Tearfund Correspondent May 2020-special Covid-19 edition

CORRESPONDENT MAY 2020

Special Covid-19 digital edition

Covid-19 coming for refugees

How milk is aiding the post-war recovery in Sri lanka

Keeping your sponsor children safe from the virus

pg 2

pg 6

pgs 14 and 15

PICTURE Compassion

2 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Covid-19 coming for refugees A sea of small bamboo and tarpaulin shelters as

“It is highly likely that Bangladesh will be hit

far as the eye can see, are precariously perched

particularly hard in the coming weeks with a

on hillsides in the largest refugee settlement in

peak expected in mid-May. So, it feels like the

the world, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, home to

storm is coming and the country is bracing for

855,000 Rohingya refugees.

impact.”

The camps are densely populated, with an

Carl says he knows that there are many

average of 40,000 people per square kilometre

New Zealanders struggling as a result of the

and up to 70,000 in some areas. That’s about

lockdown in New Zealand.

equivalent to 75-80 families living in an area the size of an Olympic swimming pool.

“I know it can be hard to look outward at the moment when families back home are

Their lives were drastically and brutally

also facing so much uncertainty. It’s a very

changed in August 2017 as they fled violence in

troubling time. But I’d simply ask Kiwis to

Rakhine State in Myanmar (Burma). Now they

remember the Rohingya, and if they can,

face a new threat. But it is not soldiers coming

consider donating to Tearfund’s Covid-19

in the night to kill them and burn their homes

appeal.”

down, it is an unseen killer, a virus called Covid-19.

Tearfund’s partner is also ensuring Syrian refugees stand a fighting chance against

As you can imagine, social distancing is not an

Covid-19. Similarly, Syrian refugees have fled

option in this overcrowded settlement. Most

violence in their country. The Syrian conflict is

people live in small one-room bamboo shelters

now in its 10th year. Tearfund’s church partner

and share toilet and washing facilities. Their

in Lebanon has been meeting the needs of

only line of defence from the killer virus is

Syrian refugees since they began pouring into

handwashing and the people who are putting

the country in 2011. Now they are going even

their health and lives at risk to ramp up health

further in their demonstration of Christ-like

initiatives and increase medical facilities, like

love and putting their lives on the line for their

Kiwi aid worker, Carl Adams. Carl works for

former enemies.

Tearfund’s partner in Cox’s Bazar and he and his team are preparing Rohingya refugees as much as possible to save lives from this virus.

“For the Rohingya refugees, Covid-19 is an additional challenge they have to face. While they are strong people, they are also incredibly vulnerable due to their circumstances. They are trying to fight this virus in the same way that we are in New Zealand with social distancing, self-isolation and hand washing but their circumstances mean that the odds are stacked against them.

That’s why we need to support them even more at this time.”

At the moment the team is setting up isolation tents making sure that undernourished

What Tearfund’s partners are doing • Our partner in Bangladesh is: Funding health clinics for Rohingya refugees and providing personal protective equipment for staff.

• Our partner in Lebanon is: Providing messages around keeping safe and emergency food rations for 4,400 refugees.

The hygiene kits contain soap, paper towels and hand sanitizer. Providing guidance and basic personal protective equipment and supplies to partners to ensure the safety of both partner staff and beneficiaries during distributions.

children are getting the nutritional attention they need and making sure the medical facilities they run are fully prepared to treat Covid-19 cases and ensure that health workers are kept as safe as possible.

Will you help refugees survive Covid-19?

To help, go to Tearfund.org.nz or call 0800 800 777.

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BY KEITH RAMSAY

PICTURE Helen Manson

Covid-19 adds another challenge for Rohingya refugees who live in small shelters in Cox's Bazar.

A Syrian refugee receives an emergency relief package from Tearfund's partner in Lebanon.

PICTURE Helen Manson

PICTURE Medair

A Rohinyga refugee in her small one-room shelter.

PICTURE Helen Manson

4 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Covid-19 will hit people in low-income countries the hardest.

PICTURE Compassion

BY KEITH RAMSAY

EDITORIAL:

What's in this issue?

Like you, Tearfund has had to adapt to life post Covid-19 so, we welcome you to our digital edition of the Correspondent. This virus has turned the world upside down and

On the cover, you can read about our

We also have some great events coming

Covid-19 response for refugees who don’t

your way, which have had to be adapted

have the option of social distancing or the

to lockdown, such as our Poverty Cycle

same access to a healthcare system that we

challenge and Behind the Lens which

have. For them, the impact of this virus will

has been turned into an online study

be devastating. However, the work being

suitable for small groups—online groups of

done with partners such as ours, like the

course. Also, keep your eye on our Justice

one in Bangladesh, headed up by a young

Conference which is also going to be online.

Kiwi aid worker, could be the difference between life and death for many refugees.

