Tear Times Autumn 2012

times

Be part of a miracle | www.tearfund.org

Tearfund’s ten-year visionProgress report pull-out

Working in a war zoneWhy Tearfund’s staying put in Afghanistan

tearAutumn 2012

In bed hungryevery nightHow would you feel if it was your child?

Copyright © Tearfund 2012. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for Tearfund promotional use only. For all other uses, please contact us.

Cover image: Aidan sleeping on Francis's mat in Wigweng village, Uganda.Cally Spittle/Tearfund

welcome

2 autumn 2012 teartimes

Editor: Peter Shaw News Editor: Mark Lang Design: Premm Design Print: The Artisan Press

TearfundWe are Christians passionate about the local church bringing justice andtransforming lives – overcoming global poverty. And so our ten-year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual povertythrough a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.We can support you if you want to encourage your church and others

to get involved with Tearfund. And if you have any questions, we’d bedelighted to talk to you.

few weeks ago, I learnt the sad newsthat Motilal from Shivnagar in Nepalhas died. He had stomach cancer

and passed away after a short illness. Youmay remember reading about him in TearTimes or through email updates fromNepal, if you receive them. I had theprivilege of visiting Shivnagar last year andmeeting Motilal and his beloved wife.I distinctly recall the gasp of surprise our

translator, Gobinda, gave when he told meMotilal’s age: ‘Oh my goodness, he’s 75!’Motilal had spent 65 years as a slave.Shackled, beaten and denied an education.While freedom tasted sweet, it couldn’tgive him back the many decades he’d lost.But Motilal wasn’t bitter. There was such

a sense of joy about him. And that’s because, just a few years ago, he found Jesus.And ever since he’d been telling his former slave friends how to find true freedomin Christ. Many of them responded. Along with the church in Shivnagar andTearfund partner Sagoal, I would like you to join in prayer for Motilal’s family,particularly his wife, Punsi.Thanks to individuals like you praying, giving and campaigning, people like Motilal

now have hope. And, through the church and Tearfund’s partners, practical help inevery circumstance. Please read and enjoy this Tear Times – and rememberdear, precious Motilal, now with his loving Father.

Peter Shaw, [email protected]

Remembering Motilal from Shivnagar, Nepal.

Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

A

‘There was so much joy.’ Mark Powley, church leader

teartimes autumn 2012 3

Cally Spittle/Tearfund

The people of Wigweng village, Uganda, are standing together to beat hunger.

15

CONTENTS4 News – Mali in crisis, and updates from across

the world

8 Who would Jesus feed? – An agonising choice inUganda, with a simple solution

Pull-out centre section: Tearfund's vision fiveyears on – a story of perseverance versus poverty

13 Food, glorious food? – The outrage of a hungryworld with enough for everyone

15 Wondrous gifts – Brighten up your Christmaswith Tearfund’s festive resources

18 Called to Kabul – Gripping account of whyTearfund is staying put in Afghanistan

20 Church vs consumerism – Mark Powley on whywe must seek after true wealth

23 Five years on and the local church is takingground – Matthew Frost on progress so fartowards Tearfund's vision

20

8

oncern is growing that the people ofMali face a long term humanitariandisaster as a result of internal conflict.

More than 400,000 Malians have fled theirhomes and livelihoods to escape Islamist rebelswho now control an area the size of France inthe north of the country.

The most dominant and fundamentalist groupin the rebellion is called Ansar Dine which isimposing its extreme interpretation of Sharialaw, such as banning the teaching of certainsubjects in the school national curriculum.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hasdescribed the crisis as ‘deeply troubling’, as250,000 Malians have fled to neighbouringBurkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger, while anadditional 167,000 people are estimated tohave moved to other parts of Mali.

The conflict between the Islamists and the Malian government is worsening theimpact of the country’s food crisis, where 4.6 million people are at risk of severeshortages, including 1.6 million in the rebel-controlled north.Insecurity there means many aid agencies,including Tearfund partners, are unable toaccess areas experiencing food shortages, and local people cannot get supplies at markets.Many of those who have fled the fightinginternally are now trying to survive furthersouth in Mali in host communities andtemporary camps, putting further pressure on scarce food resources and worsening theoverall hunger crisis. Five Tearfund partners in Mali are assessing how they can respond to the unfolding situation.Martin Jennings, Tearfund’s Head of Westand Central Africa Region, said, ‘Stories frompartners talk of people struggling for foodand to meet other basic needs. As the foodsituation deteriorates in northern Mali, and it will, more and more will choose to leave.The numbers are very significant.’

REUTERS/Adam

a Diarra

People load onto a truck carrying residents fleeing south from the insurgency in northern Mali at thetrading town of Mopti.

Mali faces long term food crisis

C

4 summer 2012 teartimes

NEWS

‘Stories from partners talk of peoplestruggling for food and to meetother basic needs.’‘Martin Jennings, Tearfund’s Head of Westand Central Africa Region

enerous support for Tearfund’s WestAfrica food crisis appeal is enablingour partners to step-up their help for

vulnerable communities across the region.Some 18 million people in Burkina Faso, Chad,Mali and Niger are suffering food shortagesdue to drought-induced poor harvests, risingfood prices, conflict, climatic changes andchronic poverty.Tearfund partners are providing help inseveral ways. In southern Niger, 25,000people are benefiting from food distributions,while in the north, 2,000 people have beenable to buy grain at reduced prices or havetaken part in cash-for-work schemes. In Chad,grain banks, goat breeding and marketgardening have helped more than 13,000people.Food distributions and subsidised grain sales have bolstered about 20,000 people in Burkina Faso, while in Mali there has been work to increase market gardening and stop the spread of Saharan sand dunes.

However Mali’s food crisis has beenexacerbated by conflict (see page 4).Janet Whalley, Tearfund’s West Africa FoodCrisis Programme Officer, said, ‘We’re delightedwith the support for our emergency appeal andthe life-saving work it’s enabling us to do atthis critical time. However, the outlook for theregion remains extremely uncertain.’The next harvests are due in the comingweeks and their success will be critical.Forecasts suggest the rains will be normal inChad, eastern Niger and Burkina Faso butthey’ll arrive late in central and western Mali.So far Chad has seen decent rains, causingflooding in some parts, and the harvestoutlook is improving, while the rainy seasonhas started well in northern Burkina Faso. InNiger, the authorities are also dealing with acholera epidemic in the Tillaberi region.

