tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26130114208352951832024-03-13T23:24:14.962-04:00Alliance Justice and CompassionAlliance Justice and Compassion resources and promotes local and global ministries of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. This blog is one avenue to communicate the initiatives that are focused on coming alongside the poor and marginalized, and those that suffer injustices. It is our prayer that the stories will inspire the reader to 'act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.' (Micah 6:8)Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-28984168447565178402019-10-16T18:21:00.000-04:002019-10-16T18:21:30.004-04:003 Things to Consider on World Food Day <br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today is </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>World Food Day</b></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, a United Nations designated day to remember </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">821 million people in the world who do not have enough food to eat.</span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> For those of us who live in a context of plenty, let's pause and consider three things:</span><br />
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<b>1. Where does my food come from?</b></h3>
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<li>Who grew/raised the food I eat? (Grains, fruit, vegetables, meat, etc.) </li>
<li>Was it mass produced? Was it sustainably grown to ensure a healthy environment? </li>
<li>Who produced the prepared food I eat? (Bread, cookies, pasta, ketchup, etc.)</li>
<li>How and from where is the food transported to w<span style="font-family: inherit;">here I buy </span>it? </li>
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Reflecting on these things can serve to make us more grateful for the food we eat <b>and </b>for the farmers and food producers that make it available for us.<br />
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<b>2. What are my consumption habits?</b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do I plan my meals before I shop?<br />- Do I purchase only the quanitities I need?<br />- Do I mostly eat prepared/packaged foods?<br />- Do I seek to purchase food grown/raised locally?<br />- Do I intentionally eat seasonal available foods?<br />- How much food packaging do I throw away?<br />- How much food do I throw away?<br />- Do I practice hospitality and eat meals with friends or neighbours?</span><br />
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Reflecting on these questions can motivate us to become more conscientious about our eating and purchasing habits. </div>
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<b>3. Who are the 821 million and why are they hungry?</b></h3>
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<li>People who live in chronic poverty and don't have the resources to purchase or grow food.</li>
<li>People who live in isolated communities and don't have access to food, or can't afford the exhorbitant prices if food is available. </li>
<li>Smallholder farmers who historically have grown their own food who are now experiencing changing climates that has brought drought or soil degradation. </li>
<li>People who are displaced by war, conflict, or natural disaster, including the increasing extreme weather systems. </li>
<li>Gender inequality - men and boys prioritized for household food consumption.</li>
<li>Economic crises - people who live in countries with extreme inflation and food has become unaffordable.</li>
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#WorldFoodDay; #FaithAndHopeInAction; #EndWorldHunger</div>
<br />Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-7171276909610292252019-07-31T11:49:00.001-04:002019-07-31T11:49:08.093-04:00The Ministries of Alliance Justice and Compassion - Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In an interview with Greg McCombs of First Alliance Church, Calgary, Joanne Beach, Director of Alliance Justice and Compassion discusses the ministry of Alliance Justice and Compassion. (Recorded November, 17, 2018) </div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-64198012717105789382019-04-04T14:42:00.000-04:002019-04-04T14:48:58.559-04:00Refugee Families Embraced by Compassionate Communities<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Since becoming a National Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) in 2012, as of December 2018, the
C&MA in Canada, on behalf of 104 local churches, had submitted applications
to resettle 776 individuals. This includes churches in our partner
denominations who the C&MA is also serving.* </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Since becoming a local SAH in 2010, First Alliance
Church in Calgary have assisted 31 Alberta churches (16 Alliance) with
applications to settle 526 individuals. Combined, 1,302 individuals have
found refuge in Canada through the ministry of 135 local churches in this
eight-year chapter of our story.
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<span style="font-size: small;">We celebrate the fact that some churches have formed groups of churches/agencies to work together, like Cobourg/Port Hope Better Together in order to sponsor multiple families. </span></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/275331652" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="962" height="178" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BgExvja75Ps/XKZNu1Xcx4I/AAAAAAAAAdw/RmjB951j_k8For-nLACn_p2WCUUPKa31ACLcBGAs/s320/Better%2BTogether%2Bpic.PNG" width="320" /></br>Better Together - Refugee Sponsorship</a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">*</span></span>Denominational partners are the
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-80335524684514996172018-10-11T16:32:00.000-04:002018-10-11T16:34:39.524-04:00International Day of the Girl!<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">October 11 has been designated <b>International Day of the Girl</b> by the United Nations. The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. This year's theme is: <i>With Her: A Skilled GirlForce.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-weight: 500;">Of the 1 billion young people – including 600 million adolescent girls – that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Source: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/">http://www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/</a>)</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Niger, West Africa, has a reputation of having one of the highest rates of child brides. The country's legal age limit for marriage is 15. Child marriages have negative impact on a girl's health, education, and future! Our team in Niger is attempting to address this issue through the Niger Vocational Center for girls ages 12 - 19. Father's must sign a contract indicating they will not marry off their daughter until she has completed this three-year program. At the end of the final year, each girl writes a National exam and is coached in starting her own business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Ed</b></span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;">ucation is the route to transformation</strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. An educated girl is more likely to earn greater income, raise a smaller family, have healthier children, participate in political processes, and send her own children to school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">Investing in girls makes moral and economic sense</strong>. Giving them solid skills to earn a living helps them, their families, and their children for the next generation. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal !important; letter-spacing: 0em !important; line-height: 1.4em !important; word-spacing: 0em !important;">When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man</span></strong>. And when you invest in a girl in a wholistic sense, also focusing on health and hygiene, nutrition, sexual health, expressing themselves through their own ideas and thoughts, discussing faith, prayer, and a sense of purpose, you help build a young woman who can stand the storm around her and make smart, educated decisions for her own life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>This video gives a glimpse into the impact of this ministry...</b></span></div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-46390181574443090562017-03-19T23:51:00.006-04:002022-10-05T13:20:38.108-04:00Partnering to End Hunger in Niger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">As a member of the </span><a href="http://foodgrainsbank.ca/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Canadian Foodgrains Bank</a><span style="text-align: justify;">, the </span><a href="https://www.cmacan.org/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Christian and Missionary Alliance</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> supports food assistance programs and agricultural
& livelihood programs with matching funds from the Canadian Government's
Humanitarian Assistance funds. As Niger is one of the most underdeveloped
countries according to the </span><a href="http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">United Nations</a><span style="text-align: justify;">, we use most of our CFGB funds in programming
there through our implementing partner, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/SPNiger" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Samaritan's Purse - Niger</a><span style="text-align: justify;">. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>DIFFA FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2016</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mahamadou, pictured here shared<i>, "</i></span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Each month I get a
full food ration of maize, beans and oil for my family. In fact, the ration you
see here with me can keep me and my family for a month without selling my goats
or wood. It is a great support in my
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This food assistance program in the Diffa region of Niger fed <b><span style="color: #990000;">4,801 individuals</span></b> in <b><span style="color: #990000;">900 households</span></b>
throughout <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">9</span><b> </b><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">villages. </span><span style="color: #990000;">This program </span>provided unconditional food distribution to the most
vulnerable in host communities over<span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">4 food-insecure months</span></b> prior to their
annual harvest. Nutrition and infant feeding instruction, screening children
for malnutrition, and mosquito net training were activities done during the food distributions. This program was funded with a 4:1 match from Global Affairs Canada.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgbOiZU8G8g/WMw_6MocJLI/AAAAAAAAAYI/BMkaG9rQPxUdccFgzUQw3Y5NI-dpgZx-QCLcB/s1600/widow%2BDjahara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgbOiZU8G8g/WMw_6MocJLI/AAAAAAAAAYI/BMkaG9rQPxUdccFgzUQw3Y5NI-dpgZx-QCLcB/s400/widow%2BDjahara.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Djahara is a widow who has had to provide food for her grandchildren, She shared,</span> " <i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Some call me a beggar. It was not easy to live in such a situation. We lived in the same situation until the day when Samaritan's Purse came to register us as the poorest of the village and brought us food for free. My suffering has been greatly reduced. I do not have the words to describe how much this means to me.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yUe6Nyus61s/WMw_xCfG1pI/AAAAAAAAAYM/PmCEfp6uVQ4eUyl4nikBXVGAI9DAxuzywCEw/s1600/Mandawa%2Btestimonial.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yUe6Nyus61s/WMw_xCfG1pI/AAAAAAAAAYM/PmCEfp6uVQ4eUyl4nikBXVGAI9DAxuzywCEw/s400/Mandawa%2Btestimonial.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The chief
of the village of Mandawa testified, <br /> “<i>With this intervention
in my village, even the health of our children has improved</i>!</span>”</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>ALFARI* AGRICULTURAL AND LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<span style="font-size: x-small;">Assisting Local Farmers to Adopt Resilient Improvements)</span></div>
<br />
As well as 'giving fish' we are also committed to 'teaching people to fish' as the old adage says. We have invested in many programs over the last 10 years that focus on agricultural livelihood training.<br />
<br />
The most recent program was a three-year program that ended in the fall of 2016. The ALFARI program worked with <b><span style="color: #990000;">900 farmers (600 women and 300 men)</span>. </b> The program focused on a variety of areas:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://foodgrainsbank.ca/conservation-agriculture-q-a/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Conservation Agriculture</span></a> </b>training along with:</li>
<ul>
<li>Sustainable agricultural technique training</li>
<li>Improved seed distribution</li>
<li>Improved seed production </li>
<li>Improved seed boutique creation</li>
