Tuesday, 17 May 2022 — Morgan Theakston
The New Zealand Government has proposed legislation to address modern slavery and worker exploitation in New Zealand and internationally. But what does this mean, what is proposed and how can you help?
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Friday, 22 April 2022 — Compassion International
After two years of praying, seven-year-old Lizeth from Ecuador can hardly contain her excitement when she is told she has a sponsor. She is so grateful that someone has chosen her. Sponsorship means so much to a child growing up in poverty.
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Thursday, 21 April 2022 — Compassion International
For more than two years, we’ve grappled with the unprecedented as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc on the world. But when confronted with the unprecedented, Compassion’s church partners have become unstoppable.
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Wednesday, 20 April 2022 — Morgan Theakston
You may be wondering if modern slavery happens in New Zealand supply chains or just overseas. Will a Modern Slavery Act be a burden on businesses? Can legislation truly create change? We unpack these questions in this blog.
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Tuesday, 22 March 2022 — Dale Campbell
As we watch the news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it raises all kinds of questions for many of us. Did you see our Facebook live? If not, here are the top three things we talked about.
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Friday, 18 March 2022 — Compassion International
How does sending a gift to my sponsor child make a difference? We unpack the impact your gift can make on your sponsor child and their family.
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Thursday, 17 March 2022 — Medair
As millions of Ukrainian refugees flee to safety, Tearfund’s partner in Poland shares their heartbreaking stories and helps them adjust to life on the other side of the border.
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Wednesday, 09 March 2022 — Tearfund New Zealand
Tearfund UK- Written by Gideon Heugh and Rachael Adams
A prayer guide for individuals, groups and churches to pray for peace in Ukraine and around the world.
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Wednesday, 02 March 2022 — Tearfund New Zealand
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has an impact for the entire world. We must call and pray for peace.
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Wednesday, 23 February 2022 — Dale Campbell
Great question! Keep reading to find out why Christians observe Lent, why it's important, the theme we're exploring in 2022 and why you should sign up for our brand NEW devotional series!
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Wednesday, 09 February 2022 — Compassion International
Struggling to write to your sponsored child? We've got you covered! Here's a practical guide that will make it easier for you to connect through letter-writing.
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Tuesday, 08 February 2022 — Compassion International
From Colombia to Educador to Uganda, here are three short stories from our Compassion churches we hope will encourage you!
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Wednesday, 26 January 2022 — Tearfund New Zealand
From Afghanistan, to ethical fashion, to child sponsorship to modern slavery, these were some of the stories that moved you in 2021. Take a look!
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Wednesday, 26 January 2022 — Juliette Epstein
Sticking to a New Year’s resolution can be difficult, so why not choose an achievable and meaningful resolution for 2022 that can make an impact? Here are some ideas to choose from!
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Tuesday, 25 January 2022 — Juliette Epstein
Want your donations to a disaster to make a big impact? Here’s how you can deliver maximum benefit to those who have been affected by a disaster.
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Thursday, 20 January 2022 — Grace Ellis
Matthew Valentine spent 14-years of his life as a detective with the New Zealand Police. Little did he know his passion for fighting crime would take him to the streets of Thailand working for an organisation fighting human trafficking.
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Friday, 14 January 2022 — Compassion International
Natural disasters and a pandemic only exacerbate the effects of poverty, leaving children and families with no hope for a better future. But these micro-stories show that when the Church offers a helping hand, their circumstances can change.
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Monday, 20 December 2021 — Compassion International
Our child sponsorship programme isn't just about responding to poverty by handing out food or Bibles. We also seek to develop children in all the different aspects of their lives including their minds, bodies and relationships. How does that work? Take a look!
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Thursday, 16 December 2021 — Compassion International
The final blog of our four-part series discusses the impact that sponsorship has on a child’s physical development. For a child to break the cycle of poverty, they need a holistic development approach. This starts with meeting their physical needs.
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Tuesday, 07 December 2021 — Compassion International
The third blog of our four-part blog series looks at the emotional development of a sponsored child. Poverty robs children of the belief in themselves and the hope of a different future. Sponsorship provides children with this hope and the emotional stability that children need to thrive.
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Friday, 03 December 2021 — Compassion International
This year the pandemic has increased poverty in Ecuador, climate change has destroyed crops, and most migrants will not return home for Christmas due to shortages of money and jobs. Jenny’s husband is one of them, but her family was in for a beautiful surprise.
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Thursday, 02 December 2021 — Compassion International
The second blog of our four-part series looks at the spiritual development of a sponsored child. Solely addressing symptoms of poverty are temporarily helpful. But knowing Jesus and releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name is ultimately what we’re called to do.
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Wednesday, 01 December 2021 — Compassion International
Just north of Mexico City is one of the most violent towns in the State, where people commit crimes to survive. But amongst the misery that poverty can bring, in the heart of this town is a Compassion centre, bringing joy, hope, and love to vulnerable children at Christmas. Two children from the community can hardly contain their excitement as they wait to receive their first Christmas gift.
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Tuesday, 23 November 2021 — Morgan Theakston
The UK recently hosted COP26 where global leaders came together to figure out how to keep our planet from getting much hotter than it already is. Over 130 fashion brands made some big new promises to the planet, but will they reach their targets? What happens if they don't? Already responsible for an estimated 8-10% of global emissions, one thing is clear: the fashion industry is running out of time.
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Friday, 19 November 2021 — Compassion International
A child’s development isn’t hinged on one aspect of growth, like physical health or emotional stability. Poverty affects every part of a child’s life. Our four-part series explores this and begins with how sponsorship helps a child’s mental development.
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Tuesday, 16 November 2021 — Juliette Epstein
Coming out of lockdown and straight into Christmas is an exciting, but overwhelming thought. Instead of overspending this Christmas, why not challenge yourself to become conscious about what you buy, and where you’re buying from? Here are four tips for shopping consciously this Christmas.
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Tuesday, 02 November 2021 — Compassion International
For Fadhili, poverty made life so difficult that Christmas was just another day to struggle through. However, when Tom chose to be his sponsor, Christmas became his favourite time of the year.
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Friday, 29 October 2021 — Compassion International
When Erika first joined the Compassion project at the local church, she had never before received a gift of her own. What she received that first Christmas brought her to tears, but it was about so much more.
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Friday, 22 October 2021 — Carl Adams
Tearfund’s ministry is about creating positive impacts in people’s lives but this would not be possible without the generous support of Kiwis. Your donation is not just about how much money gets to where it is needed, but the level of positive change it creates. I want to present impact through the lens of stewardship, and asking the question: “so what?”
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Thursday, 21 October 2021 — Morgan Theakston
It’s not you…it’s me. Well, actually no, it is you. Tearfund's Advocacy Specialist Morgan Theakston takes us on her journey to give up shopping for a year and gives us her tips on reducing clothing consumption, as well as offering an eye-opening look at the damage fast fashion has on our world.
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Monday, 11 October 2021 — Compassion International
Today is International Day of the Girl Child where we recognise the rights and unique challenges girls face globally. One of the many challenges they face is period poverty. Millions of girls in developing countries experience shame, confusion and even stigma and discrimination when they get their period. The good news is in Compassion centres around the world, girls are finding education, protection, empowerment, safe bathrooms and period supplies.
