gallery http://youtu.be/TL-4DOv-vwU • Richard Hanson http://youtu.be/KiZHvzRTgJc • Binta’s story http://youtu.be/PeKXfSm5cug

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

POST-WAR AID:

HOW TO (AND HOW NOT TO) BREED CORRUPTION Displaced: Civilians that fled the area held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), hold food and water they were handed by Sri Lankan government soldiers in the town of Putumatalan, 2009.

Aid is needed to help re-build a strife-torn country. But if it isn’t done well, aid can breed corruption. Find out how TEAR Fund’s community approach can help. By Murray Sheard.

Risk Factors for Corruption

Research by Galtung and Tisné* from eight countries recovering from war shows that the rapid inflows of

alf of post-war countries resume conflict within 10 years. Which ones will do so, is not random. The factors are complex but one strong influence is how aid is delivered. TEAR Fund seeks to empower local people and agencies in the transition from war to peacetime. While conflict has immediate negative effects on wellbeing, longer lasting damage can be wrought by the international response, especially government-to-government aid, unless it is done well. Communitydriven accountability and developing local competences are emerging as the most positive approach to reconstruction. This is TEAR Fund’s approach and faithbased organisations and local churches have a particular role to play in bringing more stakeholders into the reconstruction process. Let’s look at the risks when government aid is not accountable to local people before seeing how localised aid and community building can be effective. The immediate post-war phase sets the stage for the future direction of the country. Termed by former Afghan Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani as an ‘open moment’, this period risks dashing hopes as corruption becomes entrenched. This can lead to disenchantment with the international community, the interim government, and democracy. These increase the country’s fragility and even return it to violent conflict. In 2008, a former Taliban commander who defected and became governor, Mullah Salaam, explained how badly set government-to-government aid priorities and thriving corruption has fostered support for the Taliban as citizens become angry and follow those promising to ‘do something about it’.

SOME SUCCESSES: • Community Driven Accountability, enabling communities to become accountability agents. • Collaborative State Building, engaging local institutions in a participatory process, to develop understanding of how they work with communities and what the capacities and constraints are. • Access to Information. Too often, the international aid system is opaque and private contracting is worse. In Afghanistan, it was impossible for local citizens to find out the gross budget figures for large-scale aid projects undertaken by private contractors. • Building on Local Competencies. Many reconstruction errors could have been avoided if donors were more conversant with local conditions, and drew on local skills and competencies. TEAR Fund works with local communities, including through micro-enterprise development. • Faith-based organisations have a particular role to play in speaking against corruption and some become ‘islands of integrity’ since members account to each other and lapses can be made public. This changes the culture to one that condemns corrupt practices. government-to-government aid to a country coupled with weak institutions creates a dangerous imbalance. Two big discrepancies emerge as the country recovers from war. The first, one to three years after a peace settlement,

features high aid in-flows which are out of step with the capacity of the state and civil society institutions to absorb the support. In 2007, for example, the Palestinian Authority came to the Paris donor conference asking for $5.6bn over three years. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad left the conference with pledges of $7.4bn. As is true in all postwar nations, state and civil society institutions are newly rebuilt and their capacity remains low. Many of the funds remain unspent and others were wasted through patronage and kickbacks that grew from the opportunity. At a time when state capacities should be systematically strengthened, many government and private contractor practices have the opposite effect. Crucial transparency questions fail to be asked and accountability mechanisms are not developed or even suspended in the rush to spend the aid money. In countries that receive significant assistance, aid can follow a boom and bust curve. This causes the second discrepancy. Just when state and civil society capacity has grown to the point where it can channel the aid and growing tax base usefully, governmentto-government aid starts to dry up. The result is frustration and underresourcing of community groups. TEAR Fund believes in local partnerships. Many quickly introduced governance reforms are top down and underestimate local social accountability mechanisms that can build transparency and accountability from below. But reconciling divisions and building trust between competing groups and in the state depends as much on these informal mechanisms, where TEAR Fund works, as on formal democratic institutions.

