teartimes spring 2012

timesSpring 2012

tear

Be part of a miracle | www.tearfund.org

Finding freedomA community released from slavery

Use your skillsNew opportunity to raise funds

Hope for South SudanUpdate on progress in the world’s youngest nation

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: The Shivnagar community of freed slaves, Nepal.

Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

welcome

2 spring 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 and

transforming lives – overcoming global poverty. And so our ten-year vision

is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty

through 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 be

delighted to talk to you.

visited Nepal last year to find

stories of lives transformed to

encourage you that your support

is making a huge difference. What

I didn’t know was that one of the

villages our team was due to visit,

Shivnagar, was made up exclusively

of former slaves.

I had packed an old Tearfund T-shirt,

little realising the significance of the

words quoted on the front from

Olaudah Equiano, a former slave and

abolitionist who lived in the 18th

century. It read: ‘Can anyone be a

Christian who asserts that one part of

the human race were ordained to be in perpetual bondage to another?’

The photo here is of me thanking the church – spot the T-shirt – for sharing their

Christmas celebrations with us so generously. It was a moving experience to see so

many former slaves celebrating not just freedom from physical chains, but the true

freedom they now have in Christ. You can read more about the free people of

Shivnagar on page 8.

I hope that the stories from Nepal and across the world in this

Tear Times provide renewed inspiration at the start

of this year. Thank you for all that you do to offer

true freedom to poor and struggling people across

the world.

Peter Shaw, Editor

[email protected]

I

Peter thanks the church in Tikapur, Nepal, for theirhospitality.

‘I serve peopleconsidered to be

worthless.’Parshu Ram Mahato

from Shivnagar, Nepal

teartimes spring 2012 3

Bernard Henin/Tearfund

'I will never forget what Tearfund has done for us. I can now feed my family.' Dut Adim Longor

8

CONTENTS

4 News – East Africa food crisis update, and thelatest from across the world

8 ‘I have made myself a slave to everyone’ – A journey from slavery to freedom in Nepal

12 Filling the gap in our gospel – Incarnating thevalues of the kingdom of God

14 Pray with One Voice – Can you survive a week on just rice and beans?

16 Worldview – Women composting in Rwanda

18 A new country is born... – How your support istransforming South Sudan

20 Make time for Tearfund – Use your skills andtime to release people from poverty

24 Celebrate Mother’s Day – Join with mumsaround the world

26 Love without limits – interview with Nelida, a determined mum from Peru

28 Changing the world. All together – How prayerand action can bring transformation

30 Celebrating 40 years of transformation –Revisiting the first Tearfund public overseas trip in 1971

31 Keeping it simple – Reflection from Tearfund’sTheological Adviser, Dewi Hughes

24

18

ore than 130,000 people affected

by the food crisis in East Africa have

been given emergency aid from

Tearfund. Generous support for our appeal for

the region has enabled our partners to meet

urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, Kenya

and Somalia.

One of the worst droughts in 60 years has

left 13 million people without enough food,

following failed harvests and widespread loss

of livestock. Famine is still affecting parts of

Somalia, and although recent rains have eased

the situation in northern Kenya and southern

Ethiopia, the EU is warning that the crisis will

last until at least the spring, if not the summer.

going to end – no one can tell us when it will

rain. We rely on God. This area used to be

green: now it’s like a desert.’

Anna Maria Denge, headteacher of St

Theresa’s Primary School, said, ‘I have never

seen a drought as bad as this.’ But she said

that since Tearfund’s water deliveries, the

performance of pupils had improved. ‘The

entire school wishes a long life for Tearfund,’

she added.

In Ethiopia, Tearfund partners have been

supplying food such as maize and beans to

40,000 of the most needy people. One area

benefiting is Moyale district which, before

recent rains, was described as barren. Some

75 per cent of livestock here has died.

On the Kenya-Somalia border, we’ve been

providing more than 33,000 people with

cooking items, mosquito nets, medical supplies

and plastic sheets for shelter through our

partner World Concern. Many of these people

are fleeing famine in Somalia.

Claire Hancock, Tearfund’s Disaster

Management Project Officer for East Africa,

said, ‘We’re very grateful for all the financial

and prayer support that’s enabled us to help

people who are going hungry. Progress has

been made but sadly it looks as though this

crisis will continue well into 2012.’

Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

Children wait for lunch at St Johns Primary school, Marsibit, Kenya.

Thousands receive Tearfundemergency aid in East Africa

M


NEWS

‘The entire school wishes

a long life for Tearfund.’

In Kenya, our partner CCSMKE has organised

tankers carrying clean, fresh water to supply

communities that, until recently, had been dry

for months. Schools have been able to keep

open as a result.

Guyo Hursa, deputy headteacher of St John’s

Primary in Marsabit, said, ‘We’re grateful to

Tearfund for what they have done. They’ve

helped us a lot with our water challenges and

we appreciate it. We don’t know when this is

earfund is responding to help some of

the 6 million people across West Africa

who are suffering from renewed food

shortages. Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger

are once again facing severe drought which

has ruined crops and claimed much livestock.

Niger is particularly badly affected, with the

World Food Programme estimating a million

people are in need of food. As well as tough

climatic conditions, some areas have seen crops

ravaged by insects, while the return of 200,000

Nigeriens from Libya is also stretching limited

food stocks.

Tearfund partners are helping rural

communities by setting up grain banks and

market gardens and by improving animal health.

Issoufu Hammadou and his family have lost half

their millet crop to the drought – but they have

been sustained by their new market garden.

staple food prices. Across Burkina Faso, Chad and

Mali, our partners are running initiatives similar

to those in Niger to help the most vulnerable.

Janet Whalley, Tearfund’s Disaster

Management Officer for West Africa, said,

‘The countries affected by this crisis are some

of the poorest in the world. It is clear that

this extreme poverty, combined with very

low harvests, means governments, donors

and NGOs must act now in order to avoid

a food crisis of the same scale as experienced

in East Africa.’