On a more positive note, our work with smallholder dairy farmers is paying dividends and we are expanding our successful model to more potential dairy farmers in some of Sri Lanka’s drier

Finally, if you sponsor a child, you are helping to protect them from Covid-19. You can read how a former sponsor child is using his skills to make masks for his community who don’t have access to them.

regions. You can read more about this on

Be assured that your child is being provided

page 6 and 7.

with health messages, given access to handwashing facilities and the social

many in New Zealand are struggling with

Vanuatu is a Pacific nation we have been

the impacts on our health and wellbeing

working in for many years on the island

and our economy and livelihoods. But while

of Tanna and the people there have made

many are hurting here, we can take comfort

some great strides towards self-sustaining

that our government is doing its best to keep

agricultural livelihoods, especially

us safe and support those who have lost

following Cyclone Pam in 2015. That story

their jobs or businesses. For the people we

is on page 7. Unfortunately, Vanuatu was

serve around the world, the same cannot

struck again by another Category 5 cyclone,

We hope you find the time to read this

be said but they have our partners doing

Cyclone Harold, which has undone some

issue and find something of comfort

everything they can to keep them as safe

of the gains made, but the people are

and inspiration among the pages of this

as possible from this virus, and our loyal

resilient and they are responding, not only

Tearfund Correspondent.

supporters are helping by resourcing them

in their area but to their neighbours on

financially through Tearfund.

nearby islands.

distancing necessary to stop the spread of Covid-19. The staff at each project are adapting to deliver their care in light of the pandemic. If you would like to protect another child, there are some to choose from on page 18.

5

Inside out committed you all to prayer at Tearfund, asking that God would be by your side and safeguard each of you in these extraordinary times.

Exploitation breeds on chaos and we

As I write this, I’m conscious that New

must ensure traffickers have no foothold

Zealand is leading the globe in its

among the jobless. Refugees live a perilous

remarkable attempt to eradicate Covid-19,

existence already but they also need to

and with it, we have a real shot at kick-

be kept safe and be provided for until the

starting our economy again. We all know,

pandemic passes. Tearfund’s work has

however, that those in poorer countries are

never been more important and your help

yet to face the full force of this pandemic

and support have never been more crucial.

and it is expected to be devastating. Outside of a miracle, which we should pray for daily, Like me, I’m sure your normal routines

it will take lives in extraordinary numbers

have been upended. I now work from home

and evaporate the meagre wealth and

connecting in with my team daily, watching

livelihoods of the poor.

my wife come and go in her scrubs. Himali is one of the many GPs still working in our community. Our huntaway seems to like the new routine mostly the daily walks and having ‘mum and dad’ close at hand.

Never before in our lifetimes has sponsoring a child with Tearfund provided a more crucial safety net.

So, while we pray for each other and attend to our very real needs here in New Zealand, I invite you to remember the poor, give generously to our Covid-19 Refugee Crisis Appeal and pray that this pandemic would

I wish Tearfund had a full answer for this.

We don’t. But one thing I know is that in Galatians 1, we are called to “remember the poor”. God will shape the course of

‘pass them over’.

God bless you all.

Ian McInnes, CEO

history through this pandemic as he has

I wonder how it is in your home?

done so many times before when we call

Economically, I know it has been tough for

out his name and act according to his

many of Tearfund’s supporters. We have

commandments.

Biblical snapshot: Remember the poor

BY SEAN DU TOIT

I’m at home in my office, in lockdown. Covid-19 is spreading and

The early Church was of course no different in its intentions and

we’re all trying to limit contact to save lives. There’s something

practice. When Paul meets the great apostolic pillars of the Church,

deeply individualistic and communal about this situation at the

James, Peter and John (Gal 2:9), they acknowledge his ministry but

same time. As an individual, I have the power to either help the

request of Paul one very important aspect: “Remember the poor,”

situation by complying with the government’s instructions or be

and the response given by Paul is, “which was actually what I was

part of the problem by going out, catching the virus or spreading it

eager to do” (Gal 2:10). We see this concern of Jesus and the church

further. We have the power to shape and change the lives of others

beautifully illustrated in Romans 15:25-26, “At present, however, I

and that’s why it’s important for us to not only look after ourselves

am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints; for Macedonia

but to remember those who are vulnerable.

and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the

Jesus’ ministry was marked by an intentional concern for the poor.

But who are the poor and what constitutes a “poor” person in Jesus’ view? Does Jesus have in mind just the economically destitute or does he have in mind a wider group? If we peruse Luke’s gospel, we see Jesus widening the category of poor to include a host of different people who are vulnerable and marginalised. In Luke 4:18 the poor are associated with captives, the blind, and oppressed. Then in 6:20 the poor are grouped with the hungry, mournful and harassed.

This is followed by Lk 14:13 and 14:21 where the poor are connected with the maimed, blind and lame. In Lk 16:20 and 22, the poor are the hungry and those covered with sores. Finally, we see the widow in Lk 21:2-4, someone who is completely economically destitute.

Thus the “poor” in the ministry of Jesus are those distinguished by their lowly status, lack of power, miserable treatment and their lack of resources. Jesus’ vocation, as with those who follow him, specifically includes a focus on the poor.

poor among the saints at Jerusalem.” The Christian communities of Macedonia and Achaia have gathered resources together to benefit and bless the poor in Jerusalem. The church is networking to provide for the vulnerable and marginalised. It’s a beautiful picture of faith in action, expressing the concerns and commitments of Jesus.

As we huddle to support each other, as we should, let us also remember the poor. Let us remember that while this is an inconvenience and hassle for us, it is likely going to be much worse for the poor in low-income countries who aren’t able to stay home in self-isolation. They won’t be able to stock-pile food and resources and they will need our help. How can we remember the poor? We can begin by praying for them. We can communicate with them and those who know them. We can provide resources and relief to those in need. Let’s be the church that embodies the love of God. Let’s be the church that follows Jesus’ example of care and concern for the poor. Let us remember the poor, in word and deed.