Community-driven Development and Accountability There is hope. Foreign donors can adopt a more politically sensitive understanding of their impact on networks of influence in these settings. Partnering with citizens in the allocation

PICTURE / REUTERS ALERTNET/DAVID GRAY

and impact of public resources that affect their lives, can build institutions and engagement in the democratic process. In 1992, after sixteen years of civil war, Mozambique had a GDP of only US$80. By 2002, this had tripled. Peace has a dividend. Having communities directly involved as accountability agents is also a proven method of countering corruption. Development programmes that combine engagement with local communities and grassroots social accountability have had a good track record. TEAR Fund UK’s research shows that community leaders, if supported, are motivated to help educate citizens on their rights and on ways that they can tackle and report corruption. Where international aid efforts reach out to these informal, locally-based mechanisms in the early post-conflict window of opportunity, the success of reconstruction is more likely and the risk of return to conflict will be mitigated. TEAR Fund, therefore, emphasises the need to adopt a bottom-up approach to anti-corruption work, alongside a sanctions-based approach, to increase the sense of public responsibility and accountability and to create a culture that condemns corrupt practices. TEAR Fund works with local groups in a number of post-war and postdisaster countries including Palestine, Afghanistan, Niger, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Somalia. For more see tearfund. org.nz.

PRAY • Pray for the wisdom of those providing aid in post-conflict zones. • Pray for wise leadership in postconflict zones. • Pray for those working from the bottom up to stabilise communities and nations affected by conflict. * Galtung, F and Tisné , M: A New Approach to Post-War Reconstruction, Journal of Democracy v20, n4 2009

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

8 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

TOURS AND EVENTS Visit tearfund.org.nz for tour dates and venues Grant Norsworthy October 26 – November 4, South Island Touring: Nelson, Westport, Reefton, Greymouth and Christchurch

rant Norsworthy speaks and sings passionately about life, the true nature of worship, how true worship relates to the ‘least of these’ (Matt 25:3146) and, above all, following Jesus. Grant is a Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated musician, from Melbourne, Australia. He relocated to Nashville Tennessee, USA in early 2002

REVIEWS THE FIRST GRADER Movie Review by Andrew Dallaston

was expecting a heart-warming story about the oldest man ever to start primary school (according to the Guinness Book of Records) at the age of 84. But The First Grader is so much more. It is a powerful, moving and inspirational tribute to the courage of two people – Kimani Maruge, a former member of the Mau Mau freedom fighters and his teacher Jane Obinchu. When Maruge was born, few indigenous Kenyans could afford schooling, and instead he worked on a white settler’s farm. One of the Kikuyu people, Maruge was caught up in the Mau Mau rebellion (1952 – 1960); a brutal chapter in the history of British imperialism. His wife and family were killed and he was

THE FURIOUS LONGING OF GOD by Brennan Manning Reviewed by Rob Reynolds

picked up The Furious Longing of God as a freebie for my e-reader. Having never read anything by Brennan Manning, I figured it was worth the price, but it was worth far more than I paid. This short book spoke to my soul as I read it. Manning states that he “believe(s) that Christianity happens when men and women experience the reckless, raging confidence that comes from knowing the God of Jesus Christ”. This knowledge comes when we recognise that God furiously longs to know us; it’s a love that goes beyond what we are used to. He writes of his personal experiences

with the Aussie band PC3 (Paul Coleman Trio). After extensive and international touring and achieving significant chart success with PC3, Grant joined millionselling, ‘worship rockers’ SONICFlood on bass. Grant is an experienced teacher and a much-sought-after speaker at festivals, conferences, colleges, church services, workshops and other events across the USA and many parts of the world. “Grant is a dynamic musician with a challenging message. His enthusiasm and passion is contagious.”

David Cowdrey - St Barnabas Anglican Church, Stoke, Nelson

“We enjoyed having Grant with us. He communicated well, but more importantly, challenged us as a church to commit to act on issues at the heart of the gospel. Pastor Tony Barnett - Grace Church, Richmond, Nelson

For tour details visit tearfund.org.nz

Grant Norsworthy to tour the top of the South Island for TEAR Fund.