<li>Field school demonstration farms established </li>
<li>Farmer exchange sisits</li>
<li>Tree nurseries</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eH4kOWkUfvg/WMxHaSKgnKI/AAAAAAAAAYs/rvKLTsH0s8Yzzm-hMd2zBBYIz0s-eKFwgCPcB/s1600/FFS%2Btraining.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eH4kOWkUfvg/WMxHaSKgnKI/AAAAAAAAAYs/rvKLTsH0s8Yzzm-hMd2zBBYIz0s-eKFwgCPcB/s400/FFS%2Btraining.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Training in new farming techniques</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aY2rKyoNT3Q/WMxVTzAnI9I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/PBKETV8-uzA6YuJJ9kUPwP9aZIfMGwcjwCEw/s1600/Alzouma%2Btestimonial.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aY2rKyoNT3Q/WMxVTzAnI9I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/PBKETV8-uzA6YuJJ9kUPwP9aZIfMGwcjwCEw/s400/Alzouma%2Btestimonial.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging zai holes to prepare for planting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cfO6zozVqxU/WMxcXziVDbI/AAAAAAAAAaM/9T56w-xZ36EO7UGNqTaGhzge7ElgUrAnwCEw/s1600/improved%2Bseed.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cfO6zozVqxU/WMxcXziVDbI/AAAAAAAAAaM/9T56w-xZ36EO7UGNqTaGhzge7ElgUrAnwCEw/s400/improved%2Bseed.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Improved seed provides a greater harvest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-er21aF183qw/WMxVy0IIwFI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/GjNBBu3T8bsc-FZNQtzZpGGmi_pSqJJHQCEw/s1600/FFS%2Btraining-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-er21aF183qw/WMxVy0IIwFI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/GjNBBu3T8bsc-FZNQtzZpGGmi_pSqJJHQCEw/s400/FFS%2Btraining-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observing the new crop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QTKJ8FU5yw/WMxV4hpq4cI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/rvvtU-NvYeozWK6wdPF6CdBVB_xsYqhugCEw/s1600/Tree%2BNursery-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QTKJ8FU5yw/WMxV4hpq4cI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/rvvtU-NvYeozWK6wdPF6CdBVB_xsYqhugCEw/s400/Tree%2BNursery-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree nursery planting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Vegetable gardening training</span>, including:</li>
<ul>
<li>Tree planting</li>
<li>Women's exchange visits</li>
<li>Cash crop generation</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II0XHT9xVSI/WMxHhBLMQMI/AAAAAAAAAYs/bam4PSRD7LUqVOk5RExYDoXorRS-G3m3ACPcB/s1600/Garden%2Btraining-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II0XHT9xVSI/WMxHhBLMQMI/AAAAAAAAAYs/bam4PSRD7LUqVOk5RExYDoXorRS-G3m3ACPcB/s400/Garden%2Btraining-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetable gardens provide added nutrition for families <br />
and money for household needs when sold</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hXaLywx6QmI/WMxViNelzdI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/-NDmTFZ9suIZDvkoByunQRcGUF_4BxQzwCEw/s1600/Garden%2Btraining-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hXaLywx6QmI/WMxViNelzdI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/-NDmTFZ9suIZDvkoByunQRcGUF_4BxQzwCEw/s400/Garden%2Btraining-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exchange visit to another village provides motivation <br />
for these women to start their own gardens.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Household Nutrition instruction </span>including:</li>
<ul>
<li>Soap making</li>
<li>Mud stove introduction </li>
<li>Infant feeding practices</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8st8QZB2Wec/WMxWCTuk9sI/AAAAAAAAAaE/-59xvGMBTUouJL904s90cND3RVfjJbe7wCEw/s1600/Efficient%2BStove%2Btraining.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8st8QZB2Wec/WMxWCTuk9sI/AAAAAAAAAaE/-59xvGMBTUouJL904s90cND3RVfjJbe7wCEw/s400/Efficient%2BStove%2Btraining.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Demonstration of more fuel efficient stoves <br />
that will use less wood and burn more safely. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JJqIDH5qvP0/WMxWAKzpbWI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/pN0h_m2lY4U8-4XoDeL7Q0Iv72OdDCRGgCEw/s1600/Soap%2Bmaking.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JJqIDH5qvP0/WMxWAKzpbWI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/pN0h_m2lY4U8-4XoDeL7Q0Iv72OdDCRGgCEw/s400/Soap%2Bmaking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning to make soap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrMwA28p2Nk/WMxVk2Bb1ZI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/NNuBKsO1Q_okJVSGqM_IZ-debru1zG4wwCEw/s1600/Exclusive%2Bbreastfeeding%2B-Mariama%2Btestimonial.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrMwA28p2Nk/WMxVk2Bb1ZI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/NNuBKsO1Q_okJVSGqM_IZ-debru1zG4wwCEw/s400/Exclusive%2Bbreastfeeding%2B-Mariama%2Btestimonial.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mariama testifies to the value of learning to exclusively breast feed her infant. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>I took too much time before getting into the practice of
exclusive breastfeeding, as I heard a lot of discouraging things about this
practice. But due to the awareness and training sessions conducted by the nutrition
supervisor, I finally understood all what I heard was wrong. My daughter you
see here is my eighth, and this is the first time I applied exclusive
breastfeeding. I have noticed the difference between the behaviors of my
daughter with my other children. For instance, my daughter has never gotten
sick, while with the others I was frequently in Niamey, which was 25 km from
our village. I am very proud with my beautiful and healthy baby. Now I am
convinced that breast milk is a blessing. To conclude, the ALFARI project has
impacted my life and the life of my family.</i></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li><b style="color: #990000;">Cash for Work</b></li>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Land reclamation initiatives</li>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Tree planting</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Zai hole and demi-lune contruction</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Gabion box construction to stop soil erosion</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrGw-DPtWXE/WM9OHLFDCkI/AAAAAAAAAao/DKNa7A5oXvsMK44hIAvqsaAVe6KiqJQdgCPcB/s1600/Gabion-Check-dam%2Bconstruction.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrGw-DPtWXE/WM9OHLFDCkI/AAAAAAAAAao/DKNa7A5oXvsMK44hIAvqsaAVe6KiqJQdgCPcB/s400/Gabion-Check-dam%2Bconstruction.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gabion boxes to combat soil erosion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">WHAT IS NEXT? </b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We will be starting another multi-year </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">agriculture and livelihood project in Niger in 2017. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">To donate to this work, click here: </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://thealliancecanada.ca/gift/food-aid/" target="_blank">FOOD AID</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-31684757960977403702015-09-09T17:59:00.002-04:002016-04-07T10:41:26.638-04:00Syrian Refugee Crisis: The C&MA in Canada's Response <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>As with most past humanitarian crises, it takes an image to invoke a response by the rest of the world! </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In September we were exposed to the shocking photo of lifeless Aylan Shenu wash up on the shores of Turkey; a young Syrian boy whose family fled their home as refugees because of civil war. Since the unrest began in Syria in the Spring of 2011, there have been over 11 million Syrians displaced and over 4 million refugees in the surrounding countries.</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rFsqZWy2S7k/VfCmv2z8d8I/AAAAAAAAAUU/mTjixaovjmc/s1600/An-aerial-view-shows-the-Zaatari-refugee-camp-2067038%2B%2528Getty%2BImages%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rFsqZWy2S7k/VfCmv2z8d8I/AAAAAAAAAUU/mTjixaovjmc/s320/An-aerial-view-shows-the-Zaatari-refugee-camp-2067038%2B%2528Getty%2BImages%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The C&MA in Canada has been working on this crisis for three years by supporting relief efforts in several Middle East countries and by encouraging our churches to engage in refugee sponsorship. We
are encouraged that even before the photo of little Aylan and the massive
movement of Syrian refugees to Europe, fifteen of our churches were already in the
process of sponsoring refugees. Another 35 of our churches are in </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">dialogue</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> with us about the
process; many are at the point of forming </span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">teams</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">who will lead a sponsorship resettlement. (Update: As of <span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">March 23</span> the number of churches has increased to <span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">171!</span>)</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My church wants to respond. What can we do?</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="background-color: orange; text-align: center;">
<h3 style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http:/#learnmore">CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE</a></span></h3>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">The C&MA's response. What have we been doing?</span></span></h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">We have been a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) with Citizenship and Immigration Canada since February 2012, encouraging Alliance churches to engage in refugee sponsorship. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">We have supported Syrian refugee relief in Lebanon, Jordan, and with the Alliance church in Damascus over the last 2 ½ years. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Joanne Beach traveled to Lebanon and Jordan in December 2013 to visit refugees both in and outside the camps that local Alliance churches have been
ministering to. Read <a href="http://alliancejusticeandcompassion.blogspot.ca/2014/02/i-lay-on-street-pretending-i-was-dead.html" target="_blank">Blog Post</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">As a SAH, we are part of the Canadian SAH Association and have been working through this network to advocate on behalf of refugees. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We partnered with Lorna Dueck’s <i><b>Context</b></i> show last fall on the "Terror in Iraq and Syria" episode. The C&MA was the contact organization for viewers to call who were interested in refugee sponsorship. <a href="http://www.contextwithlornadueck.com/episodes/terror-in-iraq-and-syria" target="_blank">View the episode</a>.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Dave Hearn traveled to Iraq in October 2014 and subsequently made a video to encourage churches to respond with radical hospitality to the displaced impacted by the crises in the Middle East. <a href="https://vimeo.com/113317509" target="_blank">View the Video</a>. (His challenge comes at the 2:50 point in the video.)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -24px;">In May 2015, Dave Hearn participated with other denominational presidents, who are part of the <span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), </span>in a meeting with Citizenship and Immigration in Ottawa to encourage the Government of Canada to accept more Syrian refugees. They also committed to assist their local churches with sponsorship. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;">As a result of the EFC initiative, we will be serving as the umbrella SAH for three other denominations in order that their local churches can engage in sponsorship immediately while they go through the application process of becoming a SAH. (<a href="http://www.agcofcanada.com/" target="_blank">Associated Gospel Church of Canada</a>, <a href="http://www.emcc.ca/" target="_blank">Evangelical Missionary Church Of Canada</a>, and <a href="https://www.fellowship.ca/" target="_blank">Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Canada</a>.)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">We have added the <a href="http://www.cmacan.org/refugee-sponsorship" target="_blank">Refugee Sponsorship section on the new C&MA website</a>. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">We have established a <b><a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" target="_blank">Refugee Fund </a></b> so people can donate to a sponsorship resettlement. This fund is a safety reserve for sponsoring groups to apply for unexpected financial emergencies outside of the resettlement budget.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">We have promoted refugee sponsorship through a variety of the Alliance Justice and Compassion social media sites. </span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/68800081" target="_blank">A video story on Vimeo</a> (A Refuge Story)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.cmacan.org/news/finally-home" target="_blank">A C&MA Website news story of an Alliance Church receiving a family in June 2015</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="https://twitter.com/CMACompassion" target="_blank">Tweets about Refugee Sponsorship</a></span></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllianceJusticeandCompassion" target="_blank">Facebook posts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://instagram.com/alliancecompassion/" target="_blank">Instagram posts</a></li>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11.0pt;">·</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">So, as you can see, we have been addressing this issue for some