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Friday, 08 October 2021 — Carl Adams
Over the past 18 months, we have faced significant uncertainty as Covid-19 unleashed itself on communities at home and the world over. As a humanitarian worker, I’ve responded to people’s needs following earthquakes, flooding, tsunami and horrific acts of genocide. There are some striking similarities between these crises and Covid-19 lockdowns from a mental health perspective.
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Monday, 04 October 2021 — Compassion International
When Owen found out he was sponsored, his mother spun him around the room, his brothers jumped up and down and their faces lit up with huge grins. Owen knew his life was about to change, but what he didn’t expect was through his sponsor’s letters, he would first hear the words “I love you”. Owen and his sponsor became the best of friends through letter-writing. His sponsor even flew to Kenya to be the best man at his wedding! This year, Owen was invited to write one last letter to his former sponsor. It had been 12 years since they last wrote to one another.
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Friday, 24 September 2021 — Compassion International
Life under Covid-19 lockdown has been tough, especially for those living in poverty. Compassion’s Zoe Noakes shares some inspiring examples of how the pandemic didn’t stop people from showing up for each other—like the young man who rode a buffalo around his community with a karaoke machine to spread joy and raise funds for Covid-19 patients.
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Tuesday, 21 September 2021 — Compassion International
It can be hard to know how to pray for your sponsored child if you don’t understand their cultural context or what they’re going through. Children in different countries can experience poverty in various ways. In this short blog, we suggest three things you can pray for.
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Tuesday, 14 September 2021 — Josie Pagani
Council for International Development director Josie Pagani calls the withdrawal from Afghanistan a disaster, and says the New Zealand Government should take in a thousand Afghan refugees in this year’s refugee quota. She also says we need to back the offer Turkey made to the Afghan Government to run chartered evacuation and aid flights through Kabul airport.
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Wednesday, 08 September 2021 — Compassion International
As Haiti faces another devastating earthquake, Willow Welter from Compassion says, while it is time to weep with Haitians now, there is hope to rejoice as she reflects on what has been achieved by supporters since the last big earthquake occurred in 2010, which killed more than 200,000 people. With support, these communities will once again rise from the rubble and be able to rejoice again.
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Wednesday, 01 September 2021 — Compassion International
These inspiring people have a strong motivation to help others. Despite growing up in poverty and not always having everything they need, they share what they have!
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Friday, 27 August 2021 — Compassion International
It’s been more than a decade since Liz from Peru last wrote to Rebecca. Their friendship, built on pen and paper, began when Liz was six. Today, she is 27 and has one final message to share with her former sponsor: “If only you knew how the future of this child could change.”
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Wednesday, 25 August 2021 — Andrew Robinson
Today, August 25, marks four years since extreme violence and human rights atrocities erupted against the Rohingya people, forcing thousands to flee from Myanmar to Bangladesh. The Rohingya Refugee Crisis continues to this day, with over 880,000 refugees still living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. We remember the Rohingya people today, and invite you to pray with us as you read our reflections on this crisis in this blog.
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Friday, 20 August 2021 — Compassion International
We thought we’d ask some children who attend Compassion child development centres what their favourite foods to eat were. Here’s what they had to share.
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Friday, 13 August 2021 — Keith Ramsay
Sean Hatwell’s experience as a detective fighting organised crime in New Zealand, took him to the streets and red-light districts of Thailand, working with Tearfund’s partner to disrupt trafficking rings peddling misery for victims of human trafficking.
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Wednesday, 04 August 2021 — Tearfund New Zealand
Today marks one year since the devastating explosion at Beirut’s port in Lebanon killed more than 180 people. As one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, it left hundreds injured and hundreds of thousands of people homeless and unemployed. Your support enabled our local partner MERATH, a Christian NGO in Lebanon, to help thousands of vulnerable individuals and families. Here’s what we were able to do with your donation.
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Monday, 02 August 2021 — Juliette Epstein
When it comes to ethical fashion, there’s always a bigger picture. Here are three things I have learnt since being an ethical fashion intern at Tearfund. I hope these tips will help you think about how and what you're consuming and that my journey will help yours!
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Wednesday, 28 July 2021 — Compassion International
When three-year-old Brisaida fell from the second storey of her house, her mother couldn’t utter a word. How was her daughter going to receive the urgent help that she needed in a country where health services are inadequate? Read on to find out how this story ends.
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Wednesday, 28 July 2021 — Compassion International
Paulin and his siblings used to spend their nights barely fitting in their small house. But Paulin's family received a financial gift that allowed them to build a house. Now they have space to spread out at night.
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Tuesday, 27 July 2021 — Grace Ellis
Tearfund hosted two Empowher women's events, one at Eastgate Christian Centre and one at The Upper Room. The events were a great opportunity to bring women together, be encouraged and do something powerful in the lives of mothers and babies in Indonesia through our new Mums and Bubs project. Take a look at ten photos that bring to life the events!
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Monday, 26 July 2021 — Morgan Theakston
On July 30, it is World Trafficking in Persons Day and we're shedding light on why the recent US TIP Report has downgraded New Zealand to Tier 2. When it comes to government efforts to prosecute and prevent human trafficking, New Zealand is falling behind the UK, US, Australia, France and many other countries.
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Monday, 26 July 2021 — Compassion International
Although they were found struggling to survive, educating their children has always remained a priority for Nitsuha and Amanuel’s parents living in Ethiopia. With support from Compassion, the siblings scored the highest grades in their classes.
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Tuesday, 06 July 2021 — Compassion International
As a child sponsor, you may have noticed some changes in the letters from your child and our communications about them over the past several months. The Information Age has created new risks. So, Compassion and Tearfund are making ever-greater efforts to protect children’s names and locations — and, therefore, their privacy and safety.
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Monday, 05 July 2021 — Grace Ellis
On Thursday, June 24, Tearfund hosted Empowher, a women’s event, at The Upper Room. The event was an incredible opportunity to bring women together, be encouraged, and do something powerful in the lives of mothers and babies in Indonesia through our new Mums and Bubs project.
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 — Compassion International
Claudia is committed to looking after 300 children at the Compassion centre. She goes to great lengths to ensure the children are safe and being looked after, especially during Covid-19. But her work can be heartbreaking. She knows that if she and her team don’t intervene, no one else will.
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Thursday, 24 June 2021 — Compassion International
When a woman from Yerosen’s village offered her a ride on her motorbike, she did not realise she was being abducted. When the news broke of her disappearance, her Compassion centre director immediately organised a search. He contacted the police, and three months later, managed to get in contact with Yerosen to bring her home safely.
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Friday, 18 June 2021 — Grace Ellis
On World Refugee Day, a former Rohingya refugee who lived in a refugee camp for 16 years shares his story. In 1992, Hanif, his new wife, and their baby daughter fled Myanmar with nothing but the clothes on their backs and as much as they could carry. They both now live in Auckland with their five children.
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Friday, 18 June 2021 — MERATH
Before the Syrian war, we were living on a farm in the western Homs province. We had a humble house, where we lived a safe and happy life. At the beginning of the war, our area was targeted by shells. That was when the scariest and worst day of my life happened.
