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(at Step 2, indicate Church Solidarity Projects)

In Tonga, the locals have a negative term for people who have fallen through society’s cracks and find themselves caught in prostitution, alcohol abuse or crime- for people who have lost their way. The word is kakai kuo he he mou’I.

Yet Jesus challenged the way we look at others and calls his followers to action. The Gospels tell us that Jesus saw people as precious in the eyes of God.  He hosted people society pushed away and ate with prostitutes and tax collectors (Luke 7:39).

UnitingWorld’s partner in Tonga, the Free Wesleyan Church, is seeking to follow Jesus by throwing a lifeline to people lost in the uncertainty of change.

A time of change

Tonga is changing – and young men and women are among the first affected.   In some parts of Tonga, unemployment is at 80%- try to picture your community with 8 out of 10 people out of work!

That means that some families, the cornerstone of Tongan society, are struggling.  This has ramifications for every area of Tongan life.

While we in Australia we often imagine Tonga as rural villages, relaxed people and azure seas, it is becoming more urbanized every day.  Young women and men are moving to the capital Nuku’alofa in search of work.

Some young women are taking up prostitution and some young men take up drugs as a form of escape and ultimately, through dealing, a source of income.  It’s a life.  Or is it?

Your Gift is a Lifeline to Tonga

Faith enables us to stand alongside people who may not be near us physically, but who are near to us in spirit and suffering. In this vein, our partner church in Tonga is calling for our solidarity and support as they work for change.

Downloadable Resources

Project Sheet (Sept 2011)