6 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Milk aiding post-war recovery in Sri Lanka

STORY BY HELEN MANSON

Eight years ago I went to Sri Lanka. It was so impactful I couldn’t speak about it for three months. We were in the north where the war had come to its bloody end in 2009, to see the start of a new project Tearfund was pioneering. As we drove past bombed-out buildings, met people with war injuries and heard first-hand stories of the devastation, it was all I could do to pick up my camera and notepad and document it.

During that visit, I met Praveendran and his wife Chithradevi. At the time, they lived in a makeshift shelter made of grass and scraps of tin. They had two little girls and were recovering from a war that had devastated their livelihoods and destroyed their land. They had a huge hole the size of

Praveendran and Chithradevi sit with Helen.

PICTURE Gertjan Kardol

a car in their front yard from a shell. Their vulnerability in sharing their story and their kindness towards their children stuck with me. At the time, Tearfund’s partner

The Dairy Project

was coming alongside them and their

For many families living in the north of Sri Lanka, dairying was a way of life but it had never

community through smallholder dairy farmer training, women’s savings groups and a children's club.

been more than a minor income option. What if we were to help these farmers get back on their feet post-war by giving them a cow, training them up with best-practice dairy farming methods and creating milk collection points for them to sell their milk? What would it look

When I learnt I was to head back to Sri Lanka in February 2020, I was so excited about visiting them again!

like to come alongside war widows in Sri Lanka with NZ expertise in dairying (chilling centres and supply chains) and help them make it their main source of income?

Eight years ago we started with just eight farmers. Today, we have over 4500 farmers, 7,500 children and 1,500 women in our programme!

Shortly after we began, the New Zealand Government heard about our pioneering work in Sri Lanka and decided they’d like to jump on board. Thanks to their involvement, our eight initial farmers went from producing 150L of milk a month to approximately 1,500 farmers producing 500,000L of milk each month. Soon that snowballed into private Kiwi organisations that specialise in dairy wanting to get involved, and finally some amazing private donors. For the last eight years, we’ve been testing, refining and improving the project. But we hope the next chapter of this story will involve you! To get this project to the next level of reaching 10,000 farmers, it’s going to take not just the government, not just the private donors, but our incredible supporters, like you, to get it across the line for people like Praveendran.

“We were very poor and under the poverty line when you met us. With two children it was very difficult to run our family. We didn’t even have anything. We had some cattle and we cultivated paddy fields on a small scale. We were given some cows for milking and selling as well as some cattle breeding and feeding training. That was very significant for us. From the training, we learned how to make our income increase. Today we have eight calves and five cows.”

Today they have a home made of concrete, their girls are grown up and in school and they are doing ok. They still have challenges and life is far from perfect, but it’s way better than before.

PICTURE Helen Manson

If you want to be part of helping more farmers thrive through dairy farming, go to Tearfund.org.nz and give to our In Every Season Appeal or call 0800 800 777.

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A Sri Lankan girl enjoys milk produced as part of Tearfund's dairy project.

PICTURE Helen Manson

8 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Ethical Fashion Report and the challenges of Covid-19 PICTURE Unsplash

BY ANNIE HOLLISTER-JONES

The global spread of the Covid-19 is unlike anything we have ever experienced before and the true scale of its devastation remains to be seen. Here in New Zealand, it may be the first time we have collectively feared for our wellbeing and that of our loved ones.

However, for people who are already poor and marginalised, this crisis will only exacerbate vulnerabilities which existed well before any of us had ever heard of ‘coronavirus’. Here at Tearfund, along with Baptist World Aid, we’ve been working hard to figure out the best way for us to respond to the COVID crisis, in relation to the 2020 Ethical Fashion Report.

In the coming weeks, we’re launching a new campaign centred on key commitments that we’re going to ask brands to make to protect workers in their supply chains in this current season and beyond.

As the crisis unfolds in garment-producing countries, we hope to amplify the voices of workers, work with brands to ensure that their workers' rights are protected, and to pray for decision-makers in those nations.

We will also provide ways for you to stand with us in this important work too. Make sure you’re following us on social media to stay in the loop!

We hope you’ll join us!

The Tearfund Ethical Fashion guide has been delayed and reshaped by Covid-19.

Gearing up to fight sexual exploitation into the future Peter continues…

In 2010, I had a dream. I saw a peloton of bike riders racing over seven days throughout New Zealand and at the same

wants to make sure he can continue to fund the work he is so passionate about, so he decided to leave a gift to Tearfund in his will.

It was an easy decision in choosing to leave

resources to fight sex trafficking, as they

behind a good bequest to Tearfund knowing

so effectively do.

that as I go on to the next adventure, my

with hundreds of clients has given me a real

PICTURE supplied

Peter knows he can’t do this forever but he

time helping Tearfund pump up their

Having 50 years in the insurance business

Peter Yarrell takes a rest during the tour of NZ event that he founded.

BY KEITH RAMSAY

reach on this planet continues in one of the most meaningful ways I can think of.

insight into the world of charity effectiveness.

When you leave a gift in your will to

Tearfund stood out as compassionate,

Tearfund you can provide lasting positive

thoughtful and effective operators, making

change for future generations, and you are

a measurable difference in this world.

allowing the world’s poor and vulnerable to

2012 arrived, and along with it, the first

benefit from your life.