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Friday, 18 June 2021 — Keith Ramsay
Tearfund’s Big Quiz Night is a fun easy-to-run event that is being held in churches across Aotearoa on Saturday, August 21 as Kiwis pit their knowledge against other teams to raise funds for Tearfund’s four great causes: Modern Slavery, Disasters and Conflict, Child Development and Farming and Enterprise.
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Monday, 14 June 2021 — Keith Ramsay
One of the greatest tragedies of Covid-19 is that it is decimating the most vulnerable in every society. Nowhere in the world is this more of a reality than in lower-income nations that are being overwhelmed by the virus and have a much lower capacity to deal with the spread and the impact. Among the countries most affected right now are India and Nepal. We are fortunate to have such generous and loyal supporters who have stepped up to help the vulnerable in these countries.
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Thursday, 03 June 2021 — Dale Campbell
May 22 was the first time that all of the 11 countries hosting Justice Conferences joined together to present one global event. Here are three reasons why you should watch The Justice Conference on demand.
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Thursday, 03 June 2021 — Compassion International
Contracting polio threw Mwanajuma into a life of hardship, rejection and stigma. But a Compassion mothers and babies programme ensured her newborn baby survived and she and her children no longer had to beg on the streets for survival.
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Monday, 31 May 2021 — Compassion International
Good nutrition is essential for a child’s development, but in Indonesia, one in four children suffers from preventable stunting. Baby Ivanna faced this risk, but thanks to the support her mother, Devi, received from a Compassion Mums and Bubs group, Ivanna is now growing, thriving and reaching all of her development milestones.
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Thursday, 20 May 2021 — Kelly Burgess
Did you know a toddler can smile up to 400 times a day? Tearfund’s new Mums and Bubs programme keeps mums in Indonesia safe during their pregnancy and birth, giving them the support they need to help babies reach their first birthday - that will make anyone smile.
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Monday, 10 May 2021 — Morgan Theakston
You may be wondering if modern slavery happens in New Zealand supply chains or just overseas. Will a Modern Slavery Act be a burden on businesses? Can legislation truly create change? We unpack these questions in this blog.
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Friday, 07 May 2021 — Kate Kardol
Mother’s Day is tomorrow but if you’re still looking for that last-minute gift, or just want a gift that’s a little bit different this year, then why not buy your mum a Gift For Life and make two women smile—your mum and another mum in need across the world?Read more
Tuesday, 04 May 2021 — Compassion International
The impact of a sponsor’s generosity on children multiplies far beyond their childhood years. Compassion centres at local churches offer them safe spaces to learn and teach them lessons to nurture their God-given talents. Tearfund's partner Compassion, is devoted to cultivating and developing this next generation of leaders. Check out these incredible stories of talented young entrepreneurs!
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Wednesday, 28 April 2021 — Grace Ellis
“It’s very powerful to put a face to human trafficking through photography. An image takes the issue straight into someone’s heart. It invites them to imagine what it would be like if the person in the photo was their daughter, their cousin, their niece or their mother. Something profoundly changes when the broader issue of human trafficking has a face, a story and a name."~ Kiwi photographer Nikki Denholm.
Setimaya* was just 19 when she was trafficked - 30 years later, she is ready to tell her story.
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Tuesday, 27 April 2021 — Compassion International
So, you most likely either have a sponsored child who is too young to write, so you are writing to their caregiver anyway, or, your sponsored child is old enough to write and you want to get to know her/his family. Here are a few connection-building letter-writing tips for both of those scenarios!
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Thursday, 22 April 2021 — Kyle Davidson
Writing letters to your sponsored child can be a hard thing to prioritise. But hopefully, you see at least three reasons why it might be something you’d want to do.
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Monday, 12 April 2021 — Tearfund New Zealand
The key word is "sustainability". Instead of pouring money and resources into just the emergency needs, Tearfund's Farming and Enterprise partner in Vanuatu invests in a sustainable model that will hopefully outgrow the need for funding. An ambulance on the ground is unquestionably essential, but not nearly as powerful or effective as a fence on top of the cliff.
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Thursday, 08 April 2021 — Kevin Riddell
Self Help Groups are a simple, yet highly effective way to help lift women and their families out of poverty. They also provide emotional support and teach valuable life skills. They help women access a better future and have a positive impact on generations to come.
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Wednesday, 31 March 2021 — Compassion International
Gisele's family were not Christians when she was registered into the Child Sponsorship Programme. After she gave her heart to the Lord as a young girl, her greatest prayer was that her parents would share her faith. This is a story of how God turned a trial into a testimony and answered her prayer.
*All names have been changed to protect identities
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Wednesday, 31 March 2021 — Compassion International
Although seven-year-old Elvis wasn't scheduled to receive a Bible at his Compassion centre, he insisted until the staff gave him one. Since then, Elvis, whose persistent prayers for his father's salvation were honoured by God, has become an example of great faith to others.
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Tuesday, 30 March 2021 — Kelly Burgess
Tearfund’s partner, Compassion, provides sponsorship programmes for vulnerable children in 25 countries. All of these countries have had very different experiences of managing life in a pandemic. It’s in this storm that our Christ-centered, child-focused model has been a safe anchor. Our programmes are facilitated by local church partners. These Christ-centred staff are dedicated to the community they know and love. They are their neighbours. It is this local connection that has been so crucial in enabling them to meet the needs of sponsored children and their families—right where they are.
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Wednesday, 24 March 2021 — Claire Gray
As history can attest, Modern Slavery isn’t an injustice that any of us can tackle alone. To end modern slavery, we need a collaborative movement that addresses the issue from multiple angles. This is, in part, already being accomplished through our overseas partners and our research in ethical fashion. But, to further the movement toward Modern Slavery Legislation in New Zealand, Kiwis like you can have a significant role.
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Thursday, 18 March 2021 — Grace Ellis
Juliet Harbutt, Master of Cheese to celebrities such as Prince Charles, is holding a one-off cheese master class and tasting session in Auckland on Friday, March 26 to raise money for Tearfund's Sri Lankan post-war dairy project. Juliet has one of the most refined palates in the world. While living in Europe, she set up one of London’s finest wine and cheese shops, selling over 150 raw-milk cheeses. She also regularly featured on the BBC food programme, Come Dine With Me, and helped introduce artisan cheeses to supermarket giants Tesco and Marks & Spencer.
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Monday, 15 March 2021 — Grace Ellis
Today is a day many had hoped would not come. March 15, 2021, marks the tenth year of the Syrian conflict. What began as protests in 2011, has become the defining war of the 21st century. Millions have been forced to flee their homes their lives—everything they have ever known. Families have faced loss, death, trauma, heartache and unimaginable pain. Today, Tearfund stands in solidarity with all who have suffered during this crisis.
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Wednesday, 10 March 2021 — Compassion International
How keen are your kids to go to school? We bet they are not as enthusiastic about being in class as children in poorer countries. Check out the extraordinary lengths children around the world go to every day to get themselves to the classroom.
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Friday, 05 March 2021 — Compassion International
As quarantine measures shuts schools and day-care facilities, women often shoulder the burden of balancing work with childcare and homeschooling. Social distancing deprives them of the support they could normally lean upon. But women are far from defeated. This International Women’s Day, we wanted to honour this strength. We teamed up with Compassion to invite 12 women, aged 18 to 91, all connected by the beauty of sponsorship, to sit for a portrait and a conversation. In the midst of challenge, their strength is undeniable. Their resilience is inspiring, their faith unshakeable. Who are these women? Take a look. They are all around us.