People queuing for millet from a Tearfund partner run grain bank in Issakitchi village, Niger.

Richard Hanson/Tearfund

‘We are delighted with the supportfor our emergency appeal.’

G

West Africa updateThank you for your overwhelming response



n amazing job’ is a Welsh Baptistleader’s assessment of the work of the church in Nepal. Simeon Baker,

Director of Mission at the Baptist Union of

Wales, joined two other pastors to see theimpact of Tearfund’s work in the country.They met people living with HIV whorevealed the dignity, hope and practicaltraining they’d been given through a Tearfundpartner. The team experienced medical clinics,agricultural schemes, sanitation projects andsmall business enterprises, ‘where the churchwas not only sharing good news, but beinggood news’ in the words of Simeon.They visited a remote village where thechurch had initiated a bridge-building projectand begun introducing electricity, resulting in a surge in church attendance. ‘Sometimes the gospel has to be seen in action before it can be believed,’ reflected Simeon. ‘In apredominantly Hindu culture, the church inNepal is doing an amazing job at reachingpeople beyond the church.’

news

Church impact in Nepal praised

Hyw

el M

eredydd Davies/Tearfund

Simeon Baker praying with villagers in Nepal.

Above: One of Rosemary's watercolours which she soldto support Tearfund. Inset: Rosemary and Roger Horne.

A

rtist Rosemary Horne made sure her life-long commitment to children living inpoverty would continue by leaving a

gift in her will to Tearfund.For many years, Rosemary gave the profitsfrom the sale of her watercolours to Tearfund’swork with vulnerable children. Her generositycontinued through legacies from both herselfand her husband, Roger, which enable Tearfundpartner Ministry of Hope to help children livingwith HIV in Malawi.Mr and Mrs Mkaka are grandparents to Daniel,an orphan who was nursed back to health bythe Ministry of Hope's Lilongwe Crisis Nursery.‘We thank Mr and Mrs Horne from deep in ourhearts,’ they said. ‘Without them, we would beliving in abject poverty with no hope.’If you would like to know more about howyou can leave a gift in your will to Tearfund,please contact Clare Norman [email protected] or call 0845 355 8355.

A

‘

Legacy of love brings hope to Malawi

Singer Andy tours for TearfundCampaigner, lover of justice andChristian singer-songwriter AndyFlannagan is touring the UK.Showcasing songs from his brilliant new album, Drowning in the shallow, and sharing his passion for Tearfund,Andy will perform a series of shows inOctober and November. For dates andvenues, visit www.andyflan.com/gigs


e may only be six, but Joel Saunders has become an internet fundraisingsensation for Tearfund. After seeing

a Tearfund video, Joel was so struck by theinjustice of world poverty that he decided to do a sponsored run.With help from his dad, Martin, Joel startedan online fundraising push that went viral andwon the backing of comic actor James Corden.In late June, Joel, sporting a Tearfund t-shirt, ran two miles – raising nearly £6,000.Martin says, ‘Joel watched wide-eyed aspeople all over the world caught hold of hisvision. We’re humbled to think of the amazingdifference that will be made to the lives ofchildren living in poverty, through the work of Tearfund.’ Andrew McCracken, Tearfund’s UK Director,says, ‘We are overwhelmed with Joel’s support– he’s been a challenge and inspiration to all ofus at Tearfund. We’d like to thank the Saundersfamily for all they are doing.’

You could fundraise like Joel. Find out more and be inspired by others at www.tearfund.org/maketime

‘Joel watched wide-eyed as people all over the world caught hold of his vision.’

Young Joel’s £6,000 run for Tearfund

Martin

Saunders

Joel, aged six, raised thousands for Tearfund.

PRAYER PULSEPrayer is the heartbeat of Tearfund

Generosity of giving toTearfund’s West Africa foodcrisis appeal so we can helpthousands more across BurkinaFaso, Chad, Mali and Niger

Engagement in poverty andjustice issues for UK churchleaders travelling to seeTearfund’s overseas work

Life-changing transformation inEthiopia achieved by self-helpgroups run by Tearfund’schurch-based partners

GIV

ING

THANKS

FOR

PRAYIN

GFO

R

♥

Latest prayer news atwww.tearfund.org/pray

Tearfund partner the Boaz Trust,Manchester, seeking extrafunding for its work withasylum seekers

Thousands of people in Assamstate, India, forced from theirhomes after the worst floodingin years

Tearfund’s Unearth the truthcampaign, lobbying the EU foranti-corruption legislation togovern extractive industries

H

A hungry world, a starving village or a little boy going to bed every night withan aching, empty stomach? Is that the choice we’re faced with, or is there abigger, but simpler, solution that goes beyond handouts? On a visit to ruralUganda, Aidan and his dad, Steve, think they’ve found the answer...

Words: Steve Adams Photos: Cally Spittle/Tearfund


t’s early 2012. I’m sitting with Aidan, myeight-year-old son, sweltering in the heatof an African afternoon. We’re talking with

Jimmy and his son, Francis, who’s two, inWigweng village, Uganda. The village’s 300 residents and Pastor

Luciano Ogweng have welcomed us like long-lost brothers. I brought Aidan with

me for the experience, and they’refascinated by him – they’ve never seen a white child before.

Hollywood, Jesus and hungerIf you don’t look too closely, Wigwengvillage is picturesque. A filmmaker friendtells me it has the thatched mud homes

Who wouldJesus feed?

harvest

I


that Hollywood spends millions recreatingin studios. A horrible irony. ‘When the rains do not come, we fear for

our lives,’ Jimmy tells us. ‘We have to makebricks from mud to sell for food. My childrendo not get enough food because it’s runningout – and we are still in the dry season.’Faced with such desperate hunger, I

wondered what Jesus would do, right hereand now, as Jimmy talked. Would he strike arock and bring forth water to grow crops?

Multiply their week’s worth of stored maizeinto a year’s worth? (But wouldn’t he haveto come back and do it every year?)It is a tough question. But as the central

motivation for everything we do atTearfund, it’s something we must keepasking. That’s because we don’t think youcan deal with physical hunger withoutdealing with the hunger of the soul. So hereI am, wondering what Jesus would do, asAidan and I pray with Jimmy and Francis.