imprisoned for eight years, tortured and mutilated. Flash backs to this terrible time occur throughout the film and make grim watching. When the Kenyan government made education free for everyone in 2003, Maruge was determined to attend school so he could understand a letter he received from the government. He faced numerous barriers, especially angry disapproval from the local community and the school authorities. Maruge’s first limping steps into education are made possible by the idealistic senior teacher Jane Obinchu, who withstands fierce criticism, personal attacks and even dismissal on his behalf. Inter-tribal divisions caused by the rebellion resurface – divisions that exist to this day – and while Jane is all for moving on – her supervisor (from a tribe which supported the British) makes the chilling point that, “the past is always present”. In this true story, courage and persistence won the day. Maruge became an assistant teacher, a poster boy for the

government’s education programme and even travelled to the USA where he gave a speech to the UN on the importance of education. As you would expect from a BBC and National Geographic production – the 103 minutes is superbly filmed... capturing the stark beauty of the Rift Valley and the vivaciousness of the genuine Kenyan school kids. The two lead actors are also outstanding. Kenyan, Oliver Litondo, plays Maruge with great dignity and depth. English actress Naomie Harris, turns in a gorgeous and gutsy performance as Jane Obinchu. You may recognise Harris from her role as Calypso in Pirates of the Caribbean. Both she and Litondo star in the upcoming movie about Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom, which is also directed by Justin Chadwick. Altogether, The First Grader is a must see. The profoundly disturbing scenes are balanced by a richness of human warmth and good humour, and the uplifting triumph of people sticking

of encountering God’s grace as he has sought God in his life. I liked this book for the following reasons. By sharing bits of his life story and personal encounters with God, Manning gives the reader a glimpse into how God has pursued him. He doesn’t try to present a balanced view of how one grows closer to God. Instead, he challenges the reader to ponder what God’s love for us really means – that God not only loves us, he likes us too. I also appreciated it for his honesty and authenticity. Manning writes as one who was broken and still loved by his creator. As a reader, you walk with him through challenges and let them challenge how you believe God sees you. Finally, I appreciated it because it was a short book that takes a lifetime to fathom. At only 134 pages, you can read it in one sitting. If you allow his words to speak to your soul, you can’t read a chapter without letting his words stir your thoughts as they paint how God sees you. I encourage you to add this to your summer reading list.

BILLY THE KID

$50

(A GOAT)

HANDLE THE JANDAL $5 (A PAIR OF JANDALS)

GOT MILK?

(MILK CAN & STORAGE TRAINING)

PICTURE / SUPPLIED

courageously to their beliefs. It is also a testimony to how much education is valued by those who have been denied it. As Maruge proudly states at the end of the film, “I will go on learning until I have soil in my ears”.

$30 WAI NOT? (WATER FOR SURVIVAL)

A Good WoRD (BIBLE)

$40

$10

FULL PuKus (FOOD FOR STARVING CHILDREN)

CHECK OUT OUR NEW CATALOGUE OR VISIT giftforlife.co.nz

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

L s

R G N)

Taking your own needs out of writing to your sponsor child PICTURE / SUPPLIED

WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS: Your letters are a constant encouragement to sponsored children.

By Amber Van Schooneveld Compassion Canada

sponsor a boy in India. Scratch that. I just got his latest picture, and he has a full-on moustache. I sponsor a young man in India. Several years ago I got to meet him, and as he’s gotten older, we’ve developed a warm friendship. He calls my husband and I, ‘auntie and uncle,’ and sends us hugs and kisses. Last year when we sent him a picture of our new daughter; he was absolutely exuberant to have a ‘little sister’ and begged for more photos of her. There’s no better way to a mother’s heart than to ask to see pictures of her baby. On the other hand, we also sponsor a girl. Her letters to us are brief. They don’t contain much information that tells us about her life. Her photos often look stern. Comparing the two relationships, I can sometimes get frustrated. I wonder, “Why do I write

her these letters when she doesn’t seem to appreciate them?” In short, I am not getting the emotional pay-out that some hidden part of me seems to want from my sponsorship. (It pains me to admit this.) Right now, for work, I’m editing letters from partnership facilitators around the world. I’m currently on the batch from the country where my sponsored girl lives. As I read letter after letter about the challenges those children in her community face, my selfishness becomes more and more apparent. Many girls are denied education. Many are married off and get pregnant as young as 13. Many are AIDS orphans. Many have parents who are alcoholics or just absent. This reminds me of some good advice I’ve heard — you never know what someone else is going through. When someone at the grocery store is rude to you or your friend is a bit short, it’s always good to remember that you have