time, but we are grateful that the events of this past September have created a sense
of urgency which has inspired many inquiries about refugee sponsorship and how churches </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">can respond. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cmacan.org/refugee-sponsorship" target="_blank"><img alt=" Click here to open refugee sponsorship page to learn more" border="0" height="230" id="#learnmore" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3iqI7n6_GCA/VfCno0i7oYI/AAAAAAAAAUg/ZL41_VEqnQA/s400/SyrianRefugeeUpdate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"> Okay, My Church Wants to Respond. </span></h3>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">What can I do?</span></h3>
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<li><b style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.6pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pray</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></b></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;">for the millions of refugees,
for relief efforts of churches and aid agencies in the Middle East and
Europe, and for churches in Canada assisting refugees in resettlement.</span></li>
<li><a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=180443&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=direct%2fnone" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;" target="_blank" title="Donate "><b><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Provide funds</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span>to
the<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">C&MA Syria Emergency Relief Fund</span></b></a><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;">Donations to this fund will be
used to provide relief for refugees in the Middle East and
Europe. </span></li>
<li><a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=180443&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=direct%2fnone" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;" target="_blank" title="Donate"><b><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Provide funds</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span>to
the<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">C&MA Refugee Fund</span></b></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;">. Donations
to this fund will be used to assist churches in Canada that are sponsoring
refugees.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cmacan.org/refugee-sponsorship" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Learn how your church can Participate in refugee sponsorship</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;">.</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.cmacan.org/refugee-sponsorship" target="_blank"> </a></b></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z8cJAZAD2qew.k6i7Cjt8aVu4" target="_blank"><b style="line-height: 15.6pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Partner with a church in your area</span></b></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.6pt;"><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></b></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.6pt;">that is
sponsoring a refugee family. </span></li>
</ol>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-7555094146235809652015-04-23T15:41:00.000-04:002015-04-23T15:41:57.963-04:00Jesus is Transforming Lives in Serbia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last month I had the privilege of visiting Serbia and returned home with a heart so full after seeing Jesus literally working before my eyes! </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mdl8PMh2a6E/VTkyuofo2gI/AAAAAAAAAR4/13NXfhy5C68/s1600/Danny%26Vera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mdl8PMh2a6E/VTkyuofo2gI/AAAAAAAAAR4/13NXfhy5C68/s1600/Danny%26Vera.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Danny and Vera, C&MA International Workers, are an inspiration and example of loving people who suffer afflictions of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all kinds </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">while communicating Jesus' love and grace into their lives. Their compassion ministry in Serbia focuses in two main areas: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Caring for the terminally ill through visitation and provision of medical needs </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Si_DcyzOvOQ/VTk6-yzFJoI/AAAAAAAAASk/6UgexzE-HLA/s1600/Serbia%2BHospice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Si_DcyzOvOQ/VTk6-yzFJoI/AAAAAAAAASk/6UgexzE-HLA/s1600/Serbia%2BHospice.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b>Offering men that suffer addiction a place of healing and restoration</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_nMxmu0Jy4/VTk5Dr4l3gI/AAAAAAAAASY/KlCZXthw0Q8/s1600/Rehab_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_nMxmu0Jy4/VTk5Dr4l3gI/AAAAAAAAASY/KlCZXthw0Q8/s1600/Rehab_3.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years, with two Rehab Centres, they have seen Christ transform lives as many individuals have been healed, restored and developed into strong leaders who now serve in these ministries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several years ago, the team began to pray that God would open a door for them to open a rehab centre in the city of Obrenovac. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the hometown of Veljko, who had been known as a heroine addict who had cut all ties with his family and friends. He </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was one of the first graduates from the rehab program and had developed a deep love for Jesus.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAKcpX-f0Dg/VTk8kT4BtbI/AAAAAAAAAS0/wMYAyqIQEJQ/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAKcpX-f0Dg/VTk8kT4BtbI/AAAAAAAAAS0/wMYAyqIQEJQ/s1600/Picture1.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veljko</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In May 2014, terrible floods swept through that city destroying thousands of homes. We sent a relief team, headed up by Veljko, and it has been like a modern prodigal son returning home. People cannot believe it is the same person! As he and the team have worked tirelessly over the last eleven months distributing material aid, assisting with the clean up of homes and sharing the love of Jesus, many are expressing a spiritual hunger to know the one who has transformed this young man. As a result, they began a weekly Bible study. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my visit, I was privileged to attend this Bible study during its fourth week. The Lord led me to present Luke 15 and teach on the lost sheep, coin, and son and how Jesus searches for individuals - including each one in the room. One woman stood at the end and asked, "I understand that I need to ask Jesus to forgive my sin and then live for him but when and how can I do that?" </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sj8B24K9kPk/VTk8kV8AKuI/AAAAAAAAASw/Xu__YHITaR0/s1600/Picture3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sj8B24K9kPk/VTk8kV8AKuI/AAAAAAAAASw/Xu__YHITaR0/s1600/Picture3.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veljko's Father, Milord</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Immediately, Veljko's father stood up and said, "All I know is that Jesus has transformed my son so there must be something to this Jesus!" Several in that room that night have committed their lives to follow Jesus. What a privilege to literally see a church being birthed right before my eyes! God is using Veljko to demonstrate his power and presence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Ways to pray:</u></b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray for the many families who are still without their permanent home or employment. Our team continues to provide food and hygiene parcels to them. Most of their furniture and appliances had to be thrown away so they are rebuilding their lives from nothing. </span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZA9viqmYDc/VTlFo-JnCcI/AAAAAAAAATg/m215rRHWZA0/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZA9viqmYDc/VTlFo-JnCcI/AAAAAAAAATg/m215rRHWZA0/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the watermark at roof level. Their home is gutted inside.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sOkI5icaoEI/VTlGtHmzkpI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Rp2SqlJ7UpQ/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sOkI5icaoEI/VTlGtHmzkpI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Rp2SqlJ7UpQ/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of home pictured above</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vyVf9khabN0/VTlFwHNvdsI/AAAAAAAAATo/1HEqBxixy3c/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vyVf9khabN0/VTlFwHNvdsI/AAAAAAAAATo/1HEqBxixy3c/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This family's home is also stripped down to the 2x4's inside</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdq_MNgA-vM/VTlGqkBDtlI/AAAAAAAAAT4/spPh2axbXT4/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdq_MNgA-vM/VTlGqkBDtlI/AAAAAAAAAT4/spPh2axbXT4/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of home pictured above</td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray for strength and perseverance for the relief team pictured with me below:</span></li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TxOwe73JxJU/VTk8lBg5LcI/AAAAAAAAATA/z4fAZByeWxM/s1600/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TxOwe73JxJU/VTk8lBg5LcI/AAAAAAAAATA/z4fAZByeWxM/s1600/Picture4.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray that one day as the relief team transitions out of the recovery and reconstruction phase that they will be able to open the third rehab centre that God had originally given them a vision for. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray for this new church community that God is establishing! Pray that the people will grow in their faith and their testimony to this city!</span></li>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-15079007505256355042015-03-19T16:10:00.000-04:002015-03-20T15:39:16.406-04:00Ebola Response in Guinea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rfAKDEM1K8A/VQsb3D-qVcI/AAAAAAAAAP8/iGqtP6RvIIE/s1600/West%2BAfrica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rfAKDEM1K8A/VQsb3D-qVcI/AAAAAAAAAP8/iGqtP6RvIIE/s1600/West%2BAfrica.jpg" height="169" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The World Health Organization reports that over 10,000 people have died from the Ebola epidemic; almost all of them in the three worst-affected countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. The numbers of new cases per week is definitely diminishing; however, the devastating effects will continue for years to come. After a temporary withdrawal from the country, our International Worker, Lizette Lavoie, returned in January to join efforts with CAMA Services and the Guinean Alliance national Church for Ebola Relief. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zmei1d7gzE8/VQscXsgj1MI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Fd03ozC78hg/s1600/Ebola%2BWidow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zmei1d7gzE8/VQscXsgj1MI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Fd03ozC78hg/s1600/Ebola%2BWidow.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is Marie! Her face shows the grief of losing her husband, her mother and her firstborn son. The stories of loss are repeated over and over again. One small village reportedly lost 52 people within a few weeks. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Df8ZjpsK20/VQshq_Ty2HI/AAAAAAAAARY/uIyFXJQJvLI/s1600/Lost%2B11%2Bfamily%2Bmembers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Df8ZjpsK20/VQshq_Ty2HI/AAAAAAAAARY/uIyFXJQJvLI/s1600/Lost%2B11%2Bfamily%2Bmembers.png" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lizette reports that to date, they have been able to assist 60 widows, while they estimate there are over 800 throughout the country. "We have no man left to farm for us," one woman lamented. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1EDunC2V0Hw/VQsdIwT3JOI/AAAAAAAAARE/lSFlGMcpSo0/s1600/Expressing%2BSympathy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1EDunC2V0Hw/VQsdIwT3JOI/AAAAAAAAARE/lSFlGMcpSo0/s1600/Expressing%2BSympathy.