Cliv

e M

ear/

Tear

fund

Mali: In the 50 degree heat, this villagergathers firewood from the top of the sanddune that threatens to engulf his village.

Storms batter Central America

Relief teams from Tearfund partners have

been responding to tropical storm damage

that has affected nearly 2 million people

across several Central American countries.

Heavy rainfall brought flooding and

mudslide misery to Honduras, Nicaragua,

El Salvador, southern Mexico and

Guatemala. Colombia was also hit.

Many communities have seen homes

swept away, roads and bridges severely

damaged, water sources contaminated

and livelihoods blighted. Partners provided

food, water, household items, medical

treatment and help with regenerating

damaged farmland.

‘The countries affected by this

crisis are some of the poorest

in the world.’

T

Tearfund support reaches out to West Africa’s hungry

He said, ‘Thank you, Tearfund. Through your

support I have been able to develop market

gardening and do many things. There has been

a real change in my life. May God bless you.’

In Burkina Faso, the government has raised the

alarm over the worsening food situation, which

is being exacerbated across the region by rising


ver the last few months, some of you

may have received a phone call from

Tearfund asking if you could support

our work helping poor communities. Those calls

resulted in donations of more than £120,000,

money which will make a substantial difference

to people living in extreme poverty.

Andrew McCracken, Tearfund’s UK Director,

said, ‘We asked for help in supporting our

work and we’re immensely grateful that so

many people responded to our calls to give

regularly to Tearfund. Such amazing support

in these tough economic times is vital to help

us fulfil our vision to see 50 million people

released from material and spiritual poverty

through a worldwide network of 100,000

local churches.’

Calling all Tearfund supporters

O

‘We’re immensely grateful that so

many people responded to our calls

to give regularly to Tearfund.’

Created fair trade sale now onCreated, Tearfund’s range of fairly traded,

beautifully handcrafted products from

around the world, is having a sale during

January and February, where three items

can be bought for the price of two. There

are loads of year-round presents on offer,

including gifts to celebrate birthdays and

weddings. Grab a bargain now at

www.createdgifts.org

Co-op banks for TearfundTearfund credit card holders raised more than

£90,000 last year for our work to reduce poverty

around the world. For every new account that’s

opened, Tearfund automatically receives £15

from The Co-operative Bank and we get 25p

for every £100 you spend. We apologise that

previously some customers making new card

applications experienced website glitches but

these have now been resolved.

To sign up, go to www.co-operativebank.co.uk

and click on ‘credit cards’. Scroll down the page

and you’ll find Tearfund’s logo under ‘charity

credit cards’. Click on our logo for full details.

Children in Ogongora village, Uganda, supported by Tearfund partner PAG.

Kieran Dodds/Tearfund

Heed H

andicraftsnews


PRAYER PULSEPrayer is the heartbeat of Tearfund

Progress on reconstructing Haiti

two years after the earthquake.

Generous giving which has

enabled us to help East Africans

facing starvation as a result

of drought.

Supporters’ regular monthly

donations that tackle poverty

day in, day out.

GIV

ING

TH

AN

KS

FO

RP

RA

YIN

GF

OR

�

Latest prayer news atwww.tearfund.org/praying

Thousands of people still

homeless after renewed

flooding in Pakistan’s Sindh

and Balochistan provinces

last summer.

An end to violence in Egypt:

a fresh outbreak in October

claimed dozens of lives.

Christians coming together to

join our Global Poverty Prayer

Movement 2012.

earfund’s global anti-corruption campaign,

Unearth the truth, is setting its sights on

Europe after 10,000 Christians urged the

UK government to do more on the issue.

The campaign is seeking greater transparency

from oil, mining and gas companies working

in developing countries where lucrative

contracts often do little to improve the lives

of local people.

Last October, 10,000 postcards, many

collected at last summer’s New Wine

conferences, were handed in to the Treasury,

urging the UK government to do more to tackle

global corruption. They were hand-delivered by

Tearfund Chief Executive Matthew Frost and

New Wine Directors John and Anne Coles.

Tearfund will continue to keep the pressure

on ministers here and this spring it is also

taking Unearth the truth to MEPs on influential

European Parliament committees and to the

Danish government, which currently holds the

presidency of the Council of the EU.

In 2008, exports of oil, gas and minerals from

Africa were worth roughly nine times the value

of international aid to the continent (US$393

billion as against US$44 billion).

Find out more, including how you could join us

in lobbying the EU, at www.tearfund.org/unearth

Europe faces up to the truthon corruption

T

Jay

Butc

her/

Tear

fund

Tearfund’s Unearth thetruth campaign launchin Westmister, London.

see-for-yourself.org

Abandoned and desperate, the freed slaves of Shivnagar village found

help from an unexpected place – a church led by a former slave-master.

Words: Peter Shaw Photos: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund

‘I have made myself a slave to everyone’


Pastor Parshu Ram Mahato with

a young member of his church

in Tikapur, western Nepal.

espite living in Nepal – one of the

poorest countries in the world –

Parshu Ram Mahato was born into

a privileged family. Their large property in

western Nepal was attended to by about 40

bonded labourers – effectively slaves – who

carried out all the household chores and

worked the fields that provided their masters

with a lavish lifestyle.

More than half a century later, Parshu Ram’s

life couldn’t be more different: he now serves

former slave families as a church pastor in a

nearby town called Tikapur. ‘Thanks to God,

D

my life has totally changed,’ he says. ‘The

Bible taught me to love and care for the

poorest people. Now, I live to serve people

considered by many to be worthless.’

‘I live to serve people considered

by many to be worthless.’

Slavery today

There are still many millions of people

worldwide living in slavery today, and bonded

labour is the most widely used method of

enslaving people. Someone becomes a

bonded labourer when forced to work to

repay a loan – trapped and made to toil for

little or no pay.

There’s no escape and the debt is passed

on from generation to generation. This was

the predicament of the people who now live

in Shivnagar, a village just outside Tikapur.