no idea the struggles and challenges they are facing at that exact moment — so extend grace to them! How much more ought this to be true of our sponsored children? In my frustration that my relationship with this girl isn’t as sunny as I’d like it to be, I am focused on myself and what I’m ‘getting out’ of sponsorship, rather than focusing on offering unconditional love to a young woman living in a hard situation. I don’t know what her relationship is like with her parents. I don’t know what pressures she’s facing on her way home from school each day. I don’t know what else might be keeping that stern look on her face. All I do know is that there is a God who cares for her welfare and I have an amazing opportunity to remind her of that. I don’t write this because I thoroughly enjoy sharing my weaknesses with people. I have Facebook for that. I share because perhaps this will be

a reminder to someone out there that when our sponsor experience doesn’t go exactly how we want it to, we have an opportunity to be those beautiful feet bringing good news on the mountains, reminding the children – even when it doesn’t seem reciprocal – that God loves them and there is someone who is praying for them. This little encouragement just might make the difference in their life.

PRAY • Pray for the ongoing impact of Live Below the Line. • Pray that people who did the Live Below the Line challenge will continue to see how they can make a difference in the world. • Pray for the partners who will receive funds from us because of Live Below the Line – that their work would be strengthened by it.

Kiwis ‘Live Below the Line’ for TEAR Fund By Caitlin Pieterson

hat does living in poverty feel like? Thousands of people across New Zealand and around the globe asked themselves this very question as they undertook the Live Below the Line challenge last month, September 24-28. The five-day event challenges Kiwis to feed themselves for just $2.25 a day – the New Zealand equivalent of the extreme poverty line. For the thousands who took part, it was an incredible opportunity to get a glimpse of what it’s like for the 1.4 billion people who live in extreme poverty. The campaign was organised by the Global Poverty Project and was held in the US, UK and Australia. In New Zealand, some of the best charities in the fight against extreme poverty were involved, including TEAR Fund, World Vision, Oxfam and UNICEF. The Bishop of Wellington, Justin Duckworth, did the challenge with his family on behalf of TEAR Fund. He said, “It was amazing how much time we

spent thinking about food and this helped us to realise how much we take our abundance of food for granted. It is a real challenge as you wrestle with what you are going to put on the plate every day. It is humbling to identify with how daily life is for more than 1.4 billion people in our world living in extreme poverty.” Another participant in the challenge said, “This was different to any other challenge I’ve undertaken. Rather than simply not eating, I had a specific amount of money to use and had to meticulously plan how each cent would be spent. It made me realise how difficult it must be to live like that, especially when there’s not enough money for all the things they so desperately need. I feel so humbled by the experience and want to do whatever I can to make a difference.” So far, those participating in the challenge on behalf of TEAR Fund, have raised more than $47,000. This money will go towards TEAR Fund’s child trafficking prevention programme in Nepal, and towards the most vulnerable babies in India and Ethiopia.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Thanks to all the Kiwis who participated in Live Below the Line.

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

10 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

A Loving Example Brings Harmony Story and photos by Tonny Tunya

an you imagine a small village consisting of 500 families with temples, mosques and churches? And the people all get along together! It is not utopia. It is real. In the Pakisan region of Indonesia, a community shares a peaceful life though they have different religious beliefs. Maintaining the harmonious life among the different faith communities requires the effort of everyone involved. The church in Pakisan plays the main role in how the Christian faith is represented in the midst of prejudice in the country. Elsewhere in Indonesia, there have been clashes between Muslims and Christians. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world with a population of more than 240 million. About 90% of them are Muslim. From a historical perspective, Hinduism was the first official religion after the animism and dynamism period; Buddhism came later. Islam came to Indonesia through traders from the West (Arabs). Christianity came to Indonesia long before colonialism. However, because of the negative impacts of colonialism and that it was considered a colonist religion; local converts to Christianity were often labelled as traitors.

