CONTENTS:
Emergency Appeals 2009 Update | New Volunteers in North Korea | Church Leaders from East Timor Visit Australia | News and Urgent Experience Opportunities| Experience Volunteer in Focus | New Peacemaking Strategy in Mindanao | Farewell to Visitors from Tonga
Emergency Appeals 2009 – Update
A village in Samoa after the tsunami hit
During September and October last year, we responded to the urgent needs of several of our Partner Churches at a time when they faced danger from natural disasters and chronic food shortages.
UnitingWorld launched four emergency appeals to support victims of a destructive tsunami in Samoa, the earthquake in Sumatra (Indonesia), a chronic food shortage in Zimbabwe, and the trail of destruction left by Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines.
We have received updates on the relief efforts from our Partner Churches in Samoa, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and the Philippines.
Highlights include the near completion of three new community centres in Samoa, food aid and sanitation supplies for 835 families in Zimbabwe, farmer support in the Philippines, and the rebuilding of water and sanitation facilities in Sumatra (Indonesia).
The full update including a message of thanks from the Relief and Development unit is now available to read here.
New Volunteers in North Korea
A computer school for children in Rason
Last week two new volunteers, Thomas and Jennifer*, were officially commissioned at the Korean Church of Melbourne to undertake a three year placement at the Rasun City Welfare Project in North Korea.
The project in Rasun consists of several smaller projects, including a mobile clinic, TB Clinic and Hospital, computer school, orphanage, and a nurses school. Thomas and Jennifer will operate the project and help in it’s administration.
The couple has taken over the project at a critical time. The state of the North Korean economy has meant that the price of all food and non food items has doubled in urban areas, and up increased by up to six times in rural areas. The cost of food and equipment vital for the project’s operation will also rise.
We ask that you keep Thomas and Jennifer in your prayers as they undertake this extraordinary work.
You can read more about Thomas and Jennifer here.
You can read more about the project in Rason, North Korea here.
*Names have been changed to protect their identity
Glebe Road Uniting Church Hosts Church Leaders from East Timor
Vice Moderator of the Protestant Church in East Timor and Principal of Filadelphia Junior High School in Lisadila East Timor Mr Mateus Salvador, are currently visiting Australia. They are being hosted by the Glebe Road Uniting Church in Brisbane for three months.
The visit is part of developing partnership between Glebe Road Uniting Church and the Protestant Church in East Timor. UnitingWorld has been facilitating exchanges with our Partner Churches for several years to strengthen the relationship between our overseas partners and the Uniting Church in Australia.
You can read more about our Church Solidarity projects here.
New and Urgent Experience Opportunities
Volunteers in Rarongo, Papua New Guinea
There are still a variety of exciting and diverse opportunities to volunteer with our overseas Church Partners. Some new placements include:
- Medical in North India - Nurses, doctors, and paramedical personall are required to share their skills in the Church of North India (Durgapur Diocese)
- Printers in Samoa - A printing engineer is urgently required to undertake a short term consultancy for three to four weeks.
- Education and Counselling in Samoa - Teachers of Science, Computing and Mechanics are required, and a Counsellor/Psychologist to assist our partners in establishing a crisis counselling service.
Experience placements with UnitingWorld can last anywhere between three months and three years. There are also a small number of opportunities for short term consultancies.
These experiences offer life changing opportunities to use your gifts in the service of communities who need them and to learn from new cultures and traditions. If you think you may have the skills and passion to explore these possibilities, please contact:
Kathy Pereira
P: 02 8267 4250
E: kathyp@unitingworld.org.au
A list of current Experience Placements is also available online here.
Experience Volunteer in Focus – Cherice Anquetil
Cherice Anquetil, a recent graduate secondary graduate from Laurieton/Bonny Hills in New South Wales, arrived in Tonga to undertake an Experience placement in partnership with UnitingWorld and the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga.
Already she has been through an earthquake, cyclone, and major tsunami warning, but this has not dampened her spirits. When Associate Director, Experience Programs Kathy Pereira spoke with her recently, she just said “I’m good…I survived my first cyclone.”
Cherice is assisting as an English tutor at Mo’unga ‘Olive schools in an outlying village on the main island of Tongatapu. She is constantly finding herself amazed by the hospitality shown to her in Tonga.
“One of the teachers is renovating the house next to his where I will be living. They are such nice people and I’ve been practicing my Tongan with their twins. I’m very surprised I haven’t got homesick yet, I’m enjoying it here too much!” said Cherice.
Cherice is undertaking a one year Gap Year placement to Tonga with UnitingWorld.
You can read Cherice’s full profile here. Browse the full list of available placements for 2010 here.
New Peacemaking Strategy Commences in Mindanao
Associate Director for Peacemaking Joy Balazo has returned from a new YAP workshop in Midanao in the Philippines as part of a new strategy for the conflict-filled region.
The new strategy focuses on increasing dialogue between Christian groups, Muslim groups, and the indigenous people living in the areas surrounding the capital city of Pagadian. The local YAP coordinators are currently working with these groups separately, and will bring them together for a joint workshop for the first time in May this year.
The new strategy aims to create a total ‘peace zone’ within the next three years by training new YAP coordinators and expanding the work of the YAP centre in Mindanao.
Mindinao is located in the south of the Philippines, and is one of the most conflict-filled areas in the region.
Read more about the YAP Peacemaking Centre in Mindanao here.
Farewell to Visitors from Tonga
This week we farewell three visitors from the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWC), who have been taking part in a short-term exchange with the Uniting Church in Australia.
Adelaide Vailea, Viola Matangi and Pauline ‘Unga, who come from the FWC Christian Education Department, have each spent two days a week throughout February and early March working with the staff in the UnitingWorld office in Sydney
Each have taught us more about Tongan culture as they worked alongside us for a number of days. Pauline recently travelled with Development Education Officer Bronwyn Fraser to Kinross School in Bathurst to help connect with the school and teach the students more about anga faka-Tonga (the Tongan way).
They will all be missed, and we wish them a safe trip home back to their friends and families.
Read more about our Partner Church in Tonga here.