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Months ago, villagers were afraid of anyone who would come from the outside. In fact, the national church still mourns the loss of a team of seven relief workers who were stoned to death because of fear that they were coming to spread the virus. <br />This new strategy involves working through local church leaders who are known and trusted by local villagers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>As sympathy is expressed upon arriving in a village, the walls of hostility and mistrust are broken and the church is welcomed and able to do the following activities:</b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oEInBj1vXzw/VQscf4O1LzI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Y4PqcYw6l8Y/s1600/pastorsEbolaTraining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oEInBj1vXzw/VQscf4O1LzI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/Y4PqcYw6l8Y/s1600/pastorsEbolaTraining.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Awareness and prevention training</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXKEZTWJgpI/VQsckBySylI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/dCXFs9yrxGw/s1600/EbolaAwarenessTraining-Lizette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXKEZTWJgpI/VQsckBySylI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/dCXFs9yrxGw/s1600/EbolaAwarenessTraining-Lizette.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Instruction on Treating Ebola</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OLtZszwz6Y/VQscBu3B1ZI/AAAAAAAAAQU/UAPvCTEvetI/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan%2BSchool%2BKits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OLtZszwz6Y/VQscBu3B1ZI/AAAAAAAAAQU/UAPvCTEvetI/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan%2BSchool%2BKits2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">School Kit Distributions for Orphaned Children</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">Many children orphaned by Ebola or left with one parent are now back in school because of the school kits provided. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">
</span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_u7sMJMMN0Q/VQscSUO4YEI/AAAAAAAAAQc/JntApjLCzgc/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_u7sMJMMN0Q/VQscSUO4YEI/AAAAAAAAAQc/JntApjLCzgc/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Uniforms, Tuition and school books</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xT7CPRG2JcY/VQsb6GNvNTI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Er_u-teTxJs/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan%2BSchool%2BKits4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xT7CPRG2JcY/VQsb6GNvNTI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Er_u-teTxJs/s1600/Ebola%2BOrphan%2BSchool%2BKits4.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">For girls, too!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oc5WosGeFg/VQsnErYMBrI/AAAAAAAAARo/tk0Wy77Zn4s/s1600/Food%2BAssistance.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oc5WosGeFg/VQsnErYMBrI/AAAAAAAAARo/tk0Wy77Zn4s/s1600/Food%2BAssistance.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Food Assistance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Please uphold this ministry in prayer:</span></h2>
<div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.81in; margin-top: 10pt; text-indent: -0.31in; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
</div>
<h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.31in;">Health and
safety for Lizette and team</span></li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.31in;">Comfort for
those suffering such loss</span></li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.31in;">Wisdom for
Church leaders implementing the ministry in local villages</span></li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.31in;">Many would
come to faith in Christ</span></li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.31in;">The Church in
Guinea would grow and be strengthened</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"><h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;">Donations can be sent to the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, designated for the:</span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"> </span><i style="font-size: x-large; text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;">Global Emergency Response Fund. </i></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Click <a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" target="_blank">here</a> for on-line donation. </span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christian and Missionary Alliance</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 30 Carrier Drive, Suite 100, </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-indent: -29.7600002288818px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Toronto, ON M9W 5T7</span></span></div>
</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-86626091684009080632014-08-11T16:45:00.001-04:002014-08-12T08:54:38.290-04:00"Convert, Pay or Be Killed"<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2fcaDRaksU/U-oOPo6FEOI/AAAAAAAAAPc/O69SPUNTpaA/s1600/Erbil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D2fcaDRaksU/U-oOPo6FEOI/AAAAAAAAAPc/O69SPUNTpaA/s1600/Erbil.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sister church in Erbil providing relief to the displaced</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The horrific stories coming out of Iraq in the last few weeks is heartwrenching. In Mosul, a city in northern Iraq, now controlled by a militant extremist group ISIS (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18.900054931640625px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">announced that Christians should convert, pay hefty taxes or else face execution. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an area of Iraq where these Christians have lived for over 1,700 years. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, the second option was revoked and all Christians were forced to flee the city. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most Christians who f</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">led were stopped at checkpoints by militants who confiscated their cars and anything of value they were carrying including money, jewelry, mobile phones - even passports. They had to continue their journey on foot. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(It is important to note that it is not only the Christians but other minority faith groups as well.)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DxkTxg25KXc/U-j5QHNqntI/AAAAAAAAAOw/XiIzKP57sbA/s1600/Arabic+N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DxkTxg25KXc/U-j5QHNqntI/AAAAAAAAAOw/XiIzKP57sbA/s1600/Arabic+N.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Christians were ordered to leave all property behind, as homes were marked with the Arabic letter 'N' for Nasrani or Nazarenes</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - an Arabic word for Christian. The extremists intend it as a mark of shame but now many Christians around the world are identifying with it in an act of solidarity with the persecuted!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last week the Justice and Compassion office received a phone call from an Iraqi man who lives in Toronto. He had just heard from his family who, to his relief had made it out alive but had lost everything as they had experienced the humiliating reality of one of these checkpoints. He asked
that churches in Canada would pray for his family and others suffering in this
crisis</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> He also pleaded for assistance to help his family
get to safety here in Canada. Hearing the emotion in the voice of the brother/son of a family who had experienced this tragedy brought the magnitude of this atrocity to life. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are in dialogue with <i>Alliance World Fellowship </i>President, Arie Verduijn who is in contact with our sister church in Erbil, the Iraqi city where many have fled. The church leaders have indicated that they are very grateful for prayers and forthcoming financial assistance. They are seeking to help as many as they can who have arrived on their doorstep - </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">literally </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with nothing!</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>So what can Canadians do? </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<b style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can pray!! </b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray that Christians in Iraq, and especially from the Mosul area, will know the peace of Jesus, guidance of the Spirit and provisions from the Father.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray that the displaced families will find sanctuary and that humanitarian assistance would reach all who are in need.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray that peace will be restored and that those displaced, including other faith minorities, would be able to return to their towns.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pray for the many churches in the region that are assisting those who are displaced; specifically our Alliance World Fellowship sister churches that we will be supporting.</span></li>
</ul>
<b style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can give!!</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<li>We will respond by supporting relief efforts through our partnership with <i>Alliance World Fellowship</i>. Donations can be given through a local Canadian Alliance church, directly to the National Ministry Centre, or <a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" target="_blank">on-line</a>. Donations should be designated to the C&MA's<b> Global Emergency Response Fund. </b></li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">We can consider refugee sponsorship!! </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div>
<ul>
<li>We will inform our family of churches if the Canadian Government issues a special refugee sponsorship allocations in response to this crisis.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</span>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-89452588144351229092014-07-31T16:14:00.000-04:002014-08-05T09:02:13.789-04:00Serbia Flood Relief and Recovery<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Imagine </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">flood water submerging your house past the roof! That was the reality for many in Serbia this past May. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">(See post: May 20, 2014) </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">The church in Novi Sad immediately sent a team to live in the hardest hit town of Obrenovac where approximately 36,000 homes were affected. This relief team has been tirelessly serving the neediest families by </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">providing food and hygiene kits, helping to clean out homes and visiting families </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">to bring encouragement. To date they have assisted 170 families. Danny and Vera, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">our International Workers who are overseeing this response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> shared that immediately after the tragedy, people were just happy to be alive. Weeks later, as reality has sunk in, there has been great discouragement and hopelessness expressed by many that they visit. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><b>Ways to pray</b>:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Pray for the families who have lost the contents of their homes; pray that God will provide!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Pray for their encouragement and a spirit of perseverance!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Pray for the relief team that they too would have strength and endurance.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">The relief team is the only Christian presence in this town. Pray that as they share the love of Christ, the people of <span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">Obrenovac </span>will find new hope and strength and that a church will be established. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #333333;">If you are interested in donating to this relief effort, please click </span><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" target="_blank">here</a> and under Donation Allocation, click the drop down menu and select <i><b>G</b></i></span><i><b>lobal Emergency Response Fund.</b></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">If you have time to continue reading, below are </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">a few brief stories of affected families from Danny and Vera: </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xIl38eZmkII/U9lMzKIe5LI/AAAAAAAAANo/8QOc8y_Dk9c/s1600/Flood+relief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xIl38eZmkII/U9lMzKIe5LI/AAAAAAAAANo/8QOc8y_Dk9c/s1600/Flood+relief.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This young family came to Serbia as refugees. With the money they brought after selling their property in Croatia, they built a new, lovely home. Flowers were