Ika with her Mum

Time healed the wound, but scars remain Pakisan is an example of how Christians in Indonesia can love and give value to the other members of their community, regardless of religious differences. Ika Widyawati, age nine attends a child development centre in a Pakisan village run by TEAR Fund’s child sponsorship partner, Compassion. Ika’s parents are Muslim, but they allow her to attend activities at the church. Ahmadi, Ika’s father, doesn’t regret allowing Ika to attend the project activities five years ago. “I know it’s the church that does the work and teaching, but that is fine with me,” says Ahmadi. “My only wish when sending Ika to the project is for her own sake, so she can learn many things and gain wisdom in her life.” When asked if they are afraid Ika will become a Christian because of the teaching she receives at church, her father replies: “It is up to her when she is old enough to decide. She knows what is best for her. We as parents will support her decision; we only hope for the best thing for our daughter.” Lidya Linawati is Ika’s age group mentor at the project. Lidya is a pastor’s wife in Wonokerso village, the village next to Pakisan. Pastor Sutiono’s church,

along with other churches in the neighbourhood, ALL SMILES: Ika loves the child sponso rship programme. agreed to work together to promote and care for all Compassion. She enjoys the project the children attending the Compassion activities so much that her parents project. “The church in these villages is notice her willingness to attend. Though blessed by the open-minded community,” she has to walk, climbing steep hills says Pastor Sutiono. The opportunity to Pakisan village, it is not a problem. for sharing the gospel is huge. Pastor “I think I’ll miss a big thing if I miss Sutiono and his wife Lidya live among project activities,” Ika says. the villagers and their intention is Ika is now able to memorise verses to bring the gospel to many and do it and sing many songs. She even leads peacefully. a prayer before family dinner. Her Pastor Sutiono joins villager’s parents trust Ika to determine what ceremonies and events. Villagers will is best for her future when she is old ask him to pray at their ceremonies enough. Though Pakisan is small, the or family celebrations, even though church and project there demonstrate they hold different religious beliefs. how Christianity can contribute to a “My intention is not to make people harmonious life. believe, but let them find the truth by themselves,” says Pastor Sutiono. “It is the aim of the church to equip believers to become a living testimony for others”. • Pray for all children who are The peaceful spirit in Pakisan is sponsored – that they would truly reflected in how people relate in the know they are loved. village. No prejudice and hatred are shown towards others, just like Ika’s • Pray for the well-being of those father who allows his only daughter to who sponsor children but are going learn things at the church. Respectful through tough financial times. attitudes towards other beliefs can • Pray for the staff from churches be a starting point for building trust that tirelessly work in sponsorship and friendship within a community. programmes around the world to Young Ika has experienced the selflessly serve the children. goodness of Christian ministry through

PRAY

AUCKLAND PASTOR MEETS HIS UGANDAN SPONSOR CHILD By Keith Ramsay

fter a long drive avoiding ruts and potholes and taking numerous detours, C3 Pastor Glenn Bilby from Auckland, came to a clearing with three small huts. He had come thousands of kilometres to this remote part of Uganda to visit the child his family sponsors through TEAR Fund; nine-year-old Amuko. This was an amazing experience, as few people get the privilege of meeting their sponsor child, Glenn said. The anticipation of meeting Amuko was palpable. Upon seeing her and seeing how she lived; the photo of the girl affixed to their fridge suddenly became real.The initial encounter with Amuko, a slight, tall girl, was a little awkward at first as Amuko also made the transition from the family, she only knew through letters and photos, became a reality for her.

However, over the short time Glenn was with her, she became more comfortable. Amuko, her parents, and four siblings live in three huts. “Amuko showed us to her hut which she shares with her sister. All that was in it was a squab mattress, a mosquito net and a suitcase with about six items of clothing. This was the extent of everything she owned in the world,” says Glenn. The hut occupied by her parents was not much better with a rickety single bed. Glenn said he wasn’t really prepared for the heart-breaking situation he walked into. He thought Africa over the years would have moved on from the subsistence and impoverished lifestyle he encountered Amuko living in. However, it was clear from the visit that sponsorship was not only helping Amuko, but the whole family. The sponsorship has enabled Amuko to go to school and ensure she has access to healthcare and

PICTURE / SUPPLIED

Auckland pastor Glenn Bilby visits his Ugandan sponsor child Amuko (in blue) and her family. better nutrition. Amuko’s parents are subsistence farmers growing some crops. They also have a handful of animals and an orange tree. Glenn recounts the awkward moment when they offered one of their two chickens to him. They settled for some nuts and oranges instead. He visited the school which Amuko walks an hour to get to every day, and saw the child development centre run by TEAR

Fund’s partner Compassion. He also saw Amuko’s school and medical records, and says she is doing well. “I was very impressed with what TEAR Fund is doing through its child sponsorship programme with Compassion.” The visit has definitely helped to solidify his family’s relationship with Amuko, and the kids can be heard to say, “I wonder what Amuko is doing now,” he said.