‘I never have to listen to my children cry as I put them to bed.’ Steve Adams


Called to do great things Two days later, the answer hit me. In John14:12, Jesus tells his disciples they will doeven greater things than him. You’ll do whatI’ve done, he announces, but even more.Presumably, the disciples expected thiscommand to come with a dose of Messiahpower to use when they needed it. After all,how could they heal people? Surely, onlyJesus can.But Jesus had planted in them something

precious: potential. That’s why, instead of asuper power, he left a Counsellor – an adviser –to help the disciples learn for themselves. Withmore than 40 years of experience, we’ve seenthat easy answers, quick fixes like handouts,can sometimes pause poverty. They rarely endit, and often make things worse.We’ve discovered that what’s needed to

end hunger is waiting within all people. Godput potential in every human heart. And atTearfund we’re working with thousands oflocal village churches to bring knowledge andunderstanding. The power of God. So people

can start doing the great things Jesus calls usto do by unlocking their potential.

Never walk awayAidan worked this out in minutes. He spent a morning planting seeds with Jimmy, Francisand their family. Afterwards, he asked me howwe could help them.So I told him how Tearfund works. Aidan

thought about it, then said, ‘If we buy them a sack of grain, it won’t last long. But if theylearn how to grow enough crops, they will live longer. And if they join together as acommunity, they can share the crops withpeople who don’t have much food.’In those sentences, Aidan captured the

heart of something we at Tearfund have beenpioneering – and which has, over the past five years, had amazing success in poorcommunities. It’s called church and community

mobilisation. It means we have to be in it for the long haul. To be deeply committed. To never walk away. But that’s exactly what

harvest

Steve and Aidan praying with Jimmy in Wigweng village, Uganda.

‘I wondered what Jesuswould do, as Aidan and I prayed with Jimmy and Francis.’ Steve Adams


Tearfund is all about: lasting solutions.Helping people unlock the potential whichGod has put in them.We do this by offering training, advice

and support – helping communities identify and address the problems that are holdingback progress, using the resources theyalready have. And the support and prayer you provide is vital, as we take this messageto the poorest places on earth.

Bedtime blessingsSince we’ve come back from Uganda, Aidan and I have prayed each bedtime for the friends we made, particularly Francis. I never have to listen to my children cry as

I put them to bed, like Jimmy does. I see Aidansleeping comfy on his mattress, not lyingawkwardly on a straw mat like Francis. But I also know God is changing things. In 50

communities across Uganda, where we’ve beenrunning church and community mobilisationfor just two years, the number of people goingto bed hungry has been cut in half. Now, we’reabout to begin the process in Wigweng. Andthat’s just the beginning.If you care about where you invest your

money, Aidan and I can recommend churchand community mobilisation. Because itunlocks the potential that God has put in rich and poor alike.

What you can doSupporting communities through Tearfund,you can tear poverty out of villages likeWigweng. It starts with you tearing outthe form in the middle of these pages now.

‘We’ve discovered thatwhat’s needed to endpoverty is waitingwithin all people.’ Steve Adams

In 50 communities across Ugandarunning church and communitymobilisation, the number of peoplegoing to bed hungry has been cut in half.

Through our partner Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Tearfund are supporting Wigweng to overcome povertyfor good.

GEORGE FORGOT TO PUT THE BINS

OUT AGAIN

And we’ve got some great friends here at Tearfund. We love Ecotricity and our other partners, whose policies align closely with our own. Ecotricity are such good friends that they make a donation every time one of our friends switches to their services. AND until the 23rd of October they’ll double every donation - that means a whopping £80 for every new sign up! Now there’s something worth remembering. Don’t be like George and forget the household chores: switch providers today.

You can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends

To find out more and sign up, go to www.tearfund.org/friends

or call 0845 355 8355.

TEARFUND’S VISION:Five years of progress — thanks to you

Tearfund’s ten-year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and

spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.

by Peter Shaw- A story of perseverance versus poverty -

You joined us on this journey in 2006, the first steps towards our vision of Jesus moving among the world’s poorest people through his church.

Less than two years later, the worst economic crisis in our generation shook the world. But still

you persisted. You gave. You prayed. You spoke out as if your lives depended on it. Across the world, millions of lives did depend on it.

We want to give you a small snapshot of the amazing progress so far. The story starts in a small rural village in southern Malawi: Fombe...

Cathy James was part of the team that founded Eagles Relief and Development, a Tearfund partner in the Chikwawa district, southern Malawi. Eagles was set up to support desperately poor villages in the area following the devastating famine in 2002. Fombe village was among the hardest hit.

‘Malnutrition in Fombe was severe, particularly among the under-fives,’ says Cathy. ‘The vast majority of children were seriously malnourished. Most people ate less than one meal a day. They were digging in the dirt for grubs and roots to eat.

‘The few crops they grew were often stolen by people from nearby starving villages. Families were desperate. There were no toilets in the whole community. The villagers wore ragged clothes and they were very passive and dependent. I remember someone telling me: “There is no hope for Fombe. They are just useless.” So we started to pray and act.’

Yet, just a few years on, Fombe no longer needed our day-to-day work. We keep monitoring developments in the village through Eagles, but they have decided to concentrate on offering support to more needy communities in the area.

‘There is a momentum of change in the village, planted in the heart of its people.’ says Cuthbert from Eagles. ‘Fombe is developing without the need for our regular assistance.

‘They understand how to seek and achieve the goals needed to support the community to thrive. That stems from their understanding and commitment to Jesus, and each other. All of this has been achieved through the church. They no longer need us as much as they did.’

When I visited Fombe in 2009, I was shocked too. It was my first Tearfund trip and my first real encounter with poverty overseas. But, to my surprise, the place was buzzing with activity. A group of 20 villagers sat under a tree in the centre of the community, telling their stories and singing songs about living with HIV. They were free from stigma and encouraged to seek treatment.

I saw an ‘ideal toilet exhibition’, a series of latrines for people to choose from, a humble (but hygienic) hole in the ground with a clay lid, to a toilet block complete with brick walls and

MAKING PROGRESS:Why we’ve left Fombe

Page 2

‘Fombe is developing

without the need for our

regular assistance.’

a thatched roof. And in the centre, the amazing Pastor Harry fashioning hundreds of bricks to build his community while building the church through love and support.

