Stories of your Living Gifts at work
The best way to help someone in need is to stand with them in their place of need. You and I can do this, we can make a difference; don’t underestimate the impact of a donation, however small. It will make a difference.
Emergencies
Civil war in Syria has displaced 6.5 million people within the country and led to around 2.5 million becoming refugees in neighbouring states.
*Samar’s story*
When Asif, one of the workers from Tearfund’s local partner, delivered a package of food to a Syrian woman named Samar, he didn’t realise the crucial timing of his visit. As Samar opened the door and recognised the food package, she immediately began to cry. Ushering Asif into her home, she showed him a humble kitchen with empty food shelves and a refrigerator containing only a few loaves of bread.
With tears falling down her face, Samar said, ‘Thank you Lord, because from nowhere and from an empty kitchen I now have plenty, and all is full.’ She continued, ‘How generous you are, O Lord,’ and started thanking God for all those who had made this possible. As Asif was leaving Samar’s home, he could hear her saying in a faint voice, ‘My house is full – my house is full!’
Forgotten Children
Some children are living on the edge but they are not beyond our reach.
Read this true story of the impact that the Cambodian Hope Organisation (CHO) is having in combatting child trafficking on the borders of Cambodia and Thailand through its Anti-Trafficking Programme.
“My name is Chheoun Phanith. I am 13 years old. My parents are farmers and I have six siblings. I live with my family in Sentepheap village. I study in a CHO non-formal school (school on a mat class) in my village. In the past, I had never heard about human trafficking or sexual abuse. I used to walk to school alone in a very quiet place; I never thought that something bad could happen to me, and didn’t think these things could happen to boys. I had trusted strangers when they came to my village and gave me some sweets. One day, I had the chance to hear information about preventing trafficking and abuse from CHO’s anti-trafficking staff on a children’s day camp in my village. I learned how to protect myself from danger and I will share this information with my neighbours’ children. Finally, I would like to say thank you to CHO staff for spending your time to teach the children in my village. Please continue to provide more awareness information to the people in other villages. May God bless you all!”
Vulnerable Women
Adanech is a widow with 10 in her household. She heard about the SHG when she was in difficult circumstances – her husband had just died. She joined the group but found it too difficult to save so stopped coming.
The group visited her to find out what was wrong and told her she must come. They covered her savings for her. Another time she was sick and they covered her savings again then. She took a 50birr (€2.02) loan and started selling maize in the market.
Adanech says, ‘This group is family for me. Praise to God and thanks for my friends’ support. I can feed my family and I’m expanding my business!’
HIV
HIV is devastating entire communities, leaving families destroyed and children without parents. Esther knows that she might have transmitted HIV to her daughter. Alinafe has her eyes, her smile, her blood. So why not her HIV as well?
Alinafe is unaware of the danger. ‘I don’t want to tell her that I have HIV’, says Esther. ‘When I’m ill, I tell her I might not get better. But it makes her so sad’.
Thankfully, Ester did not pass the virus onto her daughter – and her prayer is that she will live long enough to see Alinafe grow up and get married. And that will use his church to end the pandemic. ‘The church should play a role in stopping HIV’, she says. ‘Christians should care for people and pray.’