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Wednesday, 03 March 2021 — Compassion International
While Covid-19 has hit Ugandan communities hard, the pastor of a church near Kampala shares how God has made a difference in his community. The church doors may be closed, he says, but the ministry continues.
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Wednesday, 03 March 2021 — Compassion International
The churches at the heart of Compassion’s child sponsorship programmes are part of the fabric of community life. So, you will see them helping communities to celebrate those important cultural festivals and milestones in their lives.
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Sunday, 28 February 2021 — Compassion International
At the heart of Tearfund’s child sponsorship is the Church. The church buildings Tearfund’s partners work out of, take many forms. Some are no more than four walls and a roof and others are old and ornate. We have selected 10 gorgeous pictures of churches in the developing world where community transformation is taking place.
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Tuesday, 16 February 2021 — Compassion International
These two lovebirds met when they were only eight and nine years old. Both as sponsored children raised in impoverished families. Cres and Sheryl share about how they met, their challenges growing up in a gang-dominated community and some tips on how to have a positive, Godly marriage.
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Thursday, 11 February 2021 — Compassion International
Since spring 2020, our staff and church partners around the globe have been adapting rapidly to respond to the urgent needs of children and families. In this blog, you will discover how our church partners in each region are serving children during this pandemic. Your sponsorship during this season is needed now more than ever. Here’s why.
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Tuesday, 09 February 2021 — Compassion International
Meet Vivian, Tony and Melanie who were once sponsored children, and now are changing the world as part of Compassion's team.
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Tuesday, 09 February 2021 — Compassion International
Are you curious about what it looks like when your child learns your name? Watch this video to get a glimpse into that sweet moment for kids around the world.
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Tuesday, 09 February 2021 — Compassion International
In countries such as Uganda, being born with genetic differences can be a death sentence because of local superstitions. But while Shakul has challenges, he is now thriving thanks to the care of his grandmother and Tearfund’s child sponsorship partner, Compassion.
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Friday, 05 February 2021 — Compassion International
When Honduras went into lockdown due to COVID-19, over 200 Compassion-assisted child development centres had to temporarily close. Find out how a group of dedicated staff worked with some VERY high officials to make sure children were still fed and cared for!
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Friday, 05 February 2021 — Compassion International
At home, Eva was surrounded by violence, but she found refuge at her Compassion Centre. Learn how her story inspired staff to transform an entire community.
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Friday, 05 February 2021 — Compassion International
Read how the knowledge and problem-solving skills that sponsored children learn in a Compassion programme can break the generational poverty cycle.
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Wednesday, 03 February 2021 — Compassion International
For many kids around the world, access to safe water is still a huge issue. These 13 kids around the world will show you the diverse ways children in poverty get their water.
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Wednesday, 03 February 2021 — Compassion International
Meet Rusdy from Compassion International Indonesia, a project facilitator who shares how our partnership together helps children physically.
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Wednesday, 03 February 2021 — Helen Manson
With a lack of access to ante-natal care, surprising things can happen for women birthing in places like Uganda. Riding a motorbike to the hospital following the birth of her child, Annet arrived to find that she had two more babies to deliver!
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Tuesday, 02 February 2021 — Compassion International
A reflection from Compassion’s Head of Global Programme, Sidney Muisyo on the Coronavirus’ impact on our partners child development work, and why working in partnership with the local church is more important than ever.
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Friday, 29 January 2021 — Compassion International
Whether it’s a corner of a domed traditional home, a simple hammock, or a private space partition by a curtain, each of these children’s rooms offers a precious insight into their daily lives.
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Wednesday, 27 January 2021 — Compassion International
Compassion Blogger Emily writes this blog from the perspective of a sponsored child.
All Wendy wanted was to be loved and known. Her grandmother urged her father to let her go to the local Compassion centre for the chance to be sponsored. But her father told her she would never be good enough for a sponsor. Despite this, her grandmother signed her up. What happened next changed her life.
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Tuesday, 26 January 2021 — Compassion International
Your letters make a world of difference in the lives of the children you sponsor. Here’s a look at how they get from New Zealand to where your sponsored child lives.
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Friday, 22 January 2021 — Keith Ramsay
Often victims of human trafficking go unnoticed, and even the things we buy have a story of human misery behind them. During Human Trafficking awareness month (January), we wanted to alert you to how you can make a difference in New Zealand for modern slaves overseas, and how to identify those being exploited here in New Zealand.
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Monday, 18 January 2021 — Compassion International
Whether you pray on your own or with a group, the prayers of God’s people are powerful! But sometimes, what we’re praying for seems so out of reach, it’s difficult to know where to begin. Here are 10 prayer points to get you started.
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Wednesday, 13 January 2021 — Compassion International
2020 will be remembered as the year the world stood still. With pandemic lockdowns, quarantines and facemasks—Covid-19 was on everyone’s lips. It was a year of heartache, pain, frustration and anxiety. But to start 2021, we want to share with you 10 sweet, funny and beautiful moments featuring sponsored children from around the world.
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Tuesday, 22 December 2020 — Kevin Riddell
Although I was born and bred in New Zealand, for nearly all of my adult life I have lived and worked in conflict or disaster zones, around the globe. Most people living in the world today have little control of their future. I think this is both unfair and an injustice. I believe I have a responsibility to offer a hand of support to those in need. But not to just feed them for a day, but to offer long-term support.
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Tuesday, 15 December 2020 — Kate Kardol
Tearfund's annual feel-good gift guide—Gift for Life—is chock-full of impactful gift ideas, sure to touch every heart this Christmas. Here's our five most popular gifts!
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Friday, 11 December 2020 — Sean du Toit
The world seems different. The world is different. Various, organisations and communities have had to quickly adapt to various situations changing so fast our plans seem to be in constant flux. And yet, amidst all the uncertainty and chaos, these three remain: faith, love and hope.
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Friday, 04 December 2020 — Compassion International
Oscar’s life had a rough start. He was abandoned by his parents at a young age and was left alone most days with his uncles, who didn’t feed him. He started to get angry and aggressive and when he grew older, he formed a gang with his friends and began stealing. But something happened that turned his life on its head.
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Thursday, 03 December 2020 — Compassion International
Because of sponsorship, these children are not going hungry like some people in their communities are. Because of sponsorship, they received the medicine they needed. Because of sponsorship, they have hope for tomorrow. Children and families around the world have been blessed during this pandemic through our partner. Here’s how.
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Tuesday, 01 December 2020 — Compassion International
Every year around Christmas, families in a tiny community outside Burkina Faso’s capital, excitedly make their way to a special event at the local church. Everyone is welcome, not just those involved in the Compassion project. At this event, children receive a gift and more than 700 people enjoy lunch. When you give a gift to your sponsored child for Christmas it goes into a pool of funds from which every child gets a Christmas gift. It also enables initiatives like the one in this story.
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Wednesday, 25 November 2020 — Grace Ellis
Sandra Johnson found her passion in Tearfund’s Farming and Enterprise cause. She had the amazing chance to visit one of Tearfund’s former Farming and Enterprise partners in India. After meeting the ladies involved in the project, she could not turn her back on them. She decided to raise $15,000 to help the women achieve success.