The Sunday service was humming with vibrant praise to God and people giving out of the little they had to support those in need. This was all as a result of church and community mobilisation – our vision in action.

Some might say, ‘That’s just one village, one church doing what it should do.’ But we’ve spent time recording how many churches have picked up and run with Tearfund’s vision. Our very best measure shows that about 67,000 churches worldwide are doing the same, including 7,000 here in the UK. Thanks to you. That’s tens of thousands of local congregations refusing to let poverty blight their communities, like in Fombe. And that’s just the communities we can measure.

In the same way, we believe that 15 million people have benefited from the work of local churches and communities, working to reduce poverty and build resilience – sustainably and holistically. All thanks to your support for Tearfund over the past five years.

We wanted to share these statistics to inspire you and show how enormously thankful we are to you, and pass on the gratitude of millions of people who are starting to experience life to the full through your generosity. These are the best figures we have but we are under no illusion that these are just a snapshot.

While you can see the fruit in people’s lives, you can’t measure what goes on in people’s hearts or their commitment to Jesus. Nor

should we try to. And we don’t want to spend so much time counting that we neglect the tremendously important work we’re carrying out on your behalf. Because, while you can’t count the movement of the kingdom of God, you can count on it.

Over the page is a picture illustrating the progress we’ve made over the past five years. Please display it somewhere prominent, pin it to your church noticeboard, use it to give thanks for what we’ve all achieved over the first five years. Above all, let it inspire you to commit to pressing on towards the vision over the next few years.

In the last part of this booklet, we will show you why changing unjust laws and promoting fair policies is absolutely key to achieving the ten-year vision. We’ll also show you how we have responded tirelessly to some of the worst disasters affecting poor communities in the past five years.

Page 3

A PICTURE OF

PROGRESS SO FAR

THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES

RESISTING POVERTY

THAN

K YOU

Tear

fund

’s t

en-y

ear

visi

on is

to

see

50 m

illio

n pe

ople

rel

ease

d fr

om

mat

eria

l and

spi

ritua

l pov

erty

thr

ough

a w

orld

wid

e ne

twor

k of

10

0,00

0 lo

cal c

hurc

hes.

Five

yea

rs o

n...

FOR L

IVES T

RANS

FORM

ED OV

ER FI

VE YE

ARS

TeTeTeTeTTeTTararararara

fufufuuuundndndndndddn

’s’s’s’s’ttttttte

nnenenenene-y-y-yyyyyy-y

eaeaeaaeaer r r r

viivivsisiiiss

ononononniiiis

ss totototo

sssseeeeeeeeee

55550 0 0 00m

im

im

im

llllllllioioioio

nnnnnnpepepepe

oppopopopppleleleel

rrrreleleleleleaeaeaeaaee

sesesesesesed d ddd

frfrfrfrfromomomomo

m

am

aam

am

aaaammm

teteteteeetttttriririrra

lallalaaaaaaaaaaan

dndndnddndndndndnnsssssp

ipipipipippririririt

utututuualalalal

ppppppovovovoverererer

tytytytytttth

rhrhrhhououououo

ghghghghgaaaa

wwwworororo

ldldldldw

iw

iw

iw

idededede

nnnnetetetetew

ow

ow

ow

ow

ow

ow

rkrkrkrkrkrkrkoooooff

f ff010011111111

0,0,00000000000

00000000loolooloololll

cacacacaacccccllllc

hchchchurururrur

chchchchhhhheseseses

. . .FiFiiiFiFiFiveveveveev

yyyyyyyeaeaeaaaersrsrsrsr

ooooon.n.n.n.......

FFFFFFFFFFOOOOOOOORRRRRRRR LLLLLLL

IIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS TTTTTT

RRRRRRAAAAANNNNNNSSSS

FFFFOOOOOORRRRRRRMMMMMMM

EEEEEEDDDDDD OOOOOVVVV

EEEEEEERRRRRRR FFFFFFFIIIII

VVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE YYYYYYYEEEEEE

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSS

THAN

K YOU

Tear

fund

’s t

en-y

ear

visi

on is

to

see

50 m

illio

n pe

ople

rel

ease

d fr

om

mat

eria

l and

spi

ritua

l pov

erty

thr

ough

a w

orld

wid

e ne

twor

k of

10

0,00

0 lo

cal c

hurc

hes.

Five

yea

rs o

n...

FOR L

IVES T

RANS

FORM

ED OV

ER FI

VE YE

ARS

67,00

0 CH

URCH

ES HA

VE BE

EN EN

VISION

ED

Chu

rche

s liv

ing

out

fait

h in

Jesu

s in

ev

ery

aspe

ct o

f lif

e, r

ecog

nisi

ng t

hat

peop

le a

re m

ore

than

the

ir hu

nger

or

desp

air

– th

ey a

re m

ade

in

God

’s im

age

15 MI

LLION

LIV

ES TR

ANSF

ORME

D

Peop

le li

ving

in c

omm

unit

ies

that

ca

n de

mon

stra

te lo

nger

-ter

m

posi

tive

cha

nges

to

thei

r liv

elih

oods

, he

alth

, rel

atio

nshi

ps a

nd

natu

ral e

nviro

nmen

t

100 PO

LICIES

CH

ANGE

D

Polic

ies

and

prac

tice

s ch

ange

d at

lo

cal,

nati

onal

and

inte

rnat

iona

l le

vels

, res

ulti

ng in

tra

nsfo

rmat

ion

in

the

live

s of

poo

r an

d

vuln

erab

le p

eopl

e

6 MILL

ION

PEOP

LE SU

PPOR

TED

FOLL

OWING

DISA

STER

S

Peop

le w

ho c

an fa

ce t

he fu

ture

po

siti

vely

, wit

h ho

pe, f

ollo

win

g na

tura

l or

man

-mad

e di

sast

ers

– eq

uipp

ed w

ith

basi

c co

mm

odit

ies,

reso

urce

s an

d sk

ills

electing instead to sell the presidential jet and fleet of luxury cars.