planted, they had new furniture…their son just turned two. The flood w</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ater went over the roof,
and left the house beyond repair. Since then they have been living in common
accommodation, that has been so bad; no hot water, no cooked meals….eating bread
and spreads for weeks. They called desperate for food. We brought parcels of
food and hygiene items. Just few days after, late one evening father called
apologizing and desperate, <i>"Please, we need food. Our child needs to eat."</i> No one has come to even assess the damage, they are losing hope that
they will get any help at all.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I have no need for hygiene items, </i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I have nothing to clean. Please, give us food.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Father of household above</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9OoW4tI2_I0/U9pGWXjbhMI/AAAAAAAAAN4/h3bAs93DYFU/s1600/photo+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9OoW4tI2_I0/U9pGWXjbhMI/AAAAAAAAAN4/h3bAs93DYFU/s1600/photo+(4).jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The family pictured above has been going through an extremely difficult time. Boban has been
without work, and his wife Biljana works a consistent night shift at
the supermarket in Belgrade, for extremely low pay. Now their home is beyond
repair, and they have lost all their possessions in the flood. Their little son
Filip is staying with relatives, because there is no more home to live in. They have
been touched by our visit and help. We will continue to visit them,
and they truly appreciate our care.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PYlQooVhSCE/U9pS5XDMREI/AAAAAAAAAOI/IoOXSbdkoz0/s1600/20140715_122903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PYlQooVhSCE/U9pS5XDMREI/AAAAAAAAAOI/IoOXSbdkoz0/s1600/20140715_122903.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">This family really moved us. Two generations were living in two homes next to each other. Both have been ruined by the floodwater. ALL possessions have been taken away as garbage. They have been sleeping in a motorhome. Each day they work very hard at their homes. Taking layers of walls off, waiting for it all to dry. We were so surprised how warm and welcoming they were. They are very touched that someone wants to help them</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLWJ18NT6Q0/U9pTq5FjEeI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/C8rNuNRZ_rU/s1600/IMG_20140703_154521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLWJ18NT6Q0/U9pTq5FjEeI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/C8rNuNRZ_rU/s1600/IMG_20140703_154521.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another household that suffered greatly had water fill the house right up to the ceiling. All
furniture, all windows, doors, floors, utilities - everything had to be thrown
out. Walls now have to dry out before repairs can begin. Our team was able to provide them with two beds, a small table and a small one-burner hotplate so they can cook. Both husband and wife could not control the tears as they showed
us the picture of their daughter that died of cancer couple of years ago,
leaving the grandchild in their care. They also have their own twin son and daughter living with them. No food, no money; only broken hearts and
depression. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We live on the main road, </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>no one stops to even
ask if we are alive. </i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>You have been coming to us, </i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and that brings tears to my
eyes.</i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">- Father of household above.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yAEm6RQrUTM/U9p9zqHX61I/AAAAAAAAAOg/-p01nHP1Ie4/s1600/IMG_20140703_154257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yAEm6RQrUTM/U9p9zqHX61I/AAAAAAAAAOg/-p01nHP1Ie4/s1600/IMG_20140703_154257.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This last story is about a home
also flooded to the roof. The family
with 4 kids have lost everything. "<i>Thank God for the nice weather</i>,"
the mother said, as she was roasting some peppers on an open fire outside. The
only furniture is a mattress that the relief team had previously brought for them. Yet, they
still cannot sleep there because it is so damp.
They stay with friends but that place is small for them all. They were
thrilled that we were able to give some clothes and laundry soap. They have to
hand wash everything so they are thankful for nice weather so they can dry
clothes outside. The father is a welder but currently has no work in this 'dead' town.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We fear for our oldest boy, </i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>he is in constant fear
that water will come again. </i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We fear the winter! How will we survive the cold? </i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Will I have job to feed my family?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Father of household above.</span></div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-86498027056018671402014-05-20T15:55:00.001-04:002014-05-20T15:56:47.412-04:00Pray for Serbia - Severe Flooding<div class="mceTemp" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 575px;" id="" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #999999; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 96%; padding: 7px 3px 0px; text-align: center; width: 575px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Paracin, Serbia (image linked from www.balkaneu.com)" data-mce-src="http://www.balkaneu.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/rs2-565x376.jpg" src="http://www.balkaneu.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/rs2-565x376.jpg" height="376" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 98.5%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" width="565" /></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Paracin, Serbia (image linked from www.balkaneu.com)</dd></dl>
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Please pray for Serbia where they are experiencing massive flooding. Danny Kuranji, our International Worker in <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline; color: #3366ff;" style="color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;"><a data-mce-href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Novi+Sad/@45.2714514,19.849441,8z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x475b10613de93455:0xb6f7d683724fe28" href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Novi+Sad/@45.2714514,19.849441,8z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x475b10613de93455:0xb6f7d683724fe28" style="border: 0px; color: #343434; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Click to view google map of Novi Sad location"><span data-mce-style="color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;" style="color: #3366ff;">Novi Sad</span></a></span> writes:</div>
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"We would like to ask you for prayers for our nation and many that have been hit with tragedy. Days of very heavy rain have caused rivers to flood, leaving many dead, evacuated, and many unable to receive any kind of help because of extremely huge demand for help everywhere. Danger continues. Fields are flooded, danger of total electricity collapse is real. Power of water that is tearing homes down seems to be impossible to control. Only the One that controls the weather, rain and the whole earth can. Please pray that God would do the impossible and shine the lite of hope in the midst of this darkness."</div>
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We are in communication with Danny to identify the specific needs and a potential response.</div>
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Donations can be given to the C&MA’s <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline; color: #3366ff;" style="color: #3366ff; text-decoration: underline;"><a data-mce-href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" style="border: 0px; color: #343434; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Click here to make a donation"><span data-mce-style="color: #3366ff;" style="color: #3366ff;"><strong><em>Global Emergency Response Fund</em></strong></span></a></span>.</div>
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<br /></div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-11244841561295481302014-03-28T18:05:00.000-04:002014-05-05T12:07:52.354-04:00Philippine Typhoon Haiyan Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We have had an update from our partners in the Philippines. As of April 23rd 126 houses have been built in the following areas:</span></em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Update-April-2014-2.jpg" style="border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Update April 2014-2" class="alignright wp-image-2535 " height="291" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Update-April-2014-2.jpg" style="border: 0px currentColor; float: right; margin: 5px 0px 20px 20px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" width="461" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">-<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">39 houses in Medellin, Cebu.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">- 23 houses in Kananga, Leyte.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">- 25 houses in Camotes Island, Cebu.<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">- 10 houses<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">in Palo, Leyte<br />- 9 houses in Tacloban<br />* 20 houses in Palanog, Tacloban City [near completion]</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Two churches in the following areas have been repaired:</span></strong><br />- Tacloban City<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />- Nipa, Medellin, Cebu<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Two churches in the following areas have been rebuilt:</strong></span><br />- Dumalag, Capiz<br />- Dinginan, Roxas City</div>
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<span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Update-April-2014.jpg" style="border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Update April 2014" class="alignleft wp-image-2534" height="309" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Update-April-2014.jpg" style="border: 0px currentColor; float: left; margin: 5px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" width="411" /></a></span></em></span></div>
<em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: italic 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></em><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em><span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; display: inline; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There is on-going constructions of 10 churches in the following areas:</span></strong></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />- Palo, Leyte<br />- Kananga, Leyte<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />- Apitong, Tacloban<br />- San Juan, Ormoc<br />- Panugnawan, Medellin, Cebu<br />- Coron, Palawan (2 churches)<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />- Busuanga, Palawan (3 churches)</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/20.79px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">P</span></strong></span></span><span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentColor; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/18px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px currentColor; color: navy; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ray for the on-going construction of over 1000 homes as well. Lots of work to be done yet but praise the Lord progress is being made!!</span></strong></span></span></div>
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Post from March 28, 2014: </div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On November 8, 2013 Typhoon Haiyan hit the
central Philippines, the third most disaster-prone country in the world. Haiyan
claimed over 6,000 lives and destroyed an estimated 1.2 million homes. It was
the strongest storm ever recorded at landfall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">C&MA individuals responded generously as they donated $594,508. </span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We
declared that amount to the Canadian Government’s matching program where they
set aside one dollar for each individual donation to their <i>Typhoon
Haiyan Relief Fund.</i></span></strong><strong><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></i></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Added to this, some
churches also gave funds from existing compassion/general funds in the amount
of $196,000. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The C&MA in Canada
is engaged in a three-way partnership with CAMACOP (C&MA Churches of the
Philippines) and CAMA Services (C&MA-US) for response to Typhoon Haiyan.