Tour of New Zealand cycle race. We found the competitors could pump in some needed

Peter Yarrell is in his 70s and is a keen long-

cash by gaining sponsorship, and several

distance cyclist. His love of cycling and

hundreds of thousands of dollars later, the

a dream led him to start the Tour of New

effectiveness of Tearfund and the rescue

Zealand cycle race which attracts cyclists

of those trafficked into commercial sexual

from all over New Zealand and the world.

exploitation multiplied.

To learn more, visit Tearfund.org.nz or contact our Engagement Manager – Gifts in Wills: giftsinwills@tearfund.org.nz or 0800 800 777

9

Sustainable agriculture the fence at the top of the cliff

*BY SARAH POLLOK

During a crisis, the need is unmistakable, the urgency, built-in. A

Lahva’s solution? A self-sustaining agribusiness that didn’t just help

crisis somewhat markets itself. An ambulance doesn’t need much

farmers, but directly involved them; providing these potential rural

promotion when there’s a body at the bottom of a cliff.

entrepreneurs with credited training, resources, equipment and

When a crisis hits the issue is obvious, the time to act is now and the results from help are marked. It’s easy for our giving to feel substantial, to feel it’s making a measurable difference.

But paradoxically, it’s when our giving feels least effective that it does its best work. See, an ambulance on the ground is unquestionably essential, but it’s not nearly as powerful, or effective as a fence.

On the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, if the cliff is financial instability, lack of education and poverty, then Nasi Tuan is one such fence.

Even better, it’s one the people have built themselves.

thus a chance to effectively participate in large markets. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Lahva built on what people of Tanna could already do; grown darn good produce.

Currently, Nasi Tuan is funded by the Vanuatu Government and New Zealand Christian charity, Tearfund. And instead of pouring money and resources into quick fixes, Nasi Tuan invests in a sustainable model that will one day outgrow a need for funding. In essence? The picture of empowerment.

Nasi Tuan falls under Tearfund’s Farming and Enterprise cause, formerly “Empower”. This cause involves preventing

As one of Vanuatu’s 83 islands, Tanna has a population of

poverty through building self-sufficiency, disaster resilience and

approximately 32,500, a very-much active volcano called Mt Yasur,

opportunity. It’s about the sustainable, the preventative and the

and consequentially, nutrient-rich ashy soil built for farming. So

long-term. It’s the fence that enables small farming families to put

that’s exactly what the people of Tanna did, with over 80% of them

food on the table, send their kids to college and create a better future

working as subsistence farmers.

for themselves.

Yet, despite their impressive work ethic and the land’s natural fertility, Tanna is also a region of poverty and hardship. A fragility that was only worsened in 2015 when Cyclone Pam tore through the Pacific.

Here’s where Nasi Tuan comes in, although they started before Pam in 2009 when a government staff member saw a flaw in the ambulance approach to aid in Vanuatu. Working on the main island of Port Vila, Jeffrey Lahva saw many mission trips pass through from

It is empowering people to propel themselves out of hardship, and it may not have the dramatic urgency or vinstantaneous results of giving in a crisis, but it’s important nonetheless.

Since this story was written by Sarah, Vanuatu has been hit hard once again by another Category 5 cyclone—Cyclone Harold. Nasi Tuan is helping in areas hardest hit by the cyclone.

New Zealand and Australia; groups of church youth eager to do some

*Sarah Pollok is a Tearfund supporter who recently visited

good. Yet despite the best of intentions, the groups would come,

Tearfund's work on Tanna Island, Vanuatu. Sarah is a freelance

assist, and inevitably return home, while communities waited for the

writer and photographer.

next trip to pass through.

Lahva also knew first-hand the tenacity, work ethic and passion of his people. The issue was not their willingness to work hard or desire for a better life, but obstacles out of their control; freak weather patterns, limited business education and a lack of access to

Will you please help the people of Vanuatu to meet their emergency needs and invest in sustainable agricultural livelihoods?

Go to Tearfund.org.nz or call 0800 800 777 to donate.

international markets.

These people weren’t just tending a relaxed veggie patch in their backyard. The UN predicts that 500 million smallholder farms just like the ones in Tanna produce 80% of the developing world’s food. But due to their small size, this is often done in informal and inefficient ways. Farmers have no formal training, little business education, and limited tools and supplies.

Nasi Tuan director, Jeffrey Lavha in his office.

PICTURE Helen Manson

Pusin is delighted with his harvest.

PICTURE Andrew Finlay

10 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Syrian conflict enters its 10th year

A Syrian refugee woman stands atop a building overlooking Beirut.

The misery for millions of refugees continues as the Syrian conflict

This is particularly astounding as there was a lot of hatred for the

officially entered its tenth year on March 15. After nine years

Syrians in Lebanon because Syria occupied the country from 1976

of fighting Syria remains the largest refugee crisis in the world

to 2005 (29 years) and the Lebanese were treated harshly by them.

affecting about 17.6 million Syrians.

Those helping had to overcome a lot of prejudice and hurt to help

Before a ceasefire in March, civilians were still being killed in their hundreds in Syria and the displaced were dying of cold as Assad government troops increased their aggression in what was supposed to be a safe zone in Idlib for displaced civilians.

Tearfund has been fortunate to have so many loyal supporters who have walked the journey with Syrian refugees since we first started funding the work in 2013.