Shivnagar is a small community of 300

families who came together through

necessity – they were outcasts. Protests

convinced the Nepalese government to end

bonded labour in the district surrounding

Tikapur in 2001. Overnight, masters were

forced to release their slaves. But these slaves

were abandoned with no education and few

skills and were still considered the lowest

of the low.

From master to servant

Meanwhile Parshu Ram had also been

released. During the 1960s, he became

outraged as a cholera epidemic killed many

people in his locality. ‘I realised that they

were dying because they had no medicine,’

he says. ‘So I chose to train as a doctor.’

He studied medicine alongside a remarkable

lady. ‘Gyani Shah was one of the very first

Christians in this part of Nepal,’ explains

Parshu Ram. ‘As I worked with her, I saw

something different in her life. She would

read the Bible and talk about Jesus. When

she prayed for sick people, they would often

be healed.’

Gyani’s faith and compassion for poor

people spoke deeply to Parshu Ram. He gave

his life to Jesus – as did many people touched

by God through Miss Shah, particularly the


see-for-yourself.org

poor families treated in her clinic. As the

number of Christians increased, Parshu Ram

decided to train as a pastor to serve the new

converts. There are now more than 900

Christians in the district.

'I serve poor people because that

is what Jesus calls us to do.'

God’s love for outcasts

The church still upholds Gyani Shah’s

commitment to serving people’s physical

needs as well as their spiritual ones. ‘Like

Gyani, I serve poor people because that is

what Jesus calls us to do in the Bible. It is

because of God’s love.’

So when Tikapur church heard of the plight

of the former slaves of Shivnagar three years

ago, the Christians came to them offering

that same divine love. Sadly, little had

changed since the 1960s. The first support the

church provided was a medical clinic to help

families who had fallen sick because of

waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Once the medical crisis was dealt with, the

church – now trusted by the village – worked

with the community to form a long-term

plan to help the freed slaves work together

and develop essential skills.

Support from Tearfund

Pastor Parshu Ram’s son-in-law, Madan Shah,

is the outreach pastor at Tikapur church –

he’s an expert in community development.

Tearfund supports Tikapur church through our

Christian partner organisation, Sagoal.

Sagoal trains and encourages Pastor Madan

and Pastor Parshu Ram to reach out to the

poor people in the surrounding area through

church and community mobilisation. Sagoal

and the church supplied materials and

expertise so the community could construct

a school building, and they trained and paid

teachers for the first year, until the village

committee secured long-term funding.

To enable the former slave families to feed

and provide for themselves, the church set

up an animal programme. The ‘Love your

neighbour’ scheme gives struggling families

a young pig, goat or buffalo.

When the families have reared the animal

to maturity, they sell it if it is male and, if it’s


Pastor Madan visiting Sita, a former slave living in Shivnagar, Nepal, to encourage and support her.

female, they sell its offspring. From the first

litter or sale, the family give back one animal

– or enough money to buy one – for the church

to give to the next family.

Sagoal and the church also supported

the village in establishing a community

cooperative, so that families can work together

to grow crops and get a better price for their

goods at market.

‘My fear is that without

significant support, they

will go back to being slaves.’

Church growth in Shivnagar

Through the church sharing the love of God

with the community, more than 20 families

have become Christian and a small church

building has been built in the community so

believers can meet together in the village.

But there is still a long journey ahead

for the former slaves of Shivnagar – they need

support to help them develop vocational skills

and improve facilities at the school. There is no

decent sanitation in the village, leaving them

vulnerable to another cholera outbreak.

Supported by Sagoal, Pastor Madan is working

with the community to develop plans to

address these and other issues.

‘My fear is that without significant support,

they will go back to being slaves,’ says Pastor

Madan. ‘I believe we have just five years to

transform this community.’

Pastor Madan fears that if conditions are

not significantly improved, the grinding toil

of daily life in Shivnagar may, sadly, tempt

some villagers to return to slavery. While they

value and celebrate their freedom, as bonded

labourers they had a stable source of basic

shelter and food – just enough to keep them fit

for work. But the church is determined never

to let this happen, to work with the community

so they have the freedom to thrive.

We are offering you the opportunity

to journey with Shivnagar and see the

community transformation for yourself.

See the tear-out form between pages 8

and 9 for how you can commit your support.

Or visit www.see-for-yourself.org/nepal for

more information about about Shivnagar.

Meet the villagers…

‘I thank God

for the church.’

Fourteen-year-old

schoolgirl Sita is part

of the first generation

to be educated in

Shivnagar. While

school takes up her

week days, she is busy

early mornings,

evenings and weekends helping her family

with their burgeoning snack-food business.

‘When I became a Christian,

I was truly set free.’

For more than 60

years of his life, 74-

year-old Motilal was

a slave – regularly

beaten and abused

by his masters. Now

far from retirement,

his life is still a daily

struggle to help

provide food for his

family, and he often

suffers ill health.

‘I have the church to

thank for my business.’

With her husband away in India, mother-

of-three Dhandevi struggles with the hard

manual labour she carries out in her

bicycle business. But she is determined to

give her children the education she was

denied as a bonded labourer.


integral mission


hen the church is committed

to integral mission and to

communicating the gospel

through everything it is, does and says,

it understands that its goal is not to become

large numerically, nor to be rich materially,

nor powerful politically. Its purpose is to

incarnate the values of the kingdom of

God and to witness to the love and the

justice revealed in Jesus Christ.’ – Extract

from What is integral mission? by C René

Padilla, a theologian and formerly Tearfund’s

International President

No one could deny that The Gap was good

news for the people of Swansea. Not just

for the young people whom the scheme

supported but also for the whole community

who witnessed love and justice in action – an

incarnation of the kingdom of God.

Disaffected teenagers are often written off

as troublemakers and sadly – without suitable

training, encouragement, employment skills

and a sense of spiritual self-worth – they

sometimes live up to that reputation.

‘I used to be in trouble with the police

because I would get drunk with the boys in

the park,’ says Craig. ‘School just did my head

in, to be honest, and that’s why I didn’t go as

much as I should have.’