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Tuesday, 24 November 2020 — Annie Newton-Jones
Christmas is just around the corner and before you start your Christmas shopping, check out our five top tips for consuming less while still giving great gifts this Christmas.
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Tuesday, 24 November 2020 — Ian McInnes
Sadly, women, children and men all over the world become victims of modern slavery by the coercion and the manipulations of human traffickers. Traffickers promise them a better life somewhere else, but the reality is far worse. Our partners work on the frontlines to educate the vulnerable, prosecute offenders, and care for survivors after they have been trafficked.
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Monday, 16 November 2020 — Kate Kardol
As parents, we have a responsibility to teach our children to look outward and consider the needs of others—as we hope others would do the same for our children. And as Christians, we are obligated to not shut our eyes to the world’s injustice, instead “caring for the least of these” as our faith calls us to do. Here are four ways to teach your children about poverty.
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Friday, 13 November 2020 — Keith Ramsay
We have the largest number of displaced people the world has seen in recent history, with 79.5 million people forced to leave their homes for fear of violence or persecution. But have you heard them talking on the news about Internally Displaced People, refugees or asylum seekers, and wondered to yourself, what the difference between them is? Read on to find out more, not only about what these terms mean, but how you can make a difference for refugees who end up in Aotearoa.
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Friday, 06 November 2020 — Brandy Lovelace - Compassion International
A storyteller from Tearfund’s partner, Compassion, had a deep conviction when she was taking photos of sponsored children. She realised she was treating the children as props. She made herself a promise that she would never take a single picture with another child whose name and story she did not know.
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Tuesday, 03 November 2020 — Keith Ramsay
Meet Jenny Yarndley from Te Awamutu. The mother of five has built a wonderful and heart-warming relationship with a young man from Indonesia she started sponsoring in 2013, called Berry. While they have gotten to know each other well through letter-writing, they have never met. So, you can imagine her surprise when we arranged for her to meet him for the first time via a Zoom call.
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Wednesday, 21 October 2020 — Andrew Robinson
Imagine being caught in a moment of crisis—pushed beyond your ability to cope. You are swept up in circumstances outside of your control, left vulnerable, overwhelmed and in need of help, but you don’t know where help will come from. Tearfund hears the cries and responds to disasters through local partners to meet the immediate needs of people. Tearfund also works with the community to help people build back their lives in a sustainable way. What’s important is the people we serve are protected and treated with dignity.
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Friday, 16 October 2020 — Compassion International
As Christians we are called to live generously, not putting our hope in things but in God. He is the only one who can judge us. It’s a balance of enjoying the things God gives us, being generous, doing good, and not chasing riches. Here are six ways you can be generous and not judgemental.
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Wednesday, 14 October 2020 — Grace Ellis
Rosie Paterson-Lima has always had a heart for people, especially people less fortunate than herself. She was exposed to poverty from a very young age. It impacted her so much that she dedicated her life to helping bring people out of their situation and into their God-given potential. She became an advocate for Tearfund in 2010 and is now working for Tearfund as a Programmes Specialist.
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Tuesday, 13 October 2020 — Grace Ellis
The Justice Conference gives you a platform to learn about different justice issues and a chance to see how other people live out justice, so you can learn, advocate and do justly yourself! Here are three reasons why you should attend!
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Tuesday, 06 October 2020 — Compassion International
Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the vulnerable. Many people have been unable to work and if they can’t work that means they can’t feed their family. Children are also out of school because of government restrictions and people are scared to go to the hospital to get vaccinated against other diseases for the fear of catching Covid-19. Tearfund’s partner Compassion is doing all it can, alongside the local church, to meet the needs of struggling families.
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Monday, 05 October 2020 — Compassion International
Angelyn’s world fell apart when she discovered her parents were selling drugs. She refused to tell the staff at the Compassion child sponsorship programme out of a mistaken fear that they would reject her. She lost hope and stopped coming to the project. At the age of 12, she began drinking alcohol and going to nightclubs. When her caseworker finally reached her, he invited her to a youth camp. Reluctantly she agreed, and her life changed course.
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Monday, 05 October 2020 — Compassion International
Vivian was just nine years old when both of her parents died. She and her younger sister were taken in by their aunty, who neglected them, stole from them, and beat them. One night their aunty had had enough and kicked them out of the house. Vivian and her sister were left homeless until Tearfund’s partner, Compassion, brought them in. Now Vivian can live out God’s plan for her life.
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Wednesday, 30 September 2020 — Olga Oosthuizen
Despite the injustice we witness and the overwhelming statistics, we refuse to accept that poverty is an inevitable part of our broken and hurting world. We focus on fighting it one child at a time alongside Compassion International and the local church. The local church can have a huge impact on their communities as they know the needs of their people, the context and the culture.
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Wednesday, 30 September 2020 — LIFT International
Human trafficking is a broad term used to describe an organised criminal activity that deceives and coerces people into modern slavery. However, many categories fall under human trafficking. Sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, domestic servitude and forced child labour. Our partner LIFT International works to address this through investigations, aftercare for survivors and legal support.
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Friday, 25 September 2020 — Sean du Toit
Racism is not an event or a belief. God can and does change us to view people as those whom he loves and we must love. In the future we are called to create, and which God is creating now through his people, there is a celebration of diversity and no racism.
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Tuesday, 22 September 2020 — Keith Ramsay
Tearfund’s approach is to work through trusted faith-based partners who are part of the communities they serve. Because poverty is complex, we believe that local experts are best placed to find local solutions which will bring lasting change. So we come alongside our local partners, joining them in the work they are doing, and supporting them to deliver the best aid and development programmes possible.
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Monday, 21 September 2020 — Tearfund New Zealand
The landscape of the fashion industry has changed dramatically over the course of the pandemic. Every single part, process and person within the trade has been affected. Because of the change in landscape, we’ve also had to adapt, by creating a new Ethical Fashion Guide and report.
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Thursday, 10 September 2020 — Annie Newton-Jones
Hi, I'm Annie and I’m speaking at The Justice Conference next month on October 31st! Be sure to tune in and hear me unpack the topic of ethical fashion! For now though, keep reading for a little taste of what I’ll be sharing and how you can take some practical steps to make fashion better for all of us, including vulnerable garment workers. Let’s create change through fashion together!
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Monday, 07 September 2020 — Kate Kardol
Nalayini and Chinniah have overcome more obstacles than most couples do in a lifetime. When a brutal civil war turned their world upside down, they worked hard to rebuild their lives and find a way out of poverty. Now, they are breaking the chains of poverty for the next generation.
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Wednesday, 02 September 2020 — Compassion International
A Compassion graduate named his daughter after his former sponsor. He vowed to work hard as a way of thanking her for the great role she played in his life. His five-year-old daughter Lisa is extremely proud of her unusual name.
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Tuesday, 01 September 2020 — Compassion International
Between April to June 2020, Tearfund’s church partners distributed millions of food parcels and hygiene kits, delivered hundreds of thousands of cash transfers and medical assistance. See how generous supporters are making a difference and meet some of the children behind the astonishing numbers.