What Tearfund supporters have been doing to support Syrian refugees

Syrian refugees.

What our church partner delivered in 2019: • Food Assistance: 51,000 individuals per year.

• Winterization: 30,000 individuals.

• Informal Education & Child-Friendly Spaces: 2,100 children.

• Psychosocial Support: 2,000 children.

• Clean water: 500 individuals.

Why we need to stick with Syrian refugees

We started helping refugees survive the cold winters by supplying

It seems like the conflict will continue for some time yet because

heating fuel, blankets and materials to help insulate their temporary

the situation is complex. While the Assad government is close to

shelters and emergency food relief but have moved into helping other

taking the last opposition stronghold of Idlib, they risk a war with

needs prioritised by our partner such as education for children and

Turkey who backs the opposition. They came very close to making

child-friendly spaces.

this happen in February when Turkish troops were killed in Idlib

The heartening thing is that many of the refugees are seeing the heart of God in the way the church is helping and this is impacting them with some coming to faith in Jesus.

by regime forces. However, while Russia gives military backing to Assad, both Syria and Turkey are Russian allies. It was because of this that Russia was able to negotiate a ceasefire which has brought relief for Syrian civilians trapped in the region. Thankfully, the

11

BY KEITH RAMSAY

Over 5.5 m Syrians live as refugees in the region. More than 6 M Syrians are displaced within the country.

The conflict has displaced more than half of its people.

Approximately one in four people in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee.

(about 1.5 m refugees).

Turkey remains the

country with the most refugees in the world, hosting more than 3.7 m refugees since the start of the

uprising.

Though Syria accounts for less than one per cent of the world’s population, its people make up nearly one-third of refugees worldwide.

Approximately 50 per cent of all registered Syrian refugees are under the age of 18 and millions have grown up knowing nothing but conflict.

PICTURE Helen Manson

ceasefire is holding. However, this creates a stalemate between the sides. Even if Assad was to retake the country, this would be of little comfort for many Syrians. Those religious and ethnic groups viewed as being sympathetic to the Assad government could of course return, but groups seen to have been supportive of revolutionary forces would be too fearful to return.

Support for Syrian refugees essential for stability With an estimated 1.5 million refugees in Lebanon (one-fourth of the population), the burden of supporting refugees is becoming too much for Lebanon and the cracks are showing. Lebanon has begun to crackdown on Syrian refugees and this has led to detentions and deportations of Syrian refugees and businesses have been forced to sack Syrian workers, a source of cheap labour which is seen to take jobs from Lebanese people. Without support Syrian Refugees will be forced back into danger in Syria and if they stay this could cause instability within the region as host countries struggle to meet the need.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Tearfund is supporting Syrian refugees with hygiene kits and emergency food to keep them safe.

To help, go to Tearfund.org.nz or call 0800 800 777.

A refugee woman with her two children in a refugee settlement in Lebanon.

PICTURE Helen Manson

12 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Join the Poverty Cycle Challenge from your place

Are you ready for a challenge in June that can help change the lives of people trapped in modern slavery?

The Poverty Cycle is a nationwide movement, challenging Kiwis to get fit, have fun and make a difference, to help combat human trafficking and exploitation. You can bike, run, walk, or set your sporting challenge and get your friends and family to sponsor you to help break the chains of the oppressed through Tearfund’s Poverty Cycle Challenge.

Don’t let Covid-19 measures stop you If Covid-19 measures are still in place get creative about how you will achieve your Poverty Cycle challenge. An inspiring, Kiwi recently ran the equivalent of a marathon around his house while in lockdown and a person in Paris ran one on his balcony.

If you are looking for a challenge, you can reclaim the equivalent distance of some wellworn trafficking routes on behalf of those who have had the misfortune of being trafficked.

• Route 1 Vientiane, Laos to Udon Thani, Thailand 79km • Route 2. Tak, Thailand to Bangkok, Thailand 425km • Or for those who want a big challenge, you can try to claim back the 620km route from Vientiane, Laos, to Bangkok, Thailand.

Funds you raise will be used to combat trafficking and exploitation in five countries and used here in New Zealand to help at-risk youths.

So, Get fit, have fun, make a difference! Move with us this June and help break the cycle of poverty for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

• Dates for Poverty Cycle this year: June 1-7, 2020 • Our website will be ready soon for registrations at:

www.povertycycle.org.nz Once you register, don’t forget to share your challenge and fundraising target with your friends and family so you can raise money. If you get just 10 people to sponsor you $50 each, that’s $500.

4.8 M people are victims of forced commercial sexual exploitation – approximately the population of NZ. 99% of people forced into commercial sexual exploitation are women and girls.

PICTURE Alex Carter

13

BY DALE CAMPBELL

The Justice Conference goes online as a result of Covid-19

BY HELEN MANSON

A hope more powerful than poverty tour When I first read the statement, “A hope more powerful than poverty”, I’m embarrassed to tell you I didn’t get it. But now, I do.