W

Active churches change communities

As we know from what we see on our streets

and in the news, the problem of disaffected

young people is not exclusive to Swansea.

Antisocial behaviour affects many of our

towns and cities. But these communities also

have another constant: local churches.

Cornerstone is a church that centres much

of its activity on social action projects in its

community. These have included a group for

people over 50, after-school sports clubs, a

pre-school play group and – one of its most

successful ventures – The Gap.

The Gap reached out to teenagers

disaffected with school or facing exclusion

and provided them with social and

employment skills and qualifications.

Inspired by biblical principles and expressing

the love of Jesus to communities, The Gap

ran for more than 12 years, encouraging

and mentoring about 1,000 young people.

True transformation should be inspired by scripture, the biblical

call to address people’s material and spiritual needs – and not just

people overseas. For Cornerstone Church in Swansea, this meant

setting up The Gap, a group for young people excluded from school,

which reaped unexpected results...

Words: Peter Shaw

‘

Filling the gap in our gospel


looking for other ways to support and

encourage young people in our community.

Swansea is one of the most deprived areas

for child poverty in the country.’

You may be confused as to why you are

reading this in a Tearfund publication. What has

Craig’s story to do with poor people in extreme

poverty in the developing world? It’s relevant

because a full understanding of the gospel has

local as well as global ramifications.

Integral mission is not just for Africa: it’s for

everywhere. We believe a community-engaged

church will have a deeper commitment to

challenge injustice across the world. And a church

concerned for those suffering overseas should

not ignore the disaffected on its doorstep.

There should be no gaps in our gospel.

• Inside Out is a new course to inspire and

equip your church to take a fresh look at

integrating words and actions, and help

bring change to your community locally

and globally.

• Discovery is a process that helps

churches to indentify needs within

their communities, realise their potential

to make a difference and plan a

successful response.

For more details on both, visit

www.communitymission.org.uk/courses

Craig was one of them. ‘We did surfing,

kayaking, gorge walking, rock climbing –

I just loved it all,’ he says. As well as these

fun confidence-building activities, Craig

learnt interview skills. ‘They taught us what

to expect [from a job interview], rather than

us going in there first time and trying to

get a job, and just crumbling.’

The fruit of the time and patience given to

Craig from the church members running the

group was dramatic. ‘We started to grow up

a lot more,’ says Craig. ‘If I hadn’t come to

The Gap, I would have gone down a road I

didn’t want to go down – I would say it is

the best thing you will ever do with your life.’

A star of CCTV

In fact, Craig’s life has been upturned in quite

an unusual way. ‘I now work for a CCTV

company,’ he says (see photo, right). ‘I used to

be the one that other people wanted to catch

on camera – now I’m trying to catch them.

So it’s pretty mad!’

Like many such projects, The Gap was

needed for a specific time. Hundreds of

young people now have jobs and better

employment prospects thanks to the scheme.

These successful services have now been

taken on by the local council.

Sarah Richards, a church leader at

Cornerstone, says, ‘We helped the council

to set up their programme and we are now

‘If I hadn’t come to The Gap,

I would have gone down a road

I didn’t want to go down.’

Craig, The Gap, Swansea

Photos showing the work of The Gap, a project from

Cornerstone Church in Swansea.

global poverty prayer movement


eflect, pray, act: these three little

words are at the heart of the One

Voice prayer week. From Sunday 26

February, Christians all over the globe will

unite to reflect on the injustice in the

world around us, to pray for transformation

and be prepared to act as part of the

answer to those prayers.

One Voice is a fantastic opportunity

to unite the global church. From small

children to experienced hands, the week

is a focal point for everyone to pray

for people in poverty across the planet.

With Micah 6:8 as our key verse, we’re

excited about the prospect of so many

Christians worldwide acting justly,

loving mercy and walking humbly

with our God.

Can you live on rice and beans?

For five days, we’re inviting you to take

on the challenge of eating the kind of food

that the vast majority of people rely on –

day in, day out. That means eating only oats,

rice and beans as you fast and pray – and

donating to Tearfund the money you save

at the supermarket.

Fantastic free resources!

If you have a church small group, prayer

group or youth group, we have some

great free resources for you: prayer guides,

a short film and practical suggestions to

make your week a success. Simply call 0845

521 0021, email [email protected] or

visit www.tearfund.org/onevoice to order

your free church resources.

R

PRAY WITH ONE VOICE

Words: Craig Borlase Photo: Kieran Dodds/Tearfund

JOIN OUR GLOBAL POVERTY PRAYER MOVEMENT

Poverty is a disease that can be cured.

58: THE FILM will inspire you to live out Isaiah 58’s call

to break the chains of injustice.

Unless we act, poverty willcontinue to destroy lives.

Watch the trailer today! www.live58.org

Brought to you by:

DON’T JUST READ IT. LIVE IT.

Do goodSwitch to EcotricityChange to Ecotricity and Tearfund gets £40 � or £60 if you switch your electricity and gas � to invest in helping poor communities adapt to the changing climate. Ecotricity is dedicated to building new sources of renewable green energy, investing more per customer than all the other UK suppliers put together. And they promise to price match the standard tariffs of the �big 6� energy suppliers. Do good today! Please call Ecotricity free on 0800 302 302 and quote �Tearfund� or visit www.ecotricity.co.uk/tearfund

workingtogetherwith


worldview


Tearfund photographer Will Boase says: ‘On a hillside terrace

near Nyarusiza village, a group of farmers gather around a

communal compost heap. A survivor of two famines and the

Rwandan genocide, Evasta Nyiranshamubanzi (in orange

bandana) is one of the farmers helped by Tearfund partner

Moucecorp, who have trained her community in composting

to increase their yield.’

Photo: Will Boase/Tearfund

south sudan appeal


ouncing brightly on her mum’s knee,

baby Nyigeng Doroca surveys the

scene around her with contentment

as her dad, Deng Deng, looks on admiringly.