Our C&MA Asian Spice Regional Developer, Mark Jones, travelled to the
Philippines in November to join in the initial assessment of </span><span lang="EN-US">the most vulnerable people in each community and how funds could be
used most effectively to help in the immediate needs, rehabilitation and reconstruction
phases of relief. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">CAMA has provided a consultant to walk
alongside CAMACOP pastors and lay workers in the response efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been providing relief goods, trauma
debriefs, reconstruction assistance, and funeral assistance to those who are
hurting in the Philippines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mark visited the Philippines again in March
to assist in finalizing a project for the next phase of recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have most recently committed to contribute
funds for the following:</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 41.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Continued provision of food,
water, clothing, etc</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 41.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rebuild 14 churches that
were totally destroyed </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Repair 7 churches that were partially
damaged</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Assistance to 1324 families
whose homes were totally or partially destroyed</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 41.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Assistance to rebuild 2 church
schools that were damaged</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Assistance to repair a
community hall and community clinic that was damaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span id="goog_489937401"></span><span id="goog_489937402"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other Alliance World Fellowship national
churches are also supporting these efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is great to be a part of a world-wide Alliance family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you continue to pray for our sister
church in the Philippines?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a
long road of recovery ahead of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pray that they will be a blessing to their communities as they demonstrate
the love and care of Jesus! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-90505251484588471052014-02-10T14:02:00.000-05:002015-09-09T16:25:35.991-04:00Syrian Refugee Relief<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px;">
<a data-mce-href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201334.jpg" href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201334.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #343434; line-height: inherit; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Jordan_Dec201334" class="alignleft wp-image-2293" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201334-278x300.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201334-278x300.jpg" height="180" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left; margin: 5px 20px 20px 0px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="167" /></a></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.4; color: #999999; font-style: italic;" style="color: #999999; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.4;">"</span><i data-mce-style="font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.4; color: #999999;" style="color: #999999; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.4;">I lay on the street pretending I was dead for five hours because the snipers would shoot anything that moved.</i><span data-mce-style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.4; color: #999999; font-style: italic;" style="color: #999999; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.4;">." </span></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
This is just one example of the troubling stories shared by Syrian refugees as they recount their experiences of the civil war before fleeing to safety in neighbouring countries.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px;">
</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oa0IGrGvMac/Uvkgtj8V4xI/AAAAAAAAAL4/eKFs2pvp3rY/s1600/Jordan_Dec20133397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oa0IGrGvMac/Uvkgtj8V4xI/AAAAAAAAAL4/eKFs2pvp3rY/s1600/Jordan_Dec20133397.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
The living conditions of the refugees are terribly disheartening. Whether an extended family of 12 living in a one-room rented space, multiple families sharing one small apartment or young widows and their children in a tent within a refugee camp, life is difficult and seems hopeless. </div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
They have left jobs, homes, friends and family— with whatever they could carry— and now rely on the kindness and generosity of others. Many have experienced this care through Alliance churches in Lebanon, Jordan and within Syria.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
The C&MA in Canada is supporting these relief ministries of the Alliance churches in Beirut, Damascus and Mafraq. In December, Joanne Beach travelled to the region with a team led by Arie Verduijn, President of <i>Alliance World Fellowship</i>. They visited these sister churches and many of the displaced Syrian families to whom they are ministering.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px;">
<img alt="Syrian Family" class="wp-image-2303 alignright" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201367-300x200.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201367-300x200.jpg" height="120" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right; margin: 5px 0px 20px 20px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="180" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
The most striking component of the churches’ relief ministries is the personal interest that is demonstrated. It is not just about handing out mattresses, blankets, heaters or food; it is about relational connection.</div>
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<img alt="IMG_3383" class="alignleft wp-image-2305" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_3383.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_3383.jpg" height="173" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left; margin: 5px 20px 20px 0px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="259" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: left;">
Once the distribution teams have delivered desperately needed items, visitation teams do regular follow-up visits to inquire about further needs, pray with people and simply spend time visiting. In the region it has been referred to as the "Alliance Approach." Pastor Edward Awabdeh from Damascus summarized it in these words: "We let people know how precious they are."</div>
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<img alt="Greeting Syrians" class="wp-image-2302 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_3391.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_3391.jpg" height="176" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 20px 20px 0px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="200" /></div>
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The Syrian conflict has created a humanitarian crisis. The UN Refugee Agency reports that over 9 million Syrians have fled their homes due to the escalating violence.</div>
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Joanne reports that their team was privileged to visit the </div>
<img alt="Syrian Refugee Camp" class="size-medium wp-image-2300 alignright" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201359-300x156.jpg" data-mce-style="text-align: justify; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jordan_Dec201359-300x156.jpg" height="104" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 10px 0px 15px 20px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left;" width="200" /><br />
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Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan. With a population of approximately 130,000, it is one of the largest in the world. After a 30-minute briefing from the Colonel who oversees the camp, they were driven through the camp which enabled them to get a sense of what life is like within.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8537-cropped.jpg" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" href="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8537-cropped.jpg" style="border: 0px; clear: left; color: #343434; float: left; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Bridal Shop" class="alignleft wp-image-2307" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8537-cropped-300x253.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8537-cropped-300x253.jpg" height="133" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 5px 20px 20px 0px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left;" width="158" /></a></div>
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The most profound moment for them was driving up the main market street and passing by a bridal shop kiosk. In this new normal, people marry, have children and build new relationships; life goes on for the displaced.</div>
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Within these camps, people receive simple shelter, food, water and a degree of healthcare. Children attend school. Yet for millions of refugees who are not in official camps, this is not guaranteed. It is these people that the churches focus on.</div>
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<img alt="Small schoolroom for Syrian refugee children" class=" wp-image-2304 alignright" data-mce-src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8389-300x200.jpg" src="http://justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8389-300x200.jpg" height="160" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right; margin: 5px 0px 20px 20px; outline: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="240" /></div>
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The church in Mafraq has started a small school and is considering opening a larger one so that the hundreds of kids whom they are connecting with will have the opportunity to continue their education.</div>
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As the churches are reaching out with compassion to those in this crisis, they are finding that many are spiritually seeking as well. In their despair, they are finding hope in Jesus. Pastor Nour from Mafraq stated, “<i>Now one of the needs is for discipleship, as many people are beginning to follow Jesus</i>.”</div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-66334666313938283712013-11-12T12:35:00.000-05:002013-11-27T16:05:22.182-05:00Philippine Typhoon Haiyan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a4Tsd6POa2k/UoJlLpPWDZI/AAAAAAAAALo/s71OZ8KizfM/s1600/Philippines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a4Tsd6POa2k/UoJlLpPWDZI/AAAAAAAAALo/s71OZ8KizfM/s320/Philippines.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please be in prayer for the Philippines as it was hit with a devastating Typhoon that has brought massive destruction. News sources are reporting that the death toll has surpassed 10,000. Hundreds of thousands have had their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Please also pray for the C&MA Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP) as many communities with Alliance churches have been affected. </span></div>
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Here is an update from Bishop Jose Dalino, President, CAMACOP. He summarizes reports from District Supervisors:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: small;"><b><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">CEBOLESA (Cebu, Leyte, Samar Islands)</span>:</b> Two pastors are still unaccounted. Tacloban Alliance Church miraculously survived and became the haven of evacuees. Almost all church members of Tacloban lost their homes. </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: small;"> In Camotes, Cebu our church and parsonage partially destroyed. 25 members lost their homes totally as well as their livelihood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">NEGPAS (Negros, Panay Islands)</span>:</b> a) Roxas City, Capiz Alliance Church & school building totally destroyed. <span data-mce-style="font-size: small;">b) Sagay City -parsonage totally damaged. c) Barangay Rizal Outreach - church building totally damaged and livelihood of members. </span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: small;"><b><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Coron Island</span>:</b> Three Alliance Churches totally damaged, no update yet from other islands. </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: small;"><b><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Bicol</span>:</b> Our church in Calaay Alliance Church planting was damaged, including the members' rice fields, banana plants.</span></div>
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These churches represent whole communities that have been affected so please be in prayer for God to bring comfort and healing to the entire community.</div>
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Donations for Philippine Typhoon Relief may be sent to The Christian and Missionary Alliance National Ministry Centre, designated to <b><i>Typhoon Haiyan Relief. </i></b><b><span data-mce-style="color: #0000ff;" style="color: blue;"> </span></b><br />
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<b><span data-mce-style="color: #0000ff;" style="color: blue;">We will be participating in the Canadian Government's</span></b> <b><span data-mce-style="color: #0000ff;" style="color: blue;">matching program where for every dollar donated by individual Canadians up until December 23rd the government will set aside one dollar for their</span><span data-mce-style="color: #0000ff;" style="color: blue;"> <i>Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund. </i></span></b><br />
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<i></i>We are in communication with partner NGO's and with CAMACOP leadership to plan our response. As with disasters of this magnitude, we will be supporting immediate relief efforts and long term recovery efforts. We will post updates as available.</div>
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Online donations can be made <a data-mce-href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" href="https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=84601&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cmacan.org%2fgive" title="C&MA Donation Page">here</a>.<br />
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<em><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Alliance Churches please note: Only donations
collected from individuals are eligible for the government matching program.