But the warning from Malawi is clear: progress at local level can only thrive through just laws at all levels. That’s why we are excited to report that over the past five years, our work in conjunction with our partners, allies and coalitions has led to over 100 unjust practices being changed or fair policies being implemented. These changes have resulted in improved lives and freedom from unjust laws for millions of people at local, national and international level in conjunction with our partners and allies .

You prayed and responded to God’s call to speak out against injustice. In 2009, during Tearfund’s Make life flow water and sanitation campaign, the Department for International Development received 100,000 letters and cards about water and sanitation, more than for anything else. Thank you for standing up for justice.

FIGHTING CORRUPTIONBringing justice

Page 6

Travelling home from Fombe across Blantyre, we were stopped by a roadblock as a motorcade of Mercedes passed by. I asked who was being transported, and the answer sent a chill: ‘Mugabe.’ It was a reminder that local progress can easily be wiped out by corrupt governments. Just last year, Bingu wa Mutharika, then President of Malawi, started acting solely out of self-interest, prompting people to draw comparisons with Zimbabwe under Mugabe.

In response in March this year, Malawian church leaders from all denominations sent out an ultimatum to the president, demanding his resignation within 60 days and free elections to follow.

It was an amazing demonstration of the church standing up to injustice. Before the ultimatum expired President Mutharika died of a a heart attack. Malawi’s new president, Joyce Banda, has rejected the excesses of her predecessor,

CHURCHES CALL

FOR JUSTICE

Across the world, the past five years have seen a catalogue of natural and man-made disasters

which have hit the poorest hardest. Still fresh in all our minds, the catastrophic earthquake that hit

Haiti in early 2010 killed 316,000 people, injured 300,000 and left 1,000,000 homeless.

Thanks to partners already in Haiti and

through funds set aside for emergencies,

Tearfund was able to mobilise quickly

— concentrating particularly on rural

communities which very few other

agencies were able to reach.

Thanks to you generously giving £3 million,

we were able to clear roads, provide jobs

and reopen schools. We’re still there, and

we’ll be there as long as it takes.

We believe some 6 million people

devastated by disasters – such as those

in Haiti, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe

and South Sudan – have been reached by

Tearfund and our partners. Your outpouring

of prayer and provision has enabled us to

be at the forefront of disaster response

over the last five years.

So thank you on behalf of the 21 million people who have been reached with practical support in the name of Jesus since 2006, 15 million through church and community mobilisation and 6 million through disaster response. And the many millions more released from unjust laws.

With less than five years to go, we’re asking you to stick with us, and hold firm to that vision. We believe we are currently on track to exceed the target of working through a network of 100,000 churches. But we need to run the race to the finish. There can be no slowing down.

That’s because we can’t predict where disasters will take place. We cannot be sure how far and wide the spread of church and community mobilisation will be. But we can be certain that together we can release millions more people from poverty, for good. We will change unjust laws at all levels. And help thousands more communities to thrive, not just survive.

Thank you for being, and staying, part of a miracle.

F IVE YEARS OF DETERMINATIONAgainst disaster

Page 7

Pressing on...

We are now in the first year of the final five years of Tearfund’s ten-year vision. Thank you for continuing to bless Tearfund. Despite the difficult economic environment, this year we received our largest-ever income.

We are particularly grateful for the amazing response to our South Sudan and West Africa crisis appeals. Income from gifts in wills has been a particular blessing this year, and we thank God for people who chose to leave a legacy to Tearfund.

Despite these encouraging results, the economic environment we are all facing is tough. This has affected the giving to our general activities. We are encouraging our supporters to give regularly to Tearfund and, internally, we continue to focus on making sure we are efficient in all our operations – making sure we spend your money wisely.

Photos from this centre section are all individuals and partners from across the world supported by Tearfund over the past five years.

Page 1 Richard Hanson/Tearfund, page 2 Marcus Perkins/Tearfund, page 3 Richard Hanson/Tearfund, pages 4 & 5 Richard Hanson/Tearfund (both), page 6 Layton Thompson/Tearfund (top), Jim Loring/Tearfund (bottom), page 7 Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

REPORT BACK ON PROGRESS2011-2012

Page 8

2011-2012 IN FIGURES INCOME 2011-2012

General donations Government grants Emergency appeals Other income TOTAL INCOME

EXPENDITURE 2011-2012

CHARITABLE EXPENDITURE — Developing communities — Responding to disasters — Changing unjust policies & practices — Envisioning the local church

FUNDRAISING & GOVERNANCE TOTAL EXPENDITURE

£58.9m£21.3m £31m £2.4m £4.2m £6.1m £65m

£31.7m £24.1m £12.8m £1.7m £70.3m

33%

48%

4%

6%

9%

45%

34%

18%

2%

campaigns

epending on whom you ask, the UK'sfavourite meal is either fish and chips,chicken tikka masala or the classic

Sunday roast. Whichever one is your dish ofchoice, you’ve got to marvel at the variety offoods and flavours most of us can enjoy.In many of the countries where Tearfund’s

partners work, the idea of a ‘favourite food’ isa luxury people rarely experience. If you wereone of the 925 million people around theworld who’ll go to bed hungry tonight, theonly thing that would matter would be ifyour family ate at all. Take Burkina Faso, West Africa, where hunger

is blighting the lives of 2.85 million people.Farmer Ouedraogo Yacouba has had toabandon his land after his harvest failed and

seek work in a local gold mine. His wife andfamily have resorted to eating leaves to try toquash their hunger pangs.

Hunger is blighting the lives of2.85 million in Burkina Faso.

Bringing global changeYet when we come together with prayer,dedication and political will, we know we canbring change on a global scale. Since 1990,we’ve ensured 2 billion more people canaccess cleaner water.The number of people living in extreme

poverty is declining in every part of the world.Hunger is one of the world’s most solvable

FOOD’GLORIOUS FOOD?

D


Locusts for lunch: whatvillagers are forced to eatin Kaiwa Ganwo village,Niger, because of foodshortages.

There is enough food in the world today to feed everyone. Yet nearly 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night. That’s an outrage we won’t allow to continue. Will you join us?

Words: Laura Selman Photos: Richard Hanson/Tearfund


problems and it’s time to challenge theassumption that hunger and poverty go handin hand. The psalmist’s invitation to all people is to

‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm34:8). Jesus says, ‘I am the bread of life.Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,and whoever believes in me will never gothirsty’ (John 6:35). Yet it will be hard forthose words to take on their full meaning inthe hearts of people whose stomachs achefrom lack of food.