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Friday, 28 August 2020 — Compassion International
The number of Online Sexual Exploitation Cases in the Philippines has tripled since the Covid-19 quarantine restrictions were established, due to the increasing effects of poverty and hunger. Tearfund’s partner, Compassion Philippines is addressing the issue through child protection awareness campaigns.
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Tuesday, 25 August 2020 — Tearfund New Zealand
Today marks the third year since the Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh, many with physical wounds and all bearing psychological scars and trauma. Let's take this time to respect and recognise the courage, tenacity and resilience of these refugees.
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Thursday, 20 August 2020 — Kate Kardol
For Thilliampillai in Sri Lanka, life had its share of challenges, but she worked hard to overcome them. A horrific civil war stole everything Thilliampillai had worked so hard for. But it wasn’t the end of her story — it never is with God.
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Wednesday, 19 August 2020 — Grace Ellis
A deeper look at what it is like to work on the frontlines of the craziest and most heart-breaking environments on the planet. Today is World Humanitarian Day and we wanted to recognise and celebrate some of our very own amazing humanitarians!
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Tuesday, 18 August 2020 — Grace Ellis
A deeper look at what it is like to work on the frontlines of the craziest and most heart-breaking environments on the planet. Today is World Humanitarian Day and we wanted to recognise and celebrate some of our very own amazing humanitarians!
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Monday, 03 August 2020 — Compassion International
The pandemic in Bangladesh has brought millions of poor families to their knees, including nine-year-old Mredula's. A timely family gift from her sponsor lifted her family out of a desperate situation.
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Monday, 03 August 2020 — Compassion International
After spending weeks living in shelters due to a flood, hundreds of families from Bacabal city, Brazil, were finally able to return to their homes. However, the river waters had taken almost everything they had. Aware of the families' situation, Compassion’s child development centre distributed cleaning and hygiene kits, clothes, and mattresses to children who needed them most.
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Thursday, 30 July 2020 — Grace Ellis
Today is the UN Day Against Trafficking in Persons and this year the focus is on the amazing, resilient, and inspiring workers who work on the frontlines to stop and prevent this terrible trade and stand beside it’s victims. Sreyna Sam is one of them. She was born in a refugee camp during the Cambodian war and has experienced discrimination and abuse. Her trauma has given her an incredible empathy for survivors of human trafficking. She is now the Operations Manager of Client Care for Tearfund's partner Hagar, Cambodia.
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Wednesday, 29 July 2020 — Kate Kardol
At Tearfund, we have a deep compassion for the oppressed and a yearning for justice. We believe the exploitation of poor and vulnerable people is a gross injustice that must be confronted. And it starts with knowing the facts.
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Tuesday, 14 July 2020 — Tearfund New Zealand
Thirteen NZ aid organisations are warning that children in low-income countries will be the most affected by the global pandemic and hunger, and they are encouraging Kiwis to help resource their global neighbours to deal effectively with the situation. The release today of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World by the UN has prompted the call to action.
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Wednesday, 01 July 2020 — Compassion International
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic in El Salvador, many families lost their houses in flooding and landslides when Tropical Storm Amanda hit on May 31. After being evacuated, vulnerable families were hosted inside Compassion child development centres, which provided supplies and protection from the virus.
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Friday, 26 June 2020 — Grace Ellis
Selina nearly died five times during a brutal civil war that ravaged Sri Lanka. But she survived and went onto create something sustainable that would help her community for years.
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Wednesday, 24 June 2020 — Compassion International
When the government closed schools in Ethiopia, they told students to follow their daily lessons via the radio and TV. Yet children without the technology, like Yodranos and Kidist, missed out. It made them feel inferior and frustrated. The gift of a radio from Tearfund’s partner Compassion not only helped them catch up with schoolwork, but it also showed them that they mattered.
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Monday, 22 June 2020 — Rafique-Rohingya Refugee
Read the first-hand account of a former Rohingya refugee who lived in a refugee camp for 18 years. In 1991, Rafique, his parents and his baby sister, fled Myanmar with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They now live peacefully in New Zealand but his experience still haunts him.
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Wednesday, 17 June 2020 — Compassion International
Mother of three Hana walks 2km dragging a cart loaded with 17 water containers to the nearest borehole every day. Water scarcity is always challenging, increasingly so in a pandemic when handwashing is critical. Compassion's church partner provided vital hygiene supplies and education to overcome the water shortage and protect their health.
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Friday, 12 June 2020 — LIFT International
What's it really like to be a female human trafficking investigator? “I feel like I read the emotions and body language of other women well and that helps us collect evidence and be sensitive to trafficking survivors,” says a human trafficking investigator, as a female, working on the frontlines. Tearfund’s partner LIFT sat down with an investigator from their team to ask her what her job is like and why she does this work.
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Wednesday, 10 June 2020 — Bonnie Graham
Open up your front door, take a few steps outside and look around. Whether it’s a flower growing out of a crack in the pavement, or the sound of the sea, chances are you’ll all be able to find some sort of beauty in your surroundings. Planet Earth is such a gift, isn’t it? One that we need to treasure. So why aren’t we better advocates for its preservation? In the fourth blog of the series, Bonnie Graham from Baptist World Aid Australia unpacks why we need to change the way we buy our clothes to become more sustainable shoppers and reduce the impact on our precious planet.
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Wednesday, 10 June 2020 — Compassion International
As Latin America emerges as the new epicenter of the pandemic, the health system is close to collapsing. To provide access to healthcare to vulnerable families, Tearfund’s partner, Compassion International has launched a telehealth system in Ecuador to provide medical advice over the phone from practicing doctors who are Compassion alumni.
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Monday, 08 June 2020 — Tearfund New Zealand
The impact that Covid-19 is having on the world's most vulnerable children is enormous. We simply cannot turn our backs on them. The poorest of the poor are seriously feeling the affects of this virus, causing many of them and their families to face some incredibly desperate situations.
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Friday, 05 June 2020 — Helen Manson
Eight years ago I went to Sri Lanka. It was so impactful I couldn’t speak about it for three months. We were in the north where the war had come to its bloody end in 2009, to see the start of a new project Tearfund was pioneering. As we drove past bombed-out buildings, met people with war injuries and heard first-hand stories of the devastation, it was all I could do to pick up my camera and notepad and document it.
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Friday, 05 June 2020 — Compassion International
During the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected lives even in their remote community, the children’s playtime is often spent with their pets. Five-year-old Weeview, who lives in a village in Thailand, struck up an unlikely friendship with a buffalo!Read more
Thursday, 04 June 2020 — Chantelle Mayo
Retailers in New Zealand and Australia have experienced immense economic stresses, with global borders being closed and restrictions around shopping, in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection. On day three of this series, Chantelle Mayo from Baptist World Aid reflects on the vital importance of supply chain transparency in these times.
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Wednesday, 03 June 2020 — Grace Ellis
Art Green, most known for his role on the reality TV series, The Bachelor NZ, is taking part in the Poverty Cycle. He had no idea how bad human trafficking was and when he learnt more about it, he couldn’t turn a blind eye.
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Friday, 29 May 2020 — Compassion International
Living in poverty, their families cannot afford store-bought toys, so the children cleverly make their own toys to play with.