Money remitted for Typhoon Haiyan Relief from a general mission fund is not
eligible for the match. Please specify the amount received from individual
donations and if applicable, the amount allotted to this project from the
church mission fund. Please indicate clearly in separate lines on
the remittance form. Thank you! </b></span></em><br />
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</span><br />Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-49548127676770978272013-06-20T16:29:00.001-04:002013-06-20T16:29:40.908-04:00Refugee Resettlement - Providing a Home Away from Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June 20th is designated <b>World Refugee Day</b> by the
United Nations. More than 45 million people were displaced last
year according to the latest <em>UN High Commission on Refugees</em> report. These
numbers are staggering; perhaps too daunting to motivate a response. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I have had several opportunities to visit refugee camps and listen
to peoples’ experiences of flight. The stories have common elements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often at a moment’s notice, they grab the
most important items and take only what they can carry. Their testimonies usually
included loss of family members or threat of death or persecution. The refugee
camps do not guarantee safety; only a different set of security and health
risks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Desperation and hopelessness
prevail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The C&MA has and continues
to support several refugee relief programs in a variety of countries around the
world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: blue;">BUT THERE IS MORE THAT WE CAN
DO!</span></b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can provide a home for those
that have had to flee theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many C&MA churches across Canada have been involved in
assisting refugees to resettle in Canadian communities over the years. The
result of assisting one family can have an impact for years to come not only on
those sponsored but on their future generations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have our own story at the National Ministry
Centre: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">April Pitman works in our communications department. Her
mother, Chhavy <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeffs was a refugee in the
1970’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After fleeing Cambodia during
the atrocities of the Pol Pot Regime, she arrived at a refugee camp in Thailand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relatives in Canada discovered that Chhavy’s
family had made it to the refugee camp. They came to Kingston Alliance Church and
asked if there was anyway the church would help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people in the church became aware of this
need they were determined to reach out. They applied to sponsor the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chhavy’s mother, meanwhile, discovered that
twenty-three family members were in the refugee camp and resolved that they
shouldn’t be separated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kingston Alliance
found other churches in the city, including Bayridge Alliance, to partner with
them. Soon all twenty-three family members arrived in Kingston and received
love and care from these congregations.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is interesting to note that David Freeman (currently a <em>C&MA</em>
Vice President) was a pastor at Kingston Alliance during that time. It was
during a conversation at work one day that April and David connected the dots! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watch this video to hear Chhavy's story of how refugee sponsorship
impacted her family:</span></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/68800081" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ4wuchICvw/UcNjrKdWAuI/AAAAAAAAALM/aIffpv33D0o/s320/ARefugeeStory_ClicktoPlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh that we could replicate this story over and over!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <em>C&MA Canada</em> is a Sponsorship
Agreement Holder with <em>Citizenship and Immigration Canada</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This agreement allows our local churches to
apply to sponsor refugee families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
more information please email:</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span> </span></span><a href="mailto:alliancecompassion@cmacan.org"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">alliancecompassion@cmacan.org</span></u></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
currently funding three separate relief projects for Syrian refugees in
partnership with our <em>Alliance World Fellowship</em> churches in the Middle
East.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-6730764238684208122013-05-02T17:09:00.000-04:002013-05-02T17:09:15.509-04:00Saving Lives with Tiny Strands of String <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b90LmICTeHw/UYLDtdcLhgI/AAAAAAAAAJw/wYZ2R0qV_ko/s1600/IMG_0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b90LmICTeHw/UYLDtdcLhgI/AAAAAAAAAJw/wYZ2R0qV_ko/s320/IMG_0277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">During a recent visit to Cambodia, I saw firsthand how this string has been instrumental in pulling young 8-12 year old girls away from the potential of abuse in a brothel towards a healthy, educated, wholesome life full of hope for their future! </span> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3_qhedJlrc/UYKpcTPrBOI/AAAAAAAAAJY/wElJXfSPXEg/s1600/IMG_0332+-+compressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3_qhedJlrc/UYKpcTPrBOI/AAAAAAAAAJY/wElJXfSPXEg/s320/IMG_0332+-+compressed.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Kim Bui, C&MA International Worker with Vietnamese Girls</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pictured above are some of the young Vietnamese girls whose families live in Cambodia as refugees. They have no legal status in the country. They live in extremely impoverished circumstances where too commonly young girls are sold by parents into the sex trade. Our C&MA International Worker, Kim Bui, is providing an alternative for these girls. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qz-aJVU6ctI/UYLEOVPhfaI/AAAAAAAAAKI/3vpI6RKUgNM/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qz-aJVU6ctI/UYLEOVPhfaI/AAAAAAAAAKI/3vpI6RKUgNM/s320/IMG_0294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Three days a week, the girls come to Kim's and make string bracelets. Hundreds of bracelets! The sale of these are providing money for their school fees and uniforms. Education is definitely a huge factor in providing healthy options for their futures. Funds are also used to provide supplemental food for their families as needed. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9E8BfkS9YKE/UYLEhF-GWTI/AAAAAAAAAKY/mmfhkuNmwTI/s1600/IMG_0685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9E8BfkS9YKE/UYLEhF-GWTI/AAAAAAAAAKY/mmfhkuNmwTI/s320/IMG_0685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kim also tutors them in reading using kids' Bible lesson material. They are learning about how much God loves and values them. She is also developing relationships with their parents in hopes that they will also come to know the love of Jesus. Only then will we see the potential for the practice of selling daughters to stop in this community. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fV8OeM6pVYQ/UYLEZ3J6FgI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/6ppgYxtJcaw/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fV8OeM6pVYQ/UYLEZ3J6FgI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/6ppgYxtJcaw/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A highlight for the girls is swimming with Kim at a local hotel pool a couple times a week. The hotel manager has allowed Kim to bring them for a minimal cost. This is such a blessing as normally they would never have opportunities like this. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHe8OyMMnuc/UYLEs7WfOxI/AAAAAAAAAKg/hqgD8Lwc0L0/s1600/IMG_0715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AHe8OyMMnuc/UYLEs7WfOxI/AAAAAAAAAKg/hqgD8Lwc0L0/s320/IMG_0715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Who would have thought that tiny string bracelets could provide life-saving opportunities! Please pray for these girls and for Kim as she continues to minister among them. Pray, too, for more workers to go and join Kim in this venture!</span></div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-50668736443008802552013-01-24T18:36:00.001-05:002013-03-08T15:25:59.015-05:00Prison Bars Can't Keep the Love of God Out! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QiZ8sP3ztIw/UQHAjCgBzSI/AAAAAAAAAIs/zH3GpGGmptU/s1600/Taoyuan+Prison+-+Jo-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QiZ8sP3ztIw/UQHAjCgBzSI/AAAAAAAAAIs/zH3GpGGmptU/s200/Taoyuan+Prison+-+Jo-web.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="userContent">On a recent visit to Taipei, Taiwan I spent an afternoon with My and Dao Nguyen (our C&MA personnel) on one of their weekly visits to a prison where they meet with the Vietnamese prisoners. We entered through 4 separate guarded doors where each door would not open until the door behind you had locked. As a woman, I had to wear a panic button around my neck. I was told, "Pull this in case anyone att<span class="text_exposed_show">acks you." By the time they gave me that, I had already passed through 3 of the guarded doors...No turning back! </span></span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">What an amazing experience, though, spending 2 hours meeting with many small groups throughout the prison talking to these men, hearing their stories, and praying with them. (With translation, of course.) Most of them were in their 20's serving 8 years to life-long sentences. (Some for murder; some robbery, etc.) Many are now following Christ and the Thursday meetings are their time to worship and learn biblical lessons. One group sang 'Amazing Grace' in Vietnamese which was definitely a highlight. </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">There were other church leaders of seven different language groups who were meeting with small groups of men throughout the prison as well. I learned that once every two months this facility allows a large prison-wide Christian service where all languages gather to worship and receive communion. Eight of the Vietnamese men I met are going to be baptized at this celebration next month. </span></span><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span></div>
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<br /><br />A<strong> great reminder that past mistakes and prison walls cannot keep someone from experiencing the grace and love of God!</strong></span><br /></span><br />
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-43645337024943257132012-09-12T16:17:00.000-04:002012-09-12T16:17:21.091-04:00Inspired by an Eight-Year-Old <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2bNUQuI0P0/UFDcG-9R5ZI/AAAAAAAAAHg/vpt9xq6CyFI/s1600/8+year+old+swimmer+4+-+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2bNUQuI0P0/UFDcG-9R5ZI/AAAAAAAAAHg/vpt9xq6CyFI/s320/8+year+old+swimmer+4+-+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan</td></tr>
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I have never met Nathan but when his mom wrote a letter to our office accompanying several cheques from various members of their extended family, I was instantly filled with admiration for this eight-year-old young man. After Nathan and his parents received the "Friday Foto" email update from International Worker, Lisa Rohrick, and saw this picture of kids filling the family water jars...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4829-Hy9xwI/UFDmcrQZK4I/AAAAAAAAAH4/dbh6lcHq3Zc/s1600/Dirty+Water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4829-Hy9xwI/UFDmcrQZK4I/AAAAAAAAAH4/dbh6lcHq3Zc/s1600/Dirty+Water.jpg" /></a></div>
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...this B.C. family decided that they wanted to raise money to provide a well for a village in Niger. Nathan chose to do a swim-a-thon as his contribution to the effort! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eijb384pKAw/UFDoX8DPSvI/AAAAAAAAAIA/fRx9wTdZiCs/s1600/8+year+old+swimmer+-+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eijb384pKAw/UFDoX8DPSvI/AAAAAAAAAIA/fRx9wTdZiCs/s320/8+year+old+swimmer+-+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Nathan swam 2.4 km in one hour and raised over 1/2 of the $1,900 that they sent in!!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KGtcx4u-tE/UFDob8TIFGI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/YBYheuNRyhA/s1600/8+year+old+swimmer+3+-+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KGtcx4u-tE/UFDob8TIFGI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/YBYheuNRyhA/s320/8+year+old+swimmer+3+-+web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In his mother Cindy's words, <span style="color: blue;"><strong>"It seemed appropriate - one child swimming in clean water with a heart to provide clean water to those who do not have it!!"</strong> </span>She also expressed that it had been a joyful opportunity for their family to learn more of God's heart for the world. </div>
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<em><strong>Nathan, you and your family have inspired me </strong></em></div>
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<em><strong>and I know what you have done will motivate so many others to care </strong></em></div>
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<em><strong>for those that are less fortunate!!</strong></em> </div>
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Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-7035671066088725572012-07-26T13:52:00.000-04:002012-07-26T13:52:09.945-04:00Praying Against the Odds<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Niger has one
of the highest infant mortality rates; nearly 25% of babies will not
live survive until their fifth birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Imagine here in Canada, if we became aware that there was a huge
possibility that 1 in 4 babies in our local daycare or our church nursery would
die by preventable causes within the next 5 years!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would do everything within our power (and
knowledge!) to ensure that this would never happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><u>Our
International Worker's in Niger are building relationships with people for whom
this is a reality!</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is lack of
knowledge or access to healthcare and proper health facilities, our team is
working hard to address the issues with these communities by engaging in initiatives such as community health
education, mosquito net distributions, water and sanitation projects, and
resourcing local clinics. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Here is an
upclose look into a very recent experience of one of our workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lisa Rohrick writes: </span></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zX9S9QbmbpM/UBFgLHNt_iI/AAAAAAAAAHM/b-mTZFGBzzU/s1600/Baby+born+in+Niger+village.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zX9S9QbmbpM/UBFgLHNt_iI/AAAAAAAAAHM/b-mTZFGBzzU/s200/Baby+born+in+Niger+village.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Back in January I asked you to pray
for Jane who, after ten years of marriage<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and at least one miscarriage, told me she was pregnant. This week's
happy news is that on Tuesday evening she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
This picture was taken ten hours later. </em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>I was staying in the village that
night and had the privilege of taking Jane to the clinic in the next town. All
was dark. The maternity building is being renovated and the little bit of
equipment they have (including a birthing bed) was all piled in a corner under
a thick layer of dust. The smell of wet cement hung in the air. One of the
ladies with us went to find the midwife. She came back alone and asked me to go
with her. The presence of a white face brought forth a grumpy midwife. It was
deplorable. It's no wonder that Niger is the worst place in the world for
mothers--it's amazing that any child leaves that place alive. </em></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Thankfully there were no complications
and we went home an hour later with mother and baby. The clean-up job was done
in front of a campfire by Jane's aunt. </em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Praise the Lord for giving life!