Six months ago, Nyigeng’s arrival in the

South Sudan village of Omdurman was a

source of worry and stress. The birth brought

complications and her mum, Ajak, lost lots

of blood.

A long and arduous road trip to the nearest

hospital in Aweil looked likely but medical

staff at a Tearfund clinic in Omdurman –

the only health facility for many miles –

were able to help successfully.

‘Thank God the staff in the Tearfund clinic

managed to control the bleeding,’ says Deng.

‘My wife improved well and, as you see, the

baby is fine. I’m happy for God’s grace upon

my family.’

B

A new country isborn, and hope glintson the horizon…

Big challenges ahead

Thanks to your overwhelming support for

our South Sudan appeal last summer, Tearfund

is improving lives in Omdurman and other

communities like it across the world’s newest

nation, and not just by offering healthcare.

We’re helping to build better water and

sanitation facilities and training people to

improve their agricultural production so they

can better feed their families.

The demand for such help is considerable.

As well as locals like Deng, there are

thousands of people returning to South

Sudan from the north, hoping for a better

life, many buffeted by decades of civil war.

Dut Adim Longor is one of them. Tearfund

has provided him with seeds, tools and two

goats since he arrived six months ago and

he’s now growing five crops. A borehole

constructed by Tearfund is only ten minutes’

walk from his home. Dut says, ‘I’ll never forget

what Tearfund has done for us. I can now

feed my family and live with hope.’

But big challenges remain for the people

of South Sudan who gained independence

officially on 9 July 2011. The new government

faces the unenviable task of building a nation

out of a land scarred by conflict and natural

disasters such as flooding and droughts.

With health facilities and schools scarce,

it’s not surprising that South Sudan is in

the bottom ten for countries with poor

development. And of course, after so many

Last July, Tearfund launched an appeal for the newly independent South Sudan,

one of the poorest countries on the planet. We’ve been amazed by your

generous response…

Words: Mark Lang Photo: Bernard Henin/Tearfund

Collecting water from a borehole built by Tearfund at

Apada returnee camp, South Sudan.


lives here are shackled by poverty, but the

wholehearted response to our appeal offers

us the opportunity to bring hope where

otherwise there might be none. Thank you

for your generosity and for showing the

church is responsive to the needs of the

world’s newest nation.’

Please pray for:

• the reintegration of those returning to South

Sudan and that they can help tackle poverty

• an end to tribal violence which has killed

many since independence and for wisdom

for churches seeking to mediate

• improvements to food supplies, amid

warnings there could be chronic shortages

due to erratic rains.

Progress in South SudanHere’s a snapshot of work we’ve done in

Omdurman and Aweil in recent months:

• 17,000 patients treated in four clinics

• 1,700 children screened for malnutrition

• 9,000 tools distributed

• 6 boreholes repaired, giving 1,800 people

clean water

• 22 shallow wells protected, giving 6,600

people clean water

• 150 household latrines built, giving 1,000

people access to better sanitation

years of fighting, tensions remain. Border

clashes, tribal conflicts and disputes over land

and cattle forced nearly 300,000 people from

their homes last year.

Long-term commitment

Tearfund is committed to helping the people

of South Sudan overcome the obstacles of

material and spiritual poverty, to work

alongside them with Christ-like compassion

as we have for many years.

Generosity towards our appeal means that

our operational team there can target remote

and neglected areas as well as deal with

future emergencies. They’ll be able to help

communities build more wells, water-storage

facilities and latrines, as well as tackling sickness

and disease by providing primary healthcare.

‘I’ll never forget what Tearfund has done for us. I can now feed my family and live with hope.’Dut Adim Longor, South Sudan

Your giving will enable us to help people

develop sustainable livelihoods and train

them to feed themselves. And for our local

partners, whom we’ve been supporting for

40 years, it’ll mean they can undertake a

variety of development projects, working

with local churches.

Jonas Njelango, Tearfund’s Country

Representative for Sudan, says, ‘So many

Dut, who lives in a returnee camp in South

Sudan, proudly shows off his garden which

he grew with seeds supplied by Tearfund.

ut you and I know that there’s more to

life than following the crowd – and you,

our dedicated supporters, are living

proof of the fact. Across the country, people

are making time for Tearfund, stepping up and

figuring out ways to use their time and talent

to serve God, challenge injustice and help

support local churches across the world.

‘Across the country, people

are making time for Tearfund,

stepping up and figuring out

ways to use their time and

talent to serve God.’

Tearfund’s got talent

People like Jane Campbell in Newport-

on-Tay, Scotland. Unlike many of us

bathroom-crooners, Jane was brave enough

to take the show tunes she sang in the

shower out to the wider world. She started

with a solo concert in her local church hall

to raise funds for the church, and since then

she has recruited some additional performers

and staged numerous charity concerts. Last

How offering your skills and dedication

can help release people from poverty…

You’d think that in the year 2012 we would have become wise to the wily

tricks of modern living. We’re surrounded by gadgets that promise to save

our time, loaded down with magazines that offer to improve our surroundings

and bamboozled by programmes that tell us ways to fix our figure. All this

and yet we’re probably busier, messier and lumpier than ever.

Words: Craig Borlase

Make time… for Tearfund

B

get involved


Tearfund volunteer baker Sarah Roberts and her daughter.

Alw

yn Coates/Tearfund


October, she put on Tunes for Tearfund,

raising £440 in the process.

Or what about Andy Rayner (below)? After

more than a decade of volunteering, he has

raised an impressive £96,000 for Tearfund. This

coming year, he’ll be working with schools and

local churches as they prepare for Waiting for

Christmas: a great opportunity for children to

get involved, hear about poverty and injustice,

and raise money to make a difference. Visit

www.waitingforchristmas.org.uk to find

out more.

While some, such as Jane and Andy, are

obviously blessed with proven talents which

they can use, we at Tearfund believe that it’s

the attitude that is important – as the story

of the widow’s mite shows (Luke 21:1-4).

