IN THIS EDITION: Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts | Destructive Storm in India | Food Security and Health in Timor Leste | Have You Signed the Micah Call yet? | Building Peace in Ambon, Indonesia | Emmanuel Uniting Churchs Hosts Solomon Islands Minister | Experience Volunteer in Focus – Andy Tiver | Experience Placements
Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts
Looking for a Uniting gift for mum this Mother’s Day? Gifts from the Everything in Common gift catalogue represent a special way to support the international development and church-based work of UnitingWorld in the form a gift.
A $60 gift could provide a family in West Papua with two pigs for income generation, school books and pencils for three children attending a community school in Zambia, or vital vaccinations for three entire villages in West Timor.
Mother’s Day is this Sunday 9 May. E-Cards are available and are sent instantly.
Gifts can be browsed and bought online at http://www.everythingincommon.com.au
UnitingWorld Responds to Destructive Storm in India
UnitingWorld and the Church of North India are currently responding to the urgent needs of communities throughout the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar after a destructive storm struck on 13 April 2010.
Reports from the Church of North India indicate that more than 150 people lost their lives during the storm. Thousands of homes were either damaged or demolished by strong winds and heavy rain.
UnitingWorld is assisting our partner, the Church of North India, with relief efforts by releasing funds from the Emergency Relief Contingency Fund. These funds will provide 200 families in the Durgapur Diocese with relief materials and rehabilitation.
The Emergency Relief Contingency Fund enables UnitingWorld to quickly and effectively increase the capacity of our global partners during times of crisis, such as natural disasters.
Click here to read the full story detailing UnitingWorld’s response.
Image: Damage caused by a storm that swept through West Bengal and Bihar, India
Partnering for Poverty Alleviation in Timor Leste
Associate Director for Relief and Development, Rob Floyd, has returned from visiting several development projects in Timor Leste that operate in partnership between UnitingWorld and the Protestant Church in Timor Lorosa’e (IPTL).
During the eight day visit, he travelled more than 850 km by road, visiting and evaluating several agricultural, livelihood, and basic health care projects.
Rob noted several highlights, and is especially proud to report back on the progress of the health clinic in Lospalos, located 248 km east of the capital city, Dili.
During 2009, the clinic in Lospalos provided 15 209 patients with primary health care and vital medications against preventable diseases such as Tuberculosis, malaria, and pneumonia.
“Almost all areas of Timor Leste are suffering the effects of extreme poverty, but it is heartening to see that this project is making a real difference to the lives of thousands on the ground.
“I look forward to continuing the relationship between UnitingWorld and the IPTL to work towards the end of extreme poverty in Timor Leste,” said Rob.
Click here to read more about the food security and health project in Timor Leste.
Click here to view the video, Timor Leste: Goats and Boats, featuring this project.
Have you signed the Micah Call Yet?
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On June 21, Micah Challenge, the coalition of faith-based international development organisations, will hold the key Voices for Justice Signature Event in the Great Hall of Parliament House, where a giant scroll of signatures for the Micah Call will be rolled out – Amazing Grace-style.
UnitingWorld, as a member agency of Micah Challenge, wants to have as many names on the Micah Call list as possible before 15 June so we can have maximum impact in demonstrating the shared aim on the Micah Challenge and UnitingWorld to halve global poverty by 2015.
The scroll will be presented to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. Follow the link on the left to read more about the Micah Call and add you name to the growing list of Christians demonstrating our commitment to expressing the compassion of Jesus for people living in poverty.
Click here to view the Micah Call video.
Click here to download a hard copy of the Micah Call to use for your church or community group.
Building Peace between Muslim Community Leaders in Ambon, Indonesia
Associate Director for Peacemaking, Joy Balazo, conducted a peace building workshop in April between Muslim communities in Ambon. The “Rajah Workshop” brought together more than 60 Muslim community leaders for training on peaceful conflict resolution.
The six day workshop was the first of a new initiative in Ambon, with an overall goal to build a strong network between communities, who are able to call on each other when they are in need of help. Joy was happy to report that all community leaders left the workshop with a feeling of accomplishment and excitement.
The Muslim-majority island of Ambon, particularly the villages of Asilulu, Negri Lima and Ureng, has been experiencing ongoing conflict for decades. The Young Ambassadors for Peace (YAP) program was invited to work with Muslim communities in northern Ambon in 2009.
This invitiation was based on the goodwill generated bythe success of the YAP program in Ambon City, which has been building peace between Christian and Muslim communties since 2001.
Click here to read more about Young Ambassadors for Peace in Ambon, Indonesia.
Click here to read about our other Peacemaking centres in Asia and the Pacific.
Emmanuel Uniting Church Hosts Solomon Islands Minister
Emmanuel Uniting Church in Queensland will host a minister from the United Church in Solomon Islands, Rev. David Vakipide, over the next two months as part of an ongoing Ministry Enlargement Program.
Emmanuel UC will host Rev. Vakipide for a total of eight weeks, during which he will work alongside the church and have the opportunity improve his leadership skills.
The exchange takes place as the result of an ongoing partnership between the Uniting Church in Australia and the United Church in Solomon Islands, which is facilitated by UnitingWorld.
Click here to read more about the exchange program.
Click here to read more about Australian Church Partnerships facilitated by UnitingWorld.
Experience Volunteer in Focus – Andy Tiver
Andy Tiver is a UnitingWorld Experience volunteer from Caroline Springs, Victoria. He has been working as the minister of St Albans Filipino Congregation Uniting Church in Melbourne since 2004 and has a strong appreciation and respect for Filipino culture.
For the next three years, Andy and his family will live in Baguio City, Philippines, to work with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), a partner of UnitingWorld.
During his three year placement Andy will research and address the causes on cultural conflict in the North Luzon region, as well as lay the foundations for several economic livelihood projects that the UCCP will operate.
The community engagement program will work towards breaking the cycle of poverty in local indigenous communities by empowering them through establishing a sustainable source of income.
Andy is deeply committed to eradicating extreme poverty and promoting social justice. His skills will be put to good use by the UCCP. Please pray for Andy while he carries out this vitally important project.
Click here to read more about Andy’s project.
Click here to make a tax deductible donation to Andy’s economic livelihoods projects.
Click here to read more about UnitingWorld’s partner in the Philippines, the UCCP.
Image: Andy Tiver (left) in the Philippines
Experience Placements
The next round of Experience volunteer placements will be released on the UnitingWorld website on 30 May 2010.
More than 100 development and mission placements will be available for suitably qualified candidates to spend anywhere between four weeks and three years working alongside our global church partners.
Experience volunteer placements are a grassroots, tangible way of experiencing the deep connection between the Uniting Church in Australia, your own congregation and our global church partners.
If you think you have the passion and skills to undertake an Experience placement, please contact:
Kathy Pereira
P: 02 8267 4250
E: kathyp@unitingworld.org.au
Applications for existing placements are also welcomed. Click here to view a full list of available Experience placements.
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