More powerful than poverty is the hope of Jesus, expressed through

I’m sure I don’t need to remind you we are living in strange times, offering us an unprecedented mix of both troubling destabilisation

the care of a local church and the encouragement of a loving sponsor.

and creative opportunities. On that note, due to the uncertain

The tour featured former sponsored child, Richmond Wandera from

nature of the coming months due to the Covid-19 crisis, like so many

Uganda, a passionate advocate for anti-trafficking, Kerrie Palma,

other events both in Aotearoa and globally, we have decided to take

and featured my stories and photographs of some of the children

The Justice Conference (TJC) online.

that Tearfund serves. The tour was a chance for us to bring to life

There are things we are going to miss about the physical gathering, such as meeting new people, networking in-between the sessions, sharing food and drink together, and just the general excitement of

the true impact of sponsoring a child. Held across the country from Auckland to Gore, the tour saw thousands of people come out and over 100 children find a sponsor.

a swarm of social justice-minded Kiwi Christians. But there are also

A child has no power over where they are born. They don’t

positives about taking the conference online. As we have all been

choose the circumstances of their childhood. They’re innocent

experiencing, both in our church fellowships and work situations,

and vulnerable to the devastating effects of poverty: disease,

this season is also about being adaptive and innovative. To that

malnutrition, inadequate shelter, lack of choice and hope for their

end, we are making plans to have quality content from engaging

future. It’s unacceptable but there is a powerful solution—child

and expert voices, and providing platforms for shared engagement

sponsorship.

in a format that is equal-access wherever your bubble is. Expect interactive webinars, thoughtful interviews and a mini-conference packed with inspiring content.

The Global movement of TJCs set this year's theme as the Lord’s Prayer—reflected in the words “I Te Whenua (On Earth)”. This prayer explores many rich themes such as worship, mission, discipleship, repentance and reconciliation. There is more than enough here to provide a great framework to explore a variety of topics relevant to both our local context and our shared global stories.

In its ugliest form, poverty can lead to exploitation, child labour and violence. It tells a child, "You don't matter, you are nothing. Life will always be this way. It leaves a child feeling hopeless, believing there is no way out. But Jesus, the Church and you, are a combination more powerful than poverty. – Richmond Wandera As a sponsor, you have a unique opportunity to invest in a child’s future. You’ll be invited to pray for them and their family and to write letters of hope—letters that often become cherished possessions. Your sponsored child will attend a Compassion

Consider yourself invited! We don’t want anyone to miss out, so I’d

centre at a local church, where they’ll receive nutritious food, the

love a conversation with you or your organisation if you are keen to

opportunity to learn about Jesus and support to learn and grow.

partner with us. Please pray for us as we plan.

They’ll be surrounded by a team of people who love Jesus and will

Pray that the justice conversation would continue to grow and that

care for their long-term development.

God’s people both in Aotearoa and around the world would continue to learn together what it means to “seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17).

If you sponsor a child with Tearfund, whether that was on this tour, or you’ve been doing it for a decade or more—thank you! What you do matters. Your sponsorship is a lifeline and is affecting far more

For more information, contact producer@thejusticeconference.org.nz or go to www.thejusticeconference.org.nz

lives than the little face in the picture. Thank you for bringing a hope more powerful than poverty!

PICTURE Unsplash

Former sponsor child, Richmond Wandera, encouraged Kiwis to sponsor children.

PICTURE Compassion

14 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Helping to protect sponsor children from Covid-19

STORY AND PICTURE BY JAVIER ELIS

As Covid-19 threatens low-income countries such as Guatemala,

Before a ban on gatherings was enforced and a curfew put in place,

people living in poverty face greater challenges to keep themselves

Yonatan taught older children and teens how to make the masks

safe and well. One former sponsor child decided to use his skills as a

themselves.

tailor to start making face masks to help people unable to get masks.

Yonatan Torres, a Compassion graduate, is making micro-fibre face masks to help prevent the spread of disease during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Cotzal, a community in Quiché, face masks and hand sanitizer quickly sold out. The shortages inspired Yonatan, who

“My goal is to teach every child at the centre how to make face masks to protect themselves and their families,” he says.

Yonatan's friend, Antonio Toma, works alongside him and says he feels proud to support communities where masks are out of stock.

teaches tailoring at his former Compassion child development

“I am so happy to be part of this project, helping people to prevent

centre, to take matters into his own hands.

the spread of the virus. We have strict hygiene guidelines: everything

“When we heard the news that Guatemala had its first case of Covid-19, all of the people in the community stocked up on supplies at the pharmacies. I was worried about how we could protect our lungs, so I decided to make reusable face masks,” says the 25-year-old.

must be clean, even the fibre, to prevent disease,” says Antonio.

Yonatan is the only person producing face masks in the wider region.

He said wearing a mask may play a small role in helping to prevent illness but there are more important things a person can do.

The best methods of prevention are to follow the rules, stay at home,

“I was making uniforms for a local school, but I stopped my

take it easy and trust in our Lord. He has everything under control

production to focus on serving people. I spoke with my elder brother,

even when we think it is not so. God will always take care of His sons

who works in the capital city, and he brought me the micro-fibre to

and daughters,” he says.

make face masks."

“My former sponsors live in Italy, and I would like to say to them,

While medical masks are still the best option, a handmade mask may

keep trusting in God. He will take care of you. You sponsored me and

offer some protection when combined with additional preventative

today I’m praying for you because you supported me. Thanks to that

measures, like hand washing and social distancing.

support, I am helping my community today."

Former sponsor child, Yonatan Torres, makes facemasks.

15

Staff prepare sponsored children to battle Covid-19

STORY AND PICTURES BY ISAAC OGILA

Mary uses a "leaky tin" to save water while washing her hands.