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz

YES! Name:

I WANT TO INVEST IN THE POOR!

Title

First

Last

Address:

Phone:(H)

ABER

CAMILA

CYNTHIA

Mobile:

4 year old girl, Uganda

7 year old girl, Bolivia

12 year old girl, Ghana

Email:

Aber loves to tell stories, play ball games and listening to music. She attends primary school and attends Bible class.

Camila lives with her father and mother. She’s in primary school and loves playing house, with dolls and group games.

Cynthia lives with her uncle and her aunt. At home, she carries water, gathers firewood and washes clothes.

DOB 3 August 2008

DOB 2 March 2005

DOB 8 May 2000

These children need HELP URGENTLY!

(W)

Tick here and TEAR Fund will, from time to time, keep you informed on events, projects and disasters by email.

Sponsor one of these children for just $45 a month. Fill out the form on this page, tick the circle of a child and send to our address below, or call 0800 800 777. I WANT TO SPONSOR A CHILD FOR $45 PER MONTH. If you have ticked an image on the left, please leave these preference boxes blank. My preference is: Girl No Preference Boy From:

South America

Africa

Asia

No Preference Central America Please add Sponsorship Plus for $10 extra per month:

DENAR

ELIZABETH

EYERUS

6 year old boy, Bolivia

15 year old girl, Tanzania

5 year old girl, Ethiopia

Singing is Denar’s favorite activity. He attends primary school and lives with his parents and 3 other siblings.

Elizabeth lives with her mother who is sometimes a seller at the markets. She participates in church activities.

In her home, Eyerus helps by running errands and cleaning. She lives with her parents who work as labourers.

DOB 12 May 2006

DOB 10 March 1997

DOB 15 September 2006

TEAR FUND PROJECTS & MINISTRY I would like to become a Community Development supporter by making regular monthly donations of: $15

$35

$50

$100

Other

Monthly Payments: Please send me a direct debit form Please use the credit card details below I would like to make a one-off donation of:

HERBERT

INGRID

JEFFERSON

13 year old boy, Uganda

8 year old girl, Colombia

6 year old boy, Dominican Republic

For fun, Herbert enjoys soccer, singing and stories. He helps his grandmother at home by looking after his 3 brothers.

Ingrid participates in church activities and is in primary school. She loves skipping, hide-and-seek and games.

Jefferson lives with his sister and mother, who works as a labourer. He enjoys playing cards, baseball and running.

DOB 10 February 1999

DOB 30 October 2003

DOB 4 June 2006

$15

$35

$50

$100

$350

Other

For:

Peace on Earth Projects Save the Sahel famine project North Korea Emergency Food Programme Other

PAYMENT OPTIONS: Cheque (make payable to TEAR Fund) Visa / Mastercard (please complete below)

JOFFRE

JULEYDI

LEO

6 year old boy, Ecuador

4 year old girl, Nicaragua

5 year old boy, Indonesia

In his home, Joffre helps by making beds and running errands. He attends kindergarten and enjoys playing soccer.

Juleydi’s lives with her parents and 2 siblings and helps by carrying water and cleaning. She loves playing with dolls.

Leo makes his home with his father and his mother. Soccer and playing ball games are his favourite hobbies.

DOB 6 April 2006

DOB 6 May 2008

DOB 11 November 2006

Card Number:

Expiry date:

Cardholder name: Signature: To save posting your credit card details, use our secure online payment facility tearfund.org.nz

PLEASE SEND ME: Information on remembering TEAR Fund in my will Information on becoming a volunteer Advocate

MARCOS

PASKA

PIERRE

8 year old boy, Brazil

5 year old girl, East Indonesia

5 year old boy, Burkina Faso

Marcos lives with his grandmother and 3 siblings. For fun, Marcos enjoys soccer, playing with cars and swimming.