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Wednesday, 27 May 2020 — Bonnie Graham
Hot and cold, pink and red, Taylor Swift and Kanye West… like these things, ethical and fashion were considered too opposite to ever go together. But recently, there has been a significant shift, making the oxymoron much less moronic. Will the coronavirus pandemic be the turning point which sees the progress of many years reversed… or the catalyst the global fashion industry needs to innovate and future-proof like never before?
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Friday, 22 May 2020 — Compassion International
When Covid-19 hit, single mother Sofia lost her ability to work and was facing homelessness with her three children. A local church was able to give her rent assistance from generous donors like you. Now her family is housed, safe and together.
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Wednesday, 20 May 2020 — Ally Turner
Think back 10 years and picture your wardrobe. Choker chains were back in business, cardigans had moved from your nana’s wardrobe to your own and jeggings were rearing their somewhat questionable head. While those trends have come and gone, another trend that has been growing over that time has been towards ethics in the fashion industry. On day one of this series, Ally Turner from Baptist World Aid Australia is here to tell us more about what brought about that change... read on!
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Monday, 18 May 2020 — Compassion International
With Josephina’s home in danger of collapsing but no income to pay for repairs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she received rent support to move her niece to safety.
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Wednesday, 13 May 2020 — Compassion International
"Being patient with me, thanks for loving me and supporting me to be a good student. I know sometimes I'm stubborn or strong-headed, but you still love me. Thank you, Dad!" In sweet, candid interviews, fathers and children share their favourite memories and their hopes and dreams for the future. Read more
Wednesday, 13 May 2020 — Compassion International
Project Director Martha Tesfaye in Ethiopia proactively looks for ways to support children during the pandemic. Using a network of mothers' groups, she stays updated on children's wellbeing. She has produced hundreds of protective face masks and delivers activity books to keep children entertained and learning. Read more
Friday, 08 May 2020 — Grace Ellis
Being a Mum can be stressful, challenging, and frustrating. But sometimes your children make you laugh until you cry, say the sweetest things, and actually teach you a lesson or two. In the lead up to Mother’s Day, we wanted to introduce you to some of the most amazing, hard-working Mum’s at Tearfund and their frustrating, funny children. We asked them three questions.Read more
Wednesday, 06 May 2020 — Compassion International
The financial situation of Cecelia and her husband Joseph from Ghana looked grim. They were both unemployed and their small farm did not supply enough food for them and their four children. But, through generous donors, a Compassion fund, offered them a lifeline. This allowed Cecelia to start a baby diaper and sandal business, providing enough for the family to live off and to open her first savings account. Read more
Monday, 27 April 2020 — Tim Brown
I have to admit that I am a bit of a city boy, and while very familiar with coffee and local cafes, I have a fairly limited knowledge of agriculture. In November last year, I had the privilege of taking a team to Vanuatu to visit one of our partners called Nasi Tuan. The people of Tanna Island, known for its active Mount Yusar volcano and for being in one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, have been through a lot. We were there to see the work Nasi Tuan is doing with local Ni-Van smallholder farmers, helping them to grow coffee, vanilla and other crops as part of a long term social enterprise project.
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Thursday, 23 April 2020 — Compassion International
We’re so inspired by all the healthcare workers around the world who are sacrificing to save others. It’s no surprise to us that many of these heroes are graduates of Tearfund’s partners Compassion’s programme! From a young age, they learned that loving and serving others is one of life’s highest callings.
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Wednesday, 22 April 2020 — Dale Campbell
In these strange times, the potential for Resentment is high… A lot has changed… Our work arrangements, our bank balances, our domestic rhythms, private spaces… our egos and our hearts are being disturbed and destabilized. We are having to learn to work with colleagues, family members, and flatmates in new and often challenging ways. In this reflection, Dale Campbell (Tearfund NZ) explains how Jesus' teaching on dealing with anger is reflected in the practical spirituality of 12-step recovery.Read more
Thursday, 16 April 2020 — Sean du Toit
Christians are no strangers to epidemics. Throughout their history, they have been on the frontline wrestling with the issues and offering practical help and hope to those being affected. The Plague of Cyprian, named after the Bishop of Carthage, swept across the Roman empire in the year 249AD. Cyprian witnessed the devastating effect and loss of life caused by this plague where it was believed that around 5000 people a day were dying. In his treatise, On Mortality, Cyprian discusses the plagues, its characteristics and its effects.Read more
Sunday, 12 April 2020 — Sean du Toit
“The Lord is risen!”
“He has risen indeed!”
Happy Resurrection Sunday!
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Friday, 10 April 2020 — Sean du Toit
Reading
1 John 3:16-18 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.
17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
18 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
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Thursday, 09 April 2020 — Sean du Toit
It’s a question that invites a variety of responses and concerns. This article by Time Magazine offers some helpful pastoral wisdom concerning lament. Read more
Tuesday, 07 April 2020 — Compassion International
As the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the whole world, you might be wondering about the safety and health of the child you sponsor. Maybe you’re longing to communicate with him or her about —how they are doing, and to say you’re praying for them. These are great questions that reveal your heart for children in poverty. That’s why we’d like to give you a few tips on writing letters to your sponsored child during a crisis!Read more
Tuesday, 07 April 2020 — Victoria Hanna
There are an estimated 1.7 billion people around the world are in isolation today. But what about the people that are unable to self-isolate? The homeless, the unwanted, the refugee. What will happen to them?Read more
Monday, 06 April 2020 — Compassion International
Eva’s family home in Guatemala was filled with so much abuse and violence that it almost cost her mother’s life. Guatemala has one of the highest rates of violent deaths among women in the world. But a Compassion initiative, that helps to stop domestic violence, transformed their family’s life forever.
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Monday, 06 April 2020 — Mary Mekhail
Mary and Adel Mekhail sponsor eight children and have previously sponsored 14! Meeting four of their sponsored children in Kenya and Ethiopia was an experience they will never forget. Read about the time they met Erick, who has just graduated high school and is studying to be a mechanic. Read more
Monday, 06 April 2020 — Sean du Toit
Last week we looked at digital community. This week I am wrestling with how we can deal with all the elements competing to shape our day-to-day following of Jesus.
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Monday, 06 April 2020 — Grace Ellis
The children at Raleigh Street Christian Centre each put in a couple of coins a week to sponsor their child Prossy in Uganda. Her parents wanted a piggery, to generate income for their family, but had no money to afford it. So, the kids made pig themed items and sold them to their congregation. It was enough for Prossy’s family to buy two pigs, feed and to build a pen!Read more
Sunday, 29 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Reading
Heb 10:23-25 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.Read more
Saturday, 28 March 2020 — Grace Ellis
After the Sri Lankan war many farming families lost everything. Including their main source of income, rice. Traditionally, locals had only milked their cows for personal use, but Tearfund helped add to their traditional dairy farming knowledge and linked them to a supply chain where they could sell it. Many farmers that were in debt or below the poverty line now have a regular monthly income!Read more
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 — Tearfund New Zealand
Talking to our kids about Covid-19 is an important and delicate thing most Kiwi parents are doing this week. As we all head into lockdown from midnight tonight,
our team has scoured the best advice globally and distilled it into the Top 5 tips below for kids under 13. Read more
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Help is what we need right now. In times like this, it is easy to focus so much on the problem that we get overwhelmed with the size and complexity of it. We tend to forget that our God is more than able to help and guide us through these troubling times. The psalmist was facing great difficulty, but he knew where help would ultimately be found. Of course we should listen to the government and health officials and take note of best practices to ensure the safety of all. But ultimately, we need to lean on the God who is faithful and able to provide a help that goes beyond what the government and health agencies can do. Read more
Sunday, 22 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Greetings! Having looked at contentment on our last reflection, we turn our gaze outwards at the opportunities many of us have to be rich in good deeds, to bless and be a blessing.