Water challenge

That’s why we love HaEun Ji’s response to the

water crisis facing many poor communities

around the world. With the average person

in the developing world living on just ten

litres of water a day – compared to our 200

litres – HaEun Ji decided to see for herself

how hard it is to survive on so little water.

‘We set ourselves a challenge: ten litres a day,

for seven days,’ she says. ‘We knew it was going

to be messy – but we also figured we could

raise some funds to help those whose reality

this is 24/7. I can say that it was truly one of

the most valuable experiences I've had! It

made me realise the importance of water, and

the serious injustice that exists in this world.’

Whatever your talent – or however much

or however little time you have available –

choosing to share it to benefit others is one

of the best decisions you can make. Whether

you make cards, bunting or pictures and sell

them on eBay, or raise funds by sponsored

running, climbing, reading, eating, sleeping or

whatever catches your imagination, you can

help Tearfund, have fun and go deeper with

God in the process.

Tearfund volunteer Andy Rayner’s children’s christmasconcerts have so far raised nearly £100,000 for Tearfund.

And

y Ra

yner

Why not join us?

Visit www.tearfund.org/

maketime and

pledge to ‘share your

talent’ today.

Tearfund volunteercameraman andchoirmasterextraordinaire,Andy Rayner.

Alw

yn Coates/Tearfund

get involved

Make time for Tearfund!

Here are five great fundraising ideas to get you started…

• Give up something you love for a day, a week or a month

and get sponsored for your efforts.

• Dig out all those nearly new items that are taking up space,

get your friends to do likewise and get together for a bring-

and-buy sale.

• If you’ve got some little helpers at home, why not bake

some cakes and sell them on to friends and family?

• Get friends round for dinner, show a Tearfund film

between courses and ask them to donate.

• Encourage your church small group to get together

and run an event – a barbecue, tea party, or drinks

and nibbles – and charge a small entrance fee.

For a complete guide to fundraising –

along with details of many opportunities

for you to get involved with Tearfund –

visit www.tearfund.org/maketime

www.goldchallenge.org

Visit this great site and find out how you

can help raise money AND join in the

Olympic and Paralympic fun at the same

time. Gold Challenge is a unique charity

challenge where you can test yourself in

Olympic and Paralympic sports by the end

of 2012. Take part on your own, or with a

team: either way it’s a great opportunity

to get fit, have fun and raise funds for

Tearfund.


Have you made

time for Tearfund?

We’d love to hear

about it – so email

us at volunteer@

tearfund.org

Tearfund volunteer speaker Gillian King.

Tearfundvolunteersinger HelenDennison.

Alw

yn Coates/Tearfund

Alw

yn C

oate

s/Te

arfu

nd

22 February to 7 April 2012 Join the Carbon Fast this Lent for daily doses of climate-friendly actions to help you care for God’s good creation and help protect our global neighbours who are hit hardest by the changing climate.

www.tearfund.org/carbonfast

mother’s day


ecause a mother’s love can rebuild and

restore. A mother’s love can achieve the

impossible. And this Mother’s Day, we’re

celebrating the fact that in some of the

poorest places on earth, mums are achieving

the impossible with the help of the local

church and Tearfund’s partners. Not only

mums who have their own children – but

sisters, aunties or friends who offer motherly

love to others.

Mother’s Day 2012

Join us as we make 18 March 2012 a day to

thank God not just for our own mums, but for

B

Celebrate Mother’s Day with mums around the world

mums around the world. Mums who are

trapped, with their children, in poverty. Mums

like Nelida, a Peruvian mother of one, who is –

right now – doing the impossible for her eight-

year-old daughter Alicia.

Reflecting on how Tearfund’s Peruvian partner

Warmis has helped her, Nelida says, ‘I only went

to school for two years, because my mum

needed me in the field, looking after the sheep.

‘I could only put my first name, my last name

and a few words.

‘But Warmis has taught me to read

newspapers. I understand more, and now I can

add, subtract, multiply.’

If you could catch, and bottle, everything your mum means to you – all that love,

all those hugs, all those tears – you’d have a potion of great value.

Words: Steve Adams Photo: Geoff Crawford/Tearfund

Yanamango village, Peru: mum Nelida Aguilar, who is helping to teach her daughter, Alicia, to read.


And for us, this year, we’re doing our bit to

spread the Mother’s Day love. We’re offering

you and your church a short film, designed for

an all-age service, featuring Nelida and her

daughter Alicia. It tells of their moving story

of hope, transformation and motherly love.

Inside the church pack you'll also find

giving slips, prayer points and a colouring sheet

for children to make a card for their mother.

Tearfund’s Mother’s Day resources are free,

inspiring and available to order now. Call our

friendly Tearfund team on 0845 521 0021,

or email [email protected] or order from

the end of January at www.tearfund.org/

mothersresources

Life is a daily toil for mother and daughter Nelida and Alicia, Peru.

Bless Mum, and Tearfund! Surprise Mum with a beautiful

bouquet from Bunches.co.uk this

Mother’s Day and 20 per cent of

the sale will go direct ly to Tearfund.

Visit www.bunches.co.uk/tearfund

and use code ‘TF20’ at the checkout.

Offer ends 6 April 2012.

For her daughter Alicia, this is not just good

news, it’s life-changing news. It’s the news that

draws a line in the sand and begins her journey

out of poverty.

‘Now I’m able to teach my child. When she

arrives home she says, “Teach me and help me

with my homework.” I’m teaching my little girl.

‘I don’t want Alicia to have the same life as

me. I want the best for her. This is why I do all I

can to earn enough so my daughter can go to

school and study and better herself.’

Mother’s Day is about celebrating

and upholding mums as an

expression of God’s love.

Particularly mums caught tightly

in poverty’s grip.


How did poverty impact your childhood?

When I was a little girl, my mum provided

for my education for just two years, but she

didn’t have the resources to support it, so

she said, ‘Already you know how to write

your name, and sign documents, and that’s

enough.’ So I had to leave school, which

made me very sad, and look after the sheep.