When the news about a deadly virus swept across the globe causing death and infecting thousands, nobody in the small slum in Dagoretti, Kenya thought they would soon be on the defensive.

“When the first cases were announced in Kenya, things escalated quickly. We had to suspend the programme and immediately create awareness about the virus—providing information on how

A child is taught to wash her hands to stay safe from Covid-19 infection.

to minimize the chances of infection,” says Mary, a church worker partnering with Compassion.

Access to running water is a major challenge in the slums. To combat this, the project has been teaching parents how to make leaky tins.

Keeping children engaged

"It is simple, and anybody can do it. All you need is a clean jerry can

While the children are at home, many of the tutors are sending

and a nail to puncture a small hole at the bottom of the jerry can.

WhatsApp voice messages to the children’s parents to encourage the

The nail can also be used as a tap to block the flow of water when it is

families. The tutors not only send Bible verses and worship songs to

not in use," says Mary.

the children but pray for them amidst the turmoil. They also share

Since water can be scarce and expensive to buy at times, parents and caregivers have been taught how to make homemade hand sanitizers from glycerin and surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol). "The

health advice and instructions on the importance of staying home, handwashing, wearing face masks, and using antibacterial gel, to help prevent the spread of the virus.

demand for sanitizers escalated and so did the prices. We have

The children have been sending back videos showing a day in their

provided provisions to every child’s home and taught them how to

life to stay connected with their classmates and tutors, who they

make sanitizers so that, when water is not available, they can still be

miss. Even though all the educational centres are currently shut

safe," says Mary.

down, children receive homework from their teachers so they can keep up with their schoolwork during the quarantine.

The biggest concern now is if or when a case is reported in the area. “The houses are crammed and communities are densely populated. It would be almost impossible to contain the spread,” says Mary. "Add to the already poor health care and inadequate facilities, that would be a disaster!"

Second, with a lockdown now in place in Kenya, many caregivers who depend on casual labour are already finding it hard to feed their families. However, the project has been providing food supplies to supplement many families' daily needs.

How Compassion is working during lockdowns Before the closure of child development centres, staff held training sessions with the children and families to raise awareness about Covid-19. Many centres are helping families by providing soap, helping them to maintain access to water, providing supplies to make hand sanitizer, and providing food. Medical care and counselling are also offered.

“I miss attending the Compassion centre, my tutor, my classmates, the delicious meals, and running wild all over the centre’s facility,” said six-year-old Jeremy. “I’m growing up differently than other kids in my community because I get Bible teaching, and I miss the Bible lessons.”

Despite the quarantine, centre staff keep in touch with children and families through phone calls to check if they’re doing okay.

16 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Life in Uganda's Naguru slum is difficult.

PICTURE Supplied

BY GRACE STANTON

Pastor impacted by Ugandan slums urges church to sponsor children

Craig Jourdain had an experience he will never forget, it impacted him to encourage his congregation to sponsor more than 30 children through Tearfund.

In September 2019, the pastor of Revive Church in Pukekohe, Auckland, went to Kampala, Uganda, and spent time with a Kiwi couple who used to attend his church. Hilary and Jacky Tumusiime have been living in Uganda for the past 25 years. They run a medical clinic four times a year in the Naguru slum with local doctors, nurses and pharmacists, who attend to more than 1000 people a day. They have also been running a bible college which is funded by Assemblies of God New Zealand (AOG).

One particular part of the trip stuck with Craig. It was when the chairman of the village showed him around Naguru slum. “It was heartbreaking.

“But what really hit me was how children as young as seven and eight were being tested for sexually transmitted diseases. they were being sold to get money for food.” That’s when he knew the church had to do more for this community. “I wasn’t going to let this happen, not on my watch,” he says.

After Craig got back, he got in touch with Tearfund about child sponsorship and said he wanted his congregation to sponsor children from Kampala. Now the church sponsors 31 children in Kampala.

A verse that motivated him was Matthew 25:40: Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

“I couldn’t turn my back on what I saw, I knew I had to do something about it.”

The church sponsors 31 children and the families as well. That means the church is potentially supporting at least 130 people. Craig says he would love to go back with a group

Two children take a shine to Craig.

from church one day to meet the children they sponsor. Those children now have a future, PICTURE Supplied

they can go to school, have supplementary food and medical care. They no longer have to sell their bodies to survive–not on his watch.

17 STORY BY CHARLOTTE ROWSE / PICTURES BY HELEN MANSON

SYRIA: Behind the Lens.

We invite you to join us in exploring the reality of life for Syrian refugees in Lebanon through Syria: Behind the Lens.

This immersive, online experience of storytelling and stunning photography is a raw and moving account of the Syrian conflict, and the important work of the local church to assist and care for affected families and vulnerable people.

Tearfund CEO and humanitarian specialist Ian McInnes, medical aid volunteer from Nelson, Ross Ferguson, and humanitarian photographer, Helen Manson, will take you on a journey behind the lens and onto the front lines of the places they saw and the people they met.

You can access this special content here: www.tearfund.org.nz/syria-crisis Tearfund has been partnering with local church partners in Lebanon since 2013 and we want to thank you for your faithful support of this work, and take this opportunity to introduce to you some of the people you have assisted through this content.

Our work with refugee communities has taken on a new sense of purpose, and urgency as millions of refugees face Covid-19. These communities continue to need our support, and now more than ever.