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Monday, 16 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Last week was tough as we looked at the idea of greed and how that can be destructive in people’s lives. This week we focus on the virtue of contentment.
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Wednesday, 11 March 2020 — Grace Ellis
Meet the Waikato dairy farmer that didn’t always want to be a dairy farmer but ended up helping change thousands of lives in northern Sri Lanka through dairy farming.
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Monday, 09 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Having looked at the virtue of gratitude last week, today we look at the vice of greed. It is difficult to have a positive discussion of a vice. So imagine this is leg day at the gym. You know it is going to be tough, but if you do the work, it will pay off and be beneficial later on.
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Monday, 02 March 2020 — Sean du Toit
Last week we looked at the creation story and how that can shape us. Now, we begin our reflections on virtue with gratitude, a powerful virtue that shapes our experience of life.
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Tuesday, 25 February 2020 — Sean du Toit
Kia ora whanau. We begin our Lent reflections by going back to the beginning. By understanding the creation story and the trajectory of what God desires, we can understand how important consumption is and how it can be directed towards the flourishing of all.
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Thursday, 20 February 2020 — LIFT International
Panit* has a round face and an easy smile. His skin has faded tattoos that a neighbour gave him when he was 10 or 11. After school, he sings in a choral group and even enters competitions. Panit spends perhaps too much time playing video games, staying up late at night, but he goes to church on Sunday and then comes home to do chores. He’s living the life of a typical, busy teenager. Panit is also a survivor of childhood abuse.
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Thursday, 06 February 2020 — Compassion International
Meet four people in Asia who do extreme jobs to feed their families. Though their occupations are harsh, they can teach us the dignity of work and the beauty of sacrificing to care for your loved ones.
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Wednesday, 05 February 2020 — Compassion International
Ebenezer was exploited at just 8 years old. He was offered a job to work as a fisherboy on Lake Volta in Ghana. He accepted this offer because he and his grandma were desperate for money. But what he received was not what he was promised.
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Thursday, 23 January 2020 — Grace Ellis
Imagine if you could talk to your child sponsor in their language. Imagine sponsoring not one, but three girls, and meeting them all for the first time after two years of sponsorship. Imagine what it would be like realising how much of an impact you were having on a family. The gratitude, the joy, the peace, and the freedom families experience through one person deciding to care for another young person’s life. This is Ly-Ly’s story.
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Thursday, 16 January 2020 — Caroline Mwinemwesigwa
After escaping death as a child sacrifice, young Amuza from Uganda became a sponsored child through Compassion. His life was saved a second time when Compassion provided assistance with medical treatment for tuberculosis.
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Tuesday, 14 January 2020 — Isaac Ogila
Growing up was not easy for Ciku. At an early age, her father died, and her mother turned to alcohol to deal with the grief and the stress of having to provide for five children. For Ciku, soccer was more than just a game, it gave her a purpose.
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Thursday, 09 January 2020 — Grace Ellis
Former sponsor child, Richmond Wandera’s story is one of heartbreak, loss, healing, hope, and success.
Life started out well for Richmond. He had five siblings and a mother and father who loved him dearly. They were blessed. His father was a hard-working lawyer—the breadwinner for the family. Richmond could go to school and had everything he needed. But all of this changed in an instant.
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Monday, 23 December 2019 — Sean du Toit
Last week we considered consumption and the planet. Given our responsibility to work and protect the planet, we must carefully consider how our consumption affects creation. This final reflection turns our attention to the future. What kind of world are we creating and leaving for our children?
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Sunday, 15 December 2019 — Sean du Toit
Last week we noted Jesus’ instruction that we are to love our neighbour. We discovered how our consumption could demonstrate love for neighbour through the supply-chain and by using our power to make wise purchases where people are ultimately honoured. This week we look at how our consumption affects our planet.
Reading
Genesis 2:15 The Lord God placed the human in the Garden of Eden to work in it and protect it.
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Monday, 09 December 2019 — Sean du Toit
Last week we considered how our consumption could affect our commitment to Jesus and how Paul encourages Christians to be transformed by the renewing of their minds so that we can discern the will of God. This week we consider how our consumption affects our neighbours, locally and globally.
Reading
Mark 12:30-31 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your life, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’
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Friday, 06 December 2019 — Rosie Paterson-Lima
Chimini got married at the age of 17 as a second wife. Her and her husband have five kids to support. Life was incredibly hard and living was a daily worry. She heard about the opportunity to work abroad, and desperate to support her children, she made arrangements to leave Nepal. She went believing she would receive enough wages to send home to support her family, but she returned with only bitter experiences. Chimini, now 32 years old, is a survivor from exploitation and slavery in the Middle East. Read her story of hopelessness to hopefulness.
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Monday, 02 December 2019 — Sean du Toit
This week we begin by reflecting on consumption as it relates to our commitment to God.
Reading
Romans 12:1-2 I summon you therefore, family, based on the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, which is holy and acceptable to God – which is your logical act of worship. Also, do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of the mind, so that you may discern what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is.
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Friday, 29 November 2019 — Helen Manson
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against woman and girls – something it turns out, I’m quite passionate about as a sponsor of four gorgeous little Ugandan girls, writes Helen Manson, New Zealand humanitarian photographer living in Uganda.
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Wednesday, 30 October 2019 — Olga Oosthuizen
Creating a Legacy of Gratitude and Generosity
When Evan and Rach asked their daughter AJ why their family sponsored a child, her response was simple but spot-on; "because we can!"
At first, this sort of wisdom from one so young seems unexpectedly profound; but when you’ve grown up in a family centred on giving, it makes sense. For AJ, there has never been a time when, Mary her family's sponsor child from Ecuador, hasn't been a part of her life. "She thinks of her like a cousin who lives overseas," said her mother Rach, "someone who has always been there, but we've gotten to know through letters."
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Thursday, 17 October 2019 — Ellyse McCallum
It’s that exciting time of year again: time to write a Christmas message to your sponsored child! Before the panic sets in over what to say, here are three helpful suggestions on what to include in your Christmas letter.
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Thursday, 10 October 2019 — Olga Oosthuizen
There are some people who help to change a child's life every month. A child who is not their own and who, often, they have never met. These people give a little of what they earn to provide this child with an education, food, and a chance to enjoy childhood without worrying about poverty. So, who are these people? Well, they aren't celebrities or altruistic millionaires. They don't hold high positions of power. In fact, they're people just like you and me.
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Monday, 30 September 2019 — Tina Bargh
When my family and I made the decision to go to Uganda on a “mission’s exploration” trip we had a limited idea of what we were letting ourselves in for. For instance, we knew we were in for a looooong flight, some food we weren’t used to and being conscious of the needs of our fellow travellers.
We did not know that, despite sponsoring children for many years as a family, we would realise how vital and life-changing child sponsorship is.
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