I did that until I was 15, and then I went to

work in the city as a maid. I liked that work.

When did you come back to Yanamango?

I left my work as a maid when I was 26,

because my mum got sick and there was

no one here to take care of her. She was ill for

months with kidney problems. So I returned,

and started to care for the animals. I look after

the sheep, chickens, guinea pigs, whatever we

can raise. I also plant crops on the farm. I work

from 7am until it gets dark around 6pm when

my girl Alicia helps me to put the sheep in the

pen for the night.

Where is Alicia’s father?

He didn’t stick around. It was the same with

my father. He left my mother when she was

pregnant with my brother and I was only two

years old. Alicia’s dad lives far away in Trujillo

‘Warmis teach us Christianvalues and encourage us to go to God to ask for his direction.’

Love without limits

Nelida Saucedo is a Peruvian mother whose life is driven by one main purpose:

to secure the future for her eight-year-old daughter, Alicia. High up in the Andes

mountains, Nelida and Alicia live in the grip of poverty. Rural schooling is pretty

basic. Living off the land is precarious, with years of drought affecting crops.

On the face of it, Nelida’s dreams for Alicia could be just wishful thinking.

But transformation is underway. In Nelida’s village of Yanamango, Tearfund

partner Warmis is working with the local church to run literacy classes, sewing

classes and other income-generating programmes so mothers like Nelida can

achieve the impossible. Nelida’s love and determination may well be enough

to change her daughter’s life.

Words: Lorraine Kingsley Photos: Geoff Crawford/Tearfund

Q&A with Nelida Saucedo

Life in Yanamango village, Peru, is tough for Nelida as she toils daily to provide for her daughter.


words. Now I have learnt so many things. I

can read newspapers. I have learnt how to sew

and do embroidery. I have made blankets and

bags and sold these at exhibitions. Warmis have

also encouraged us to create a kitchen garden

where we grow vegetables that we eat and

sell. They also teach us Christian values and

encourage us to go to God to ask for his

direction, and they read the Bible and pray

with us at each meeting.

What can we pray for you?

I would like you to pray that God helps me

physically so I can work and improve my

life and support my girl to have a better life.

Without my support, Alicia surely couldn’t

study. And please pray my parents will be

with me a little longer because I would be

lost without them.

and I have to raise Alicia alone. He tells me he

doesn’t get paid often. He says that the food

store where he works often docks his pay for

things that go wrong. So there’s no other

source of income. Sometimes, when we get

sick, or there’s something extra at school

that needs to be paid for, I get angry. I think,

‘Why doesn’t he send anything?’

When Alicia grows up, will she take over the

farm and continue to look after the animals?

I don’t want Alicia to have the same life as me.

I want the best for her. This is why I do all I

can to earn enough so my daughter can go

to school and study. I would be very happy if

Alicia was a secretary. Something that is easier,

lighter work than in the field where sometimes

the animals live, and sometimes they die, and

sometimes they get stolen. I intend to support

Alicia so she can better herself.

How has Tearfund partner Warmis

helped you?

When I started to go to the Warmis workshops

on Saturday, I could only read and write a few

‘I don’t want Alicia to havethe same life as me. I wantthe best for my daughter.’

If you feel inspired to help mothers like

Nelida as they support their children, turn

back to page 24 and find out how you can

celebrate Mother’s Day with mums around

the world.

campaigns

his equation is being worked out

in communities all over the world.

It’s what makes access to clean water

and sanitation possible for some of the

millions who have been denied it.

It gives hope and new livelihoods to those

affected by floods in Pakistan or drought in

East Africa. We see it working at the local

level where the church is helping communities

to find their own way out of poverty.

But it doesn’t stop there. When God’s people

come together in his power across borders and

boundaries to pray and act for change, we see

transformation on a grand scale too.

‘When God’s people come together

to pray and act for change, we see

transformation on a grand scale.’

When the church speaks, things change

History shows us that, when we speak out,

we see debt cancelled for poor countries –

millions of pounds of unjust and unpayable

debt – freeing nations to use what money

they have for their own development.

We see new laws enacted that begin to

tackle the causes of climate change. Looking

back further, we see the church playing a vital

T

If you type ‘how to change the world’ into a well known search engine,

it delivers no less than 146 million responses! Tearfund thinks that the

ingredients needed to change the world are far fewer…

Words: Laura Selman

God + his people + prayer + action = transformation

Changing the world… all together

Inspired by TV comedy Father Ted, a group of 'Mrs Doyles' takepart in the Tea Time For Change lobby of parliament in 2011.

Clive M

ear/Tearfund



People United is a space for experts,

interested parties and complete novices

to find out why campaigning is a natural

outworking of our faith and a powerful tool

in the fight against poverty and injustice. It’s

a toolbox of resources to help you and your

church mobilise together and journey into

prayerful political action on issues affecting

poor communities around the world. And it’s

a community of people sharing their stories

of success, struggle and answered prayer.

‘Our responses to poverty

and injustice should be many

and varied, as creative and

fun and loud as we are.’

Get inspired and active

Our responses to poverty and injustice should

be many and varied, as creative and fun and

loud – or quietly determined – as we are.

People United isn’t about telling you what to

do. It’s about helping you do what you want

to do really well, and making sure that we

stand the best chance of bringing real change

for poor communities. People United is also

a place for sharing our experiences so that

we can learn from each other as we journey

together – a people united against poverty

and injustice.

People United is a communication hub for

church leaders, campaigners and to whom

God is speaking about the scandal of global

poverty. Explore online at www.tearfund.org/

peopleunited and take the latest action.

Then ask God whether he is calling you to

help your church be a people united too.

role in the abolition of slavery. Either these

changes would not have happened or they

would have taken far longer, with the loss of

many more lives, if the church had left the

problem for the ‘experts’ at the time to solve.

We pray, speak and act to show the world

the love God has for the poorest people and

his passion for justice. Psalm 9 says: ‘The Lord

is known by his acts of justice.’ As the body of

Christ, the church is charged with challenging

and inspiring decision-makers and powerful

people to re-shape our societies so that the

last are put first.