While we are in isolation, Syrian refugee families are living in cramped, shared, temporary shelters, where social distancing and easy access to medical help is not possible. We would love to invite you to respond and continue to protect these precious people by funding preventative hygiene, healthcare and food provisions. You can donate on the above link and help refugees survive Covid-19.

As long as we can, Tearfund will stick with the Church in Lebanon and Syria, to support them as they stick with the most vulnerable survivors of the Syrian conflict. We can only do this if you stick with us. “If you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon� Isaiah 58:10.

Refugees in Lebanon use whatever shelter they can find.

A refugee woman looks out of the window of her sparse dwelling.

A young boy sleeps. All he has known is life as a refugee.

18 | CORRESPONDENT – May 2020

Sponsor a child today!

Donate I’d like to support:

For just $52 per month, you can help give a child protection from Covid-19.

Covid-19 Refugees In Every Season -Dairy project

We know that Covid-19 has been difficult for many Kiwis but the pandemic is likely to be worse for those living in low-income countries where health systems are inadequate and access to frontline protections such as handwashing and facemasks are limited. If you have the means to sponsor a child today, like the ones in this publication, you can give a child and their family help to keep them as safe as possible from this threat.

Cyclone Harold Donation amount: $35

$50

$100

Other $

Would you consider sponsoring a child today?

Tearfund is a registered charity.

Charities Act 2005 registration CC21725.

Donations $5 and over are tax deductible.

or

Sponsor a child $52 per month

To sponsor a child in this edition, call us on 0800 800 777.

My preference is: Girl Boy

Either

Lakshan

6 Years, from Sri Lanka

Location: South America

Africa

Asia

No preference

Central America

Please add Sponsorship Plus:

Yonomar

Parion

5 Years, from Guatemala

7 Years, from Kenya

DOB 30/04/13

DOB 28/07/14

DOB 15/03/13

Lakshan lives in Sri Lanka with his parents - his father is sometimes employed. He speaks Tamil and Sinhala.

He enjoys drawing and bicycling.

Yonomar lives in Guatemala with his parents - his father is sometimes employed. He speaks Q'eqch' and Spanish.

He enjoys drawing and football.

Parion lives in Kenya with his mother who is sometimes employed.

He speaks Maa language.

He enjoys group games, hide and seek.

$10 extra per month covers additional needs like unexpected medical treatment and helps to support other children still waiting for sponsors.

Your details Fill in this section if you are making a donation or if you’d like to sponsor a child. We’d love to start journeying with you!

Have you donated to Tearfund before?

Yes Name:

No

Title

Angel

Supporter Number First

2 Years, from Kenya Last

Address:

Atieno

Jacinta

6 Years, from Kenya

7 Years, from Guatemala

DOB 14/07/17

DOB 26/06/13

DOB 15/11/12

Angel lives in Kenya with her parents who are sometimes employed.

She speaks Kikuyu. She enjoys clapping hands to rhythm and dolls.

Atieno lives in Kenya with her guardian who is sometimes employed.

She speaks Dholuo. She enjoys ball games, hide and seek.

Jacinta lives in Guatemala with her guardian who is regularly employed in teaching. She speaks Mayan Ixil. She enjoys drawing and jumping.

Home phone: Work phone: Mobile: Email: Tick here to receive our monthly e-news

Please send me information about: Remembering Tearfund in my will Volunteering for Tearfund Please take me off your mailing list

Payment details www

Hector

9 Years, from Honduras

Esperanza

Bonita

5 Years, from Bolivia

5 Years, from East Indonesia

DOB 27/09/10

DOB 10/11/14

DOB 04/05/14

Hector lives in Honduras with his parents. He speaks Spanish.

He enjoys drawing and ball games,

Esperanza lives in Bolivia with her parents who are sometimes employed. She speaks Castellano.

She enjoys jumping and throwing a ball

Bonita lives in East Indonesia with her parents - her father is sometimes employed. She speaks Bahasa.

She enjoys dancing and jump rope.

Give securely online at tearfund.org.nz Donating online significantly reduces our processing costs.

or Visa / Mastercard (please complete below) Cardholder name:

Signature: Card Number:

Eyosiyase

5 Years, from Ethiopia Expiry date: Cheque (make payable to Tearfund)

OUR PURPOSE Motivated by Jesus, we encourage Kiwis to act for justice and relieve poverty among the world’s most vulnerable people.

Marsel

Gontran

4 Years, from East Indonesia

7 Years, from Togo

DOB 29/04/14

DOB 12/03/16

DOB 28/03/13

Eyosiyase lives in Ethiopia with his parents who are sometimes employed. He speaks Oromiffa.

He enjoys ball games.

Marsel lives in East Indonesia with her parents who are sometimes employed. She speaks Indonesian. She likes hide and seek, dolls.

Gontran lives in Togo with his parents who are sometimes employed. He speaks Ewe. He enjoys dancing and group games.

0800 800 777 tearfund.org.nz enquiries@tearfund.org.nz

Editor: Keith Ramsay.

Contributors: Ian McInnes, Dale Campbell, Helen Manson, Sean du Toit, Grace Stanton, Sarah Pollok, Javier Elis, Isaac Ogila, Charlotte Rowse and Annie Holister-Jones.

Art Direction and Design: Melissa Walter, Seana Lim.

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.�

MAT: 25:40

PICTURE Helen Manson