‘Whoever comes to me willnever go hungry.’ John 6:35

Tackling hunger in 2013Next year offers us the opportunity to tackleour broken food system. The UK will chair theG8, and world leaders will be coming here todebate a new set of development goals.This is an opening for us, as church, to

remind world leaders that we care aboutdevelopment and are looking to see themdeliver on their promises to help communitiesadapt to climate change.It’s a chance to ensure that small farmers

like Ouedraogo are able to grow enoughnutritious food. It’s also an opportunity totake steps that will enable citizens in poorcountries to hold their governments andinternational companies to account for theirrole in fighting hunger. As we pray, speak out and act on the

injustice of hunger, we can expect to be joinedby a chorus of other voices. Tearfund has beentalking with friends at Christian Aid, CAFOD,Oxfam and elsewhere because 2013 is a

chance for us all to stand up for a fairer food system.There will be things to do where you are,

with your family and church, and resources tohelp you. It all starts in January 2013, so here’show you can get ready:

PRAY: for the UK government. Ask God toprepare decision makers to tackle the rootcauses of hunger at every opportunity nextyear, especially when they chair the G8.

THINK: about how you, your friends, family and church would like to get involved.

GO: to www.tearfund.org/campaigns andfind out the latest plans and dates for your2013 diary.

campaigns

Three key reasons why people go hungry:

Increased floods and droughts caused by climate change push already vulnerablecommunities such as Ouedraogo’s village, Konbindo, beyond their limits.

Since 2008, the price of basic staples, including rice, maize and wheat, has been risingto record levels, forcing many poor people to spend more than 80 per cent of theirincome on food.

Resources which could tackle hunger or support farmers are going missing becausedeals done in secret can’t be tracked by citizens.

Nine-month-old Karima, who is severelymalnourished, being weighed at a medical health centre in Soukoukoutan, Niger.

christmas resources

n a small village in the heart of Uganda,one grandmother knows what it means tostruggle. Ever since her husband and

children died, Lucy has taken care of her fourgrandchildren. Despite her age, she farmsdaily to provide for her young family andworks as a labourer for money.Normal life is a challenge – Lucy and thechildren share one meal of cassava a day,

Wondrous giftsBrighten up your Christmas with Tearfund


With everything from films and children'sactivities to fairly traded gifts and Christmascards, you can celebrate the birth of Jesus anddemonstrate your faith in action this Christmas…

Words: Ruth Labaki

With love from UgandaBring the Christmas message alive in your church

and this usually comes from neighbours or the church. In the dry season, even this is scarce.‘The children do go to bed hungry,’ saysLucy. ‘When we go to bed without food, I always thank God because he calls us to thank him even at times of trouble – I believe you must be thankful because God can provide and answers your needs.’

I

Lucy Apollot with the four grandchildren she looks after – Canna and Noah, aged two, Hilda, aged seven, andDavid, aged 11 – outside their home in Ogongora village, Uganda.

Cally Spittle/Tearfun

d

‘I believe you mustbe thankful becauseGod can provide andanswers your needs.’

Get CreatedQuality Christmas presents that bring quality of life

inding the right Christmas gift can be hardwork – especially when, in tough times,money needs to go further, work harder

and do as much good as possible. Choosing apresent from Created this Christmas can makethat happen.Created is a central part of Tearfund – workingwith businesses and organisations around theworld who share our values of generatingemployment and income in poor communities.These beautiful, high-quality gifts are availableto buy, each one with a unique story to tell...

Here are some stories of the amazing artisansbehind the wondrous gifts in the Createdcatalogue:

Intricate needleworkThe Haven of Hope handicraft centre, India, is a place of training, employment and hopefor more than 130 women and teenage girls,focusing on embroidery, cross-stitch, tailoring,cutting, patchwork and machine work. Mohanna is one of them. She came to Haven of Hope in 1994 from a poorbackground and with little education. Thetraining and employment opportunities shehas received have changed her life. She hasalso been blessed by the love, support andprayer of her fellow workers.


Lucy’s prayers answeredLucy’s faith gave her strength, but shedreamed of a better future. ‘I believe thechurch, if it joins together, will be able to endthis poverty,’ she says. ‘I ask the church tounite as the body of Christ, to help oneanother to come out of poverty, and then,after they have that transformation, they canwork with their community to help it changefor the better.’At last Lucy’s prayers are being answered.Poverty had reigned unchallenged inOgongora village for generations. But all thatwas about to change. Tearfund has begunworking through her local church, envisioningand empowering it to care for the physicaland spiritual needs around it.Through training and mentoring, the church is helping the people of Ogongora reach theirGod-given potential. Lucy now owns a smallbusiness selling fish. It’s still early days, butthe relief and peace she now feels for thefuture are overwhelming.

Free resources for your churchLucy’s moving story and the work being done in Ogongora are all featured in Tearfund’s free Christmas resources – where you will see how the local church is answering the callto lead the way, and how a new chapter oftransformation is unfolding in the village. Order the pack today using the form oppositeand be part of their incredible journey of faith,hope and love. You can download a short film online whichtakes you right to the heart of Ogongoravillage. You’ll meet Lucy and see the steps thelocal church is taking to change her futureand her grandchildren’s for good.You can also download extra resources, such as a poster, children’s colouring sheets and a film activity. Visit www.tearfund.org/christmas to see what’s available and be partof a story of transformation and hope today.

‘I ask the church to unite as thebody of Christ, to help one anotherto come out of poverty.’

christmas resources

F

Mohanna appreciates the love and support she receivesfrom Haven of Hope, a Created supplier in India.

Brenda Wilkinson


The future's brighter for Guyani thanks to her jobwith Gospel House Handicrafts, a Created supplier in Sri Lanka.

Thanks to Created supplier Manos Amigas, Noemi nowgets a fair price for her miniature Nativity scenes.

Fion

a Weatherhead/Tearfun

d Mario Rietveld/M

anos Amigas

Traditional toysThis beautiful wooden jigsaw (below) is fromGospel House Handicrafts in Sri Lanka. Guyaniis one of the puzzle sanders. Her job involvestaking apart every uniquely cut puzzle andsanding and cleaning each piece. The work with Gospel House has enabled her family to develop their house from a small shack to a stable brick-built home for the future.

