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News : Churches

Haiti: One Year On

Haiti: One Year On – 3 Jan 2011

It’s one year since a massive earthquake devastated the Caribbean island of Haiti on 12 January, 2010. Tearfund’s partners and Disaster Management Team continue to work tirelessly to bring hope and rebuild lives.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters across Ireland more than €160,000 was raised. With these funds, Tearfund provided thousands of emergency kits to families with plastic tarpaulin for shelter, plus food, cooking utensils and hygiene kits. And we’ve put in place long-term programmes to help people rebuild their lives – working alongside local churches and partner organisations to rebuild schools and homes, provide small grants for businesses to be re-established, and provide trauma counselling and spiritual support to people at a very low ebb.

To mark the one-year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti we have created a short film and prayers to use in church service or community group.

Download resources here Haiti Anniversary Powerpoint

Murielle is still grieving. She lost her husband in the earthquake. Tearfund partner Aclam provided emergency shelter and food to Murielle, and they also gave her a €80 grant so she could set up a small business. She sells cosmetics and other small household items in the front porch of her home. The profit she makes means she can still send her children to school. But she is finding a way through her pain – and that is because Tearfund is there for her. She has a lifeline in the form of Aclam’s church volunteer François – who drops in on her at least twice a week, to chat with her, and encourage her in her faith.

In addition to counselling and business grants and all the other ways in which Tearfund’s five partner organisations are reaching out to families, Tearfund has sent in a relief team of trained and experienced specialists. An Irish team will be visiting Haiti in November 2011 to provide training to local health professionals. If you are a health professional and are interested in joining us then learn more here.

Tearfund are also building 500 new homes across a hillside area that suffered 90% destruction in the earthquake. The new homes have strong foundations, and are built to withstand future disasters such as another earthquake or a hurricane. So this is part of Tearfund’s policy to protect disaster-prone areas by building back better.

How the Millennium Development Goals could halve world poverty - Interview

How the Millennium Development Goals could halve world poverty - Interview – 6 Oct 2010

2010 is a critical year for the international community’s efforts to make poverty history. In 2000 world leaders from 189 countries agreed eight goals to halve global poverty by 2015. With five years to go until the deadline for the eradication of extreme poverty, this is the year that promises need to be turned into action.

Sean Mullan, Director of Evangelical Alliance Ireland, reflects on what our response as Christians should be.

Why are the MDGs important?

For the first time, entire governments are committed to the achievement of ending global poverty and also to measuring their performance. Achieving these goals is possible. In fact the UN Secretary General said recently that “falling short of the MDGs would be an unacceptable failure, (both) moral and practical”.

What is the Irish government doing?

Ireland signed up to the MDGs in 2000 and pledged to increase its overseas aid to reach the UN target of spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid. However, since its original pledge in 2000, the Government has twice shifted the date for achieving this international commitment. As citizens with a Christian commitment we should urge the Irish government to keep to its promise.

What is Micah Sunday?

On Sunday 10th of October, churches all across Ireland will join churches worldwide to pray that governments keep their commitments to tackle poverty and to create a more just world. It’s called Micah Sunday because the Bible verse which inspired this campaign is Micah 6:8. Here the prophet states that the Lord has shown what He require of us – to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. This month I am meeting with Irish church leaders across all denominations to reaffirm our commitment to speak out on behalf of the poor.

How can I get involved?

Find out the Millennium Development Goals and how you can speak out by visiting www.tearfund.ie/advocacy

A quiet miracle in Cambodia

A quiet miracle in Cambodia – 16 May 2009

I was in Cambodia in February and witnessed the quiet miracle that is taking place. Hidden from the gaze of the world, small vibrant churches are springing up.

During the genocide, almost 2 million people were killed, the country was devastated and the tiny handful of Christians in this Buddhist country were almost wiped out. But now, less than 30 years later, there are an estimated 270,000 Christians (two per cent of the population) and the country is beginning to develop.

I spent a week visiting church leaders and our Christian partners to find out how this miraculous transformation had come about.

“The village of Pun Lu is extremely poor but things are changing now because of these Christians” the village chief, Eng Keng, a Buddhist, explained to me. “At first we were very suspicious of people in our village who were Christians. We thought they had abandoned the religion and traditions of their ancestors. However they are now helping to improve our village and we are working together in peace.”

The local church in this community supported by Tearfund has been demonstrating faith in action. The local pastor Jam Rahn has encouraged her church to work with their neighbours to improve their school, ensure all the households have clean water and that the people affected by disability and HIV are being looked after. As a result, the church is thriving. “Many of our Buddhist neighbours now want to know more about our faith”, says Pastor Rahn.

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