This is how we obey God’s command to

‘seek justice, encourage the oppressed.

Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the

case of the widow’ (Isaiah 1:17). To a hurting

and broken world, a church that prays and

acts with, and on behalf of, the poorest and

most vulnerable people is good news indeed.

A people united

There’s an old proverb that says ‘One hand

alone cannot clap’. Similarly, it’s hard for one

person, however persistent and passionate,

to bring transformation on their own. Poor

communities need local churches to play

their part. To help your church to do just that,

Tearfund is launching a new initiative for

2012 – People United – your one-stop online

shop for church-friendly campaigning

inspiration, information and resources.

What you’ll find at

www.tearfund.org/PeopleUnited

Latest campaign actions • sermon ideas

small group study outlines • in-depth

briefings • ‘how-to’ guides on working with

local media and building a good relationship

with MPs • theological resources • links to

others who are passionate about the same

issues • prayer ideas

Tearfund supporters challenge the Conservative Party’sclimate commitments at their party conference.

Jay

Butc

her/

Tear

fund

reflections

spring 2012 teartimes

Celebrating 40 years oftransformation

n 1972, a small team of Tearfund supporters

visited Edinburgh Medical Missionary

Hospital in Nazareth. It was the first trip of

its kind. Over the last 40 years, thousands of

people have visited Tearfund projects across

the world – enjoying an adventure of a lifetime

and seeing extreme poverty at first hand.

Today, these overseas visits through Tearfund

are called Transform and they are often a

profoundly moving, life-changing experience.

Four decades on, Peter Graves, one of theleaders of the very first trip, reflects on theimpact it is still having on his life today…

‘I had the very great pleasure of leading the

first-ever Tearfund work party. On 15 July,

a group of 21 eager 20-somethings left

Heathrow bound for the hospital in Nazareth.

‘Our visit to Nazareth reinforced in me the

conviction, which has never wavered since,

that serving the kingdom is as much about

helping poor and dispossessed people without

distinction, as it is about preaching the word.

‘Tearfund remains the spearhead

of evangelical social engagement.’

Be transformed todayTransform aims to open the eyes and

hearts of individuals through experience

and we offer many different types of trips

– for families, gap-year students, two-week

visits for the over-25s, and prayer-focused

excursions. Whatever your age or

experience, we send you to work with our

partners in some of the world's poorest

places – offering an experience that will

challenge and change you.

To find out more, call 020 8943 7777,

email [email protected] or visit

www.tearfund.org/transform

If you’ve been on a trip with Tearfund in

the last 40 years, join us for our celebration

event on Saturday 10 November. For

details, see www.tearfund.org/transform40

‘In my opinion, Tearfund remains the

spearhead of evangelical social engagement.

[Tearfund founder] George Hoffman and I

were close friends, and I was able to observe

the founding and growth of the organisation

from close quarters. I can't tell you how

privileged I still feel to have been around at

the beginning, and then to have been asked

to lead the very first work party.’

Peter Graves

Peter Graves

I

1972: Peter Graves visiting the Edinburgh

Medical Missionary Hospital in Nazareth.

hen Karl Barth, one of the greatest

Christian theologians of the 20th

century, was asked to reveal his

most profound thought, he answered: ‘Jesus

loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’

You may know the acronym KISS – ‘Keep It

Simple, Stupid’. But, in light of Matthew 5:22,

‘Keep It Simple, Saints’ is a better alternative

for Christians.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that

our most important choices are simple. It’s not

like choosing from 20 types of salad dressing –

it’s a choice between treasure on earth and

treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21, 24).

Between these two alternatives, Jesus

teaches about eyes: ‘If your eyes are healthy,

your whole body will be full of light. But if

your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body

will be full of darkness’ (Matthew 6:22–23).

Listeners at the time would have understood

precisely what Jesus meant by ‘unhealthy

eyes’. It was a term that meant refusing to be

generous to poor people – ‘evil eyes’ are mean.

But a ‘healthy eye’ is not just generous – the

best translation of ‘healthy’ here is ‘simple’. It

means something which is not complicated or

confused, but which operates as it should. A

‘simple eye’ always responds with generosity.

When it sees someone in need and has money

to give, it gives generously.

If we have simple eyes, we can be sure to seek

heavenly treasure, and serve God, not money.

I feel honoured that Matthew Frost, Tearfund’s

Chief Executive, has stepped aside in this issue

to allow me to provide this reflection before I

retire as Tearfund’s Theological Adviser. But the

pressure is on to say something deeply profound

– that’s what’s expected of theologians! I’ll leave

you to decide if I succeed…

Words: Dewi Hughes Photo: Cally Spittle/Tearfund

Simple eyes see – in stark reality – the suffering

of poor people and respond with generous giving.

I love Tearfund’s commitment to the whole

gospel and I think that mobilising local churches

to transform communities is the most exciting

thing we’ve ever done. But everything we do

is dependent on all of us choosing heavenly

before earthly treasure, God rather than money.

We must have simple eyes. So my goodbye

KISS is this: keep those eyes simple, saints!

‘Simple eyes see the suffering

of poor people and respond with

generous giving.’

ROI www.tearfund.ieEmail: [email protected] Tel: +353 (0)1 878 3200Tearfund Ireland, 5–7 Upper O’Connell StDublin 1, Ireland Registered Charity No. CHY 8600

Challenge House, 29 Canal Street, Glasgow G4 0AD

Ty Catherine, Capel Cildwrn, Llangefni, Ynys Môn LL77 7NN

Rose House, 2 Derryvolgie Avenue, Belfast BT9 6FL

^

1

Get in touch with us!

UK 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)

KEEPING IT SIMPLE


W

teartimes spring 2012

Documents

old tearfund tshirt

tearfund promotional

free people ofshivnagar

peter shaw news editor

nepalteartimes spring

south sudanupdate

freedoma community

findstories of lives