Teeny NativityNoemi, from Peru, makes intricate miniatureNativity scenes. She and her family design,mould and skilfully paint the tiny figures.Before she worked for Created’s partnerManos Amigas, she found herself exploitedand her ideas stolen by other commercialbuyers who refused to pay for her work. Now she is able to get a fair price andsupport herself and her family.

With Created gifts, the artisans get asustainable income, and those who buy and receive their crafts play a part intransforming communities lifted out ofpoverty. It’s the perfect recipe for a greatChristmas present! You can order gifts and Christmas cards through the Createdcatalogue enclosed with Tear Times or from the website www.createdgifts.org

Created offers beautiful, high-quality gifts, each one with a unique story to tell.

Joel Hafvenstein gives a gripping account of his time workingin Afghanistan as Tearfund’s Programme Director. He capturesthe commitment of his team and the incredible impact ofprayer in this war-torn country.

Words: Joel Hafvenstein


ango one, now departing Kilo Golf forZulu Echo twelve. Over.’ Radio controlresponds calmly that they have my

location. I sit back in the battered ToyotaCorolla and wonder which route we’ll take tothe office today. My code name ‘Tango one’ is essential to mysurvival. I live and work in Kabul, Afghanistan.The radio centre tracks the location ofeveryone in my team. When I leave my house,I radio in; when I arrive at my office, I radio in.We vary our route every day to reduce therisk of kidnapping. A red alert will soundimmediately if anyone goes missing.

Sounds intense? It is. But I am here because I love this country.It’s stunningly beautiful – a mountainouslandscape with multi-coloured crags andvibrant green valleys. The Afghan people aregentle and welcoming. Their appreciation ofnatural beauty is beyond anything I haveexperienced before. Unbelievable though itsounds, it’s not uncommon to see toughmercenaries wearing a delicate flower behindtheir ear. In this country of beauty and destruction,there is room to do so much good – that’swhy I’m here.

CALLED TO KABUL: why Tearfund is staying put in Afghanistan

afghanistan

T‘

REU

TERS

/Om

ar S

obha

ni

Car bombs are a regular feature of life in Afghanistan. Despite the dangers, Tearfund is reaching out to its people.

Joel Hafvenstein


Committed through prayerTearfund has served for years in Kandahar, the epicentre of the Taliban. It is extremelyunstable when I first take over as ProgrammeDirector. Everyone is asking, ‘Should we bestaying?’Yet the foundation of our team is prayer.Despite the fear and uncertainty, the teambelieve that as long as God is calling them tothis country, they should remain.I’m shocked. Tearfund and our partnerorganisations are among the few NGOs stilloperating in Kandahar, and my assumptionhas been that the team know something noone else does. But on my first day I find outthe truth. The reason why we have not leftthis violent city is that we believe God hascalled us to serve here. My reaction? I’m scared. I tell God, ‘Unless I hear the same call, we’re out of there.’Shortly after, I travel to the drought-ravagednorth of Afghanistan. The situation is painful.But I spend an amazing evening praying withour partner organisations.That night I wake to rain hammering downon the roof. Lying there, I feel an oddcertainty that this is the answer to my prayer.We are called to be the rain in Afghanistan.It’s the only time it rains in the north thatsummer. We stay in Afghanistan, in a country torn by war. We stay in Kandahar. We takeprecautions and aren’t foolish – we diligentlycarry out radio checks, anti-kidnap measuresand risk assessments. But we stay, believingthat God has called us and we will becommitted to his call – whatever it takes.

‘We stay in Kandahar because God has called us to be there.’

A decision worth millionsOur work includes distributing seed and goats to people who have fled to Kandahar –families who have lost everything and nowfind themselves living in a city with gunfightsand suicide bombers.

The displaced communities have no choicebut to remain, and our decision to stay speaksvolumes to the people we’re working with.One elder from a displaced community tellsus, ‘We know that God is with Tearfundbecause you have stayed here and helped usand no one has touched you.’ While we don’tbelieve God has promised us physical safety,we’re thankful for every day we’re able toserve people – and that they recognise thereason why we’ve stayed.It breaks my heart to see kids dying ofdiarrhoea, with no access to clean water. Butin response we bring in the biosand waterfilter. It’s the first of its kind in Afghanistan.When we train people to make it locally, theuptake and results are amazing. One village leader is bowled over by thedifference the filter makes. ‘My stomach andkidney problems have gone,’ he says. ‘I wishyou’d come 40 years earlier because of thedifference it’s made in my life.’

‘It breaks my heart to see kids dying of diarrhoea, withno access to clean water.’

We believe in offering support that willbuild up resilience and give communities theability to cope. Wherever possible, we huntfor the resources we need to make sure theright support is given. We don’t settle forsecond best. Life in Afghanistan is not easy but, despitethe pain and suffering, I hold on to Habakkuk3:17–18: ‘Though the fig tree does not budand there are no grapes on the vines, thoughthe olive crop fails and the fields produce nofood, though there are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice inthe Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.’ Rocket-propelled grenades comedangerously close to the Tearfund office. Butwe choose to stay on. The result? Thousandshave access to clean water and drought-resistant crops. I will never regret ourcommitment to stay.


You recently travelled to Uganda withTearfund. What led you to go on that trip?

I’d long been thinking about speaking forTearfund. St George’s had just begun to support them and find a way to relate to issues of poverty. When the opportunity came up for me to go, as part of equippingspeakers for Tearfund, it just seemed ideal.

What’s stayed with you about the church’swork in the community you visited?

I was struck by how we’re all part of the samething. How we all have things that can benefiteach other. I saw the complexity of poverty andriches – how poor people can be rich and richpeople can be poor. There was so much joy andthankfulness. Thankfulness is dulled in ourconsumer culture. It’s not that it’s bad to havethings, but we have lost our sense of gratitude.This community had seen a massive move ofGod. Because of Tearfund’s work, the churchhad found its purpose – people had started toturn to Christ. They’d helped some of the ladsin the community. When I told them we hadthe same problem with disempowered youthsat home, they couldn’t believe it – that wecould be so wealthy and still have kids sittingaround and getting up to no good. It proved the

point they’d been learning: it doesn’t matterwhat resources you’ve got – if you can’t seethem, it doesn’t help.