For fun, Mariska enjoys singing. She has a brother and together live with their father and mother who are farmers.

At home, Pierre is responsible for caring for animals and running errands. He has 4 brothers and 1 sister.

DOB 15 August 2004

DOB 20 March 2007

DOB 22 May 2007

Information on trust banks Please take me off your mailing list

Please send to: TEAR Fund, Freepost 140677, PO Box 8315, Symonds St. Auckland 1150

Ephesians 2:14

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility... RACHANA

TONGCHAI

VALENSON

7 year old girl, East India

7 year old boy, Thailand

7 year old boy, Haiti

Rachana lives with her mother. She is responsible for helping in the kitchen. She attends church activities regularly.

Tongchai lives at the Child Development Centre. There he helps gather firewood and tends the animals.

Valenson helps carry water for his family. He is not presently attending school. He enjoys soccer and playing with marbles.

DOB 2 August 2005

DOB 29 January 2005

DOB 5 September 2005

Call 0800 800 777 NOW to sponsor one of these children

Call 0800 800 777 or Visit tearfund.org.nz

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12 | TEAR CORRESPONDENT

E G N E L L A H C E L C Y C Y T R THE POVE T allenge Poverty Cycle Ch he TE AR Fund Held at nding success. was an outsta Clevedon ents Centre in the Ti Papa Ev hundreds of September 15, , ay rd tu Sa on hed the team spectators watc d an s nt pa ici rt pa e family fun and joined in th d fol un ce ra y rela an exciting cle Challenge is Cy y rt ve Po e Th day. five against at pits teams of th ce ra y la re road 20km circuit. ete five laps of a pl m co to r he ot each d businesses ble New Zealan ta no of r be m A nu ng Ricoh, the event includi for am te a d re ente Kentigern Fonterra, Saint ic, us M l sa er iv Un

l, Marbecks limited Potentia College, ASB, Un thlon NZ and Endorsed by Tria and many more. lenge raised verty Cycle Chal Bike NZ, The Po vulnerable t the world’s mos over $40,00 0 for wards the to s raised have gone children. All fund ht up in ug ca n litation of childre rescue and rehabi babies d an rs in Nepal, mothe hs in human trafficking ut yo sk -ri opia, and local at in India and Ethi Auckland. verty Cycle TE AR Fund Po Beth Harper, the event and was thrilled with Event Manager, New Zealand support of many thankful for the

ateful for the hools. “I am so gr businesses and sc d for the first uragement I’ve ha support and enco and can hardly corporate event, year of our new it takes guts ! We realise that wait for next year to fundraise on e to something; to sign your nam company into and to put your a charity’s behalf, ing on 2013! ” of a new event. Br the very first year next year, ady booked for With places alre p interested hool, club or grou any business, sc ld contact: in 2013, shou in participating arfund.org.nz povertycycle@ te

.nz povertycycle.org

HUGE THANKS TO THIS YEAR’S PARTICIPANTS:

scaffold

OUR PURPOSE:

PUBLICATION DETAILS:

CONTACT:

The purpose of TEAR Fund is to glorify God by extending His Kingdom in ministry to the poor, oppressed and disadvantaged, and to encourage God’s people in NZ to live out the values and principles of His Kingdom by sharing with those in need. TEAR Correspondent is published three times a year.

Editor: Keith Ramsay. Contributors: Steve Tollestrup, Frank Ritchie, Murray Sheard, Rob Reynolds, Andrew Dallaston, Helen Manson, Caitlin Peterson, Amber Van Schoonveld and Tonny Tunya. Graphic Designer: Alex Carter. Cartoonist: Daniel Alexander. Printing: Horton Media.

0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz enquiries@tearfund.org.nz Mixed Sources Product group from well-managed forests, and other controlled sources www.fsc.org Cert no. SCS-COC-2324 © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council

PO Box 8315, Symonds St, Auckland 1150, New Zealand • enquiries@tearfund.org.nz • 0800 800 777 • tearfund.org.nz