‘Thankfulness is dulled in our consumer culture.’

Tearfund works through the local church inpoor communities. Did anything strike youabout how effective this is?

We saw pastors being trained on the job,learning how to fully live the gospel, beginningto ask, ‘What does this community need?’Tearfund is training pastors, helping people facereal-life issues, so the church has caught a waveof a community revival. Churches are comingalive, communities are being blessed – youcould feel it.

Your book, Consumer detox, is about findingliberating patterns of living in a consumerculture. Did your time with people somaterially poor influence your thinking about that more?

It confirmed that in a village where there is community, people do have a greateropenness to God. I felt I was there, in a sense,

Mark Powley is Associate Rector of St George’s Church in Leeds.He’s a founder of Breathe, a Christian network for simpler living,and his book, Consumer detox, encourages Christians to break freefrom consumerism. Mark is married to Ailsa and they have fourchildren. Here he offers insight into how, when it comes to God’schurch, we are all connected.

Interview: Isobel Peaty

Q&A with church leader Mark Powley

Church vs consumerismWhy we must seek after true wealth


the worst elements of consumerism, becauseprayer is all about thankfulness.

What are the main things you really wantto convey to UK churches when you talk to them?

We’re richer together. If you want to get in withGod’s riches, get in with what God’s doing. Andit’s about understanding that it truly is betterto give than to receive.

Do you have hope for the future?

Ha! I have absolute and total hope. Every timethe church shows compassion, or a church fromthe rich West reaches out and gets blessed by achurch in sub-Saharan Africa, it’s a sign thatGod’s kingdom is coming. I can’t bring it: Godhas promised to bring it. It doesn’t rest on me:it rests on God. That’s why I have total hope.

to warn them to learn from us – true wealthis not spending your life at home watchingtelly or ignoring your neighbours. There areconsumer traps that I hope Africa will avoidand consumer blessings that I hope Africa will access.

Consumerism has such a grip on our society,and the problems of poverty are so huge.How can Christians avoid paralysis in the faceof all the suffering and poverty in the world?

We need to avoid the extremes of guilt andexcuses. We often excuse ourselves too easily.Most people know how they should live; theyjust never get together with others and say,‘Come on, let’s do this.’ Sometimes, idealism isthe enemy of taking practical steps, so for methe metaphor is always a journey – one step,then another. The Bible’s clear: we’re made tolive thankfully. The church is vital in resisting

Book a speakerTearfund has a dedicated team of inspirational church speakers located across the UK. If you’d like a Tearfund speaker for an event, a conference or a regular Sunday service, please call 0845 521 0021 or email [email protected]

'I saw the complexity ofpoverty and riches – howpoor people can be rich andrich people can be poor.'

Church leaderMark Powleyrecently visitedTearfund partnersin Uganda.

Jamie Fylem

an/Tearfund

JOIN THE

BIGDREAM

WE HAVE A DREAM, THAT ONE DAY ALL GOD’S

PEOPLE WILL RISE UP AND END POVERTY

FOR GOOD.

On 29 September, we will unite with thousands of other Christians at the National Day of Prayer and Worship 2012.

TEARFUND WILL BE THERE. WILL YOU?

29 September 2012. Wembley Stadium. Please don’t miss out. Visit www.tearfund.org/nationalprayer to book today.

‘Prayer is our greatest weapon against poverty and injustice.’ Matthew Frost, Tearfund Chief Executive

reflection

he reason why we were so determinedto anchor our vision on local churches isthat church is the movement of Jesus on

earth. By studying scripture, particularly the lifeand teachings of Jesus, and by following hisprompting, we felt compelled to choose thelocal church. Because churches are the mostextraordinary agents for change in the world.We had evidence five years ago that this wastrue. Now there can be little doubt – see thepull-out section for all the evidence you need.If anything, local churches have farexceeded our expectations of how much theycan transform communities. When I visitedPentecostal Assemblies of God in Uganda, Iwas amazed by how mobilising churches washolistic, empowering, low-cost and – above all – effective. It works. And because it works, it spreads.Umoja, a booklet Tearfund produced thatsets out church and community mobilisation,has gone off the scale. It’s been passed on toso many countries and communities, beentranslated into so many languages, that it’shard to keep count. But that’s a great place to be. People are excited because it’s simpleand successful.

Similar grassroots people-empoweringprojects are also taking off beyond ourexpectations. There are now 11,000 self-helpgroups in Ethiopia, providing income andlivelihoods to nearly 1 million people – and still growing. At a cost of around 50p per person, it’s proved highly effective.But we still have a long way to go. If youhaven’t already, please consider making aregular monthly commitment to our work. We need dedicated people to support us,month in, month out. In return, you’ll see for yourself how individual lives are beingtransformed. See the tear-out form betweenpages 8 and 9 for full details.

Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow, G4 0ADTy Catherine, Capel Cildwrn, Llangefni, Ynys Môn, LL77 7NN 241 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 1AF

^

Get in touch with us!

1

www.tearfund.orgEmail: [email protected] Tel: 0845 355 835500 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE

Registered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales)Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)

Five years on and the local church is taking ground


Layton Thompson/Tearfund

Children in Ogongora village, Uganda, where the church is transforming lives through Tearfund's partnerPentecostal Assemblies of God.

When we launched Tearfund’s ten-year vision in 2007, we knew we were goingagainst the grain. By putting local churches at the centre, we were defying thetrends and expectations of how to tackle extreme poverty. But we knew that even if it wasn’t the easy thing, it was the right thing.

Words: Matthew Frost, Chief Executive

T

Clive M

ear/Tearfund

‘Every night, we put Francisto bed hungry,’ says Jimmyfrom Wigweng, Uganda.

£10 each month means another personcan stop going to bed hungry – not justtoday but for the rest of their lives.

Read the story of our visit to Uganda andfind out how you can help beat hunger,month in, month out, on page 8.

www.tearfund.org/endhunger

Photo: Cally Spittle/TearfundRegistered Charity No. 265464 (England and Wales)Registered Charity No. SC037624 (Scotland)30068-(0912)

Documents

Tear Times Autumn 2012