Please <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">pray</span></b><span style="color: #00b0f0;"> </span>for this little tyke. She has a battle ahead of her. Nearly 25% of the babies
born in Niger don't make it to see their fifth birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Pray</span></b><span style="color: #00b0f0;"> </span>that
she will not become another of these painful statistics.</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p>Thanks for supporting our workers and their friends with prayer and resources as they seek to bring holistic transformation to communities with such great need! Alongside these practical ministries, we are also committed to loving them through relationship and introducing them to Jesus, the One who came to ...<em>bring Good News to the poor...to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free... <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Luke 4. </span></em> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span></span></span></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></span></div>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-77911168460776207672012-04-20T18:05:00.001-04:002012-04-20T18:05:57.708-04:00Niger Vocational Training Centre - Investing in the Lives of Girls at Risk<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Niger is one of the least developed countries in the world. The 2011 United Nations Human Development Index ranked Niger 186 out of 187! Needless to say, there is extreme poverty! One of the implications of this is that </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">girls, even as young as 12 years old, are at risk for early marriage (sold for a dowry price.) Often marrying men already with multiple wives, leading to early childbirth and abuse. </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxWH_xvqtRA/T5HNLK_5ujI/AAAAAAAAAFs/-_MNAfitOIw/s1600/NVOC+-+Title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxWH_xvqtRA/T5HNLK_5ujI/AAAAAAAAAFs/-_MNAfitOIw/s1600/NVOC+-+Title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxWH_xvqtRA/T5HNLK_5ujI/AAAAAAAAAFs/-_MNAfitOIw/s200/NVOC+-+Title.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In October 2010, we started the <strong>Niger Vocational Training Centre</strong> for girls at risk. We currently have 60 girls between the ages of 12 and 19. Parents have to commit to not marrying off their daughter until she completes the two-year program!! </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qMQgWt9MK4/T5HN2IEphLI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gApGxVIUcQg/s1600/NVOC+-+Sewing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0qMQgWt9MK4/T5HN2IEphLI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gApGxVIUcQg/s200/NVOC+-+Sewing.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The curriculum consists of classes in</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> sewing, embroidery, literacy, French language, math, basic business concepts and bookkeeping, health, nutrition and hygiene. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBgG6H52kME/T5HO_LEZs6I/AAAAAAAAAF8/2GWwpS8qQlU/s1600/NVOC+-+learning+to+read.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBgG6H52kME/T5HO_LEZs6I/AAAAAAAAAF8/2GWwpS8qQlU/s200/NVOC+-+learning+to+read.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is also an emphasis on looking at their vision of a good and godly woman, the type of women they want to become, and what they can do to achieve these goals and grow as a person and in self-esteem. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9T6C954HVE/T5HP5QCbqUI/AAAAAAAAAGM/5TV0J76w0uw/s1600/NVOC+-+Math.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9T6C954HVE/T5HP5QCbqUI/AAAAAAAAAGM/5TV0J76w0uw/s200/NVOC+-+Math.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-soSVaok7p84/T5HPm5nUlKI/AAAAAAAAAGE/vqLnYGZ6IZ8/s1600/NVOC+-+I+can+Learn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-soSVaok7p84/T5HPm5nUlKI/AAAAAAAAAGE/vqLnYGZ6IZ8/s200/NVOC+-+I+can+Learn.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Providing them with skills and knowledge will increase their own sense of self worth. It will also increase their value in the eyes of their families who will not marry them off as desperately. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the end of the program they will earn their own sewing machine and write a National exam which will give them a certificate of completion for their skills. </span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ast7GibaGHw/T5HRn1UDPpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/mXEoct02mmQ/s1600/NVOC+-+Skills+to+get+a+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ast7GibaGHw/T5HRn1UDPpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/mXEoct02mmQ/s200/NVOC+-+Skills+to+get+a+job.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">They will be able to go out with the new skills to make money in order to provide for their future. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">f you would like to support this ministry, visit the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Alliance website, <a href="http://www.cmalliance.ca/">www.cmalliance.ca</a> click on the <span style="color: #073763;"><strong>Donate Now</strong></span> button and designate your gift to the <strong>Niger Vocational Training</strong> or send a cheque to:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The C&MA, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">30 Carrier Drive, Suite 100 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Toronto, ON </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">M9W 5T7</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3oqUeUvGDQ/T5Had5HsMHI/AAAAAAAAAGk/y24U3zarwhw/s1600/NVOC+-+Group+shot+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3oqUeUvGDQ/T5Had5HsMHI/AAAAAAAAAGk/y24U3zarwhw/s400/NVOC+-+Group+shot+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Visit the NVOC Blog for more info: </span><a href="http://nvoc.ca/"><span style="font-size: small;">http://nvoc.ca/</span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ast7GibaGHw/T5HRn1UDPpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/mXEoct02mmQ/s1600/NVOC+-+Skills+to+get+a+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ast7GibaGHw/T5HRn1UDPpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/mXEoct02mmQ/s200/NVOC+-+Skills+to+get+a+job.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 530px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 803px;" width="72" /></a></div>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-25240064863659429642011-08-05T20:41:00.002-04:002012-07-26T11:06:52.631-04:00East Africa Drought Response<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aCI4rdJZz4o/TjyMsiNYBAI/AAAAAAAAAE4/9B0mO1pHRPY/s1600/East+Africa+Drought+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aCI4rdJZz4o/TjyMsiNYBAI/AAAAAAAAAE4/9B0mO1pHRPY/s320/East+Africa+Drought+6.JPG" t$="true" width="213" /></a></div>
We contributed $105,000 (with CIDA match is $525,000) to Food Aid projects that our CFGB partners are managing. The programs are being managed by <strong><em>Christian Reformed World Relief Committee</em></strong> and <em><strong>Food for the Hungry</strong></em> in Ethiopia and Kenya. Click <a href="http://www.justiceandcompassion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/EastAfricaDroughtResponse-updated-July-2012.pptx" target="_blank">here</a> to view a powerpoint.<br />
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</div>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-53561814275866400862011-07-05T14:54:00.000-04:002011-07-05T14:54:23.770-04:00Update on Baby David Case...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A follow up to the last Blog Entry...the Rescue Centre was awarded legal guardianship of Baby David!!! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUotgmzdJaQ/ThNavFCGSBI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/B63zI3BMJ5k/s1600/Baby+David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" i$="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUotgmzdJaQ/ThNavFCGSBI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/B63zI3BMJ5k/s200/Baby+David.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our International Worker, Lizette writes: <em>"This case establishes a precedent that we want to take advantage of to inform the population and the authorities of the rights of children and the need to establish or enforce a proper procedure for placing these children in good centres so that they can be legally adopted by caring people. As we prepare for the next steps, please pray for us, that God would give us wisdom and coworkers who would help us with this media campaign we want to set up in the next few months. We are looking at preparing radio programs, posters and flyers that would inform and inspire people to do the right thing concerning throw-away babies."</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interesting that on the same day I received this news, another of our International Workers in the same West African country, Colette, wrote of a 7-month old girl that was very sick when she arrived at their rescue centre. She hung on for 3 weeks but died yesterday. Here is a moving quote from Colette: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> "</em><em>I have been praying and asking the Lord if we should continue in this project (Source of Life - Infant Rescue Centre). I am convinced we should – WHY? This center is an act of Spiritual Warfare. It is completely opposite of what the destroyer of life does. It is a declaration to the unseen forces in the heavenly realm that every life is precious in God’s sight and HIS people will destroy the works of the devil by saving the lives of the innocent."</em></span>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-51817536966534269342011-05-31T14:22:00.001-04:002011-05-31T14:26:11.032-04:00Fighting for Justice for Abandoned Babies<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a West African country where we work, it is not uncommon that a newborn is throw away. Two of our workers, Lizette and Collette oversee very different ministries in this country but both are seen by locals as people who will love and value these babies. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mBUyKGSecgI/TeUpceYpcyI/AAAAAAAAACY/DAZuS8ouz6o/s1600/Infant+Rescue+Centre+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mBUyKGSecgI/TeUpceYpcyI/AAAAAAAAACY/DAZuS8ouz6o/s200/Infant+Rescue+Centre+2.png" t8="true" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TkqW0WOAhtI/TeUmKd3C4CI/AAAAAAAAACU/G3Z9IfonfzU/s1600/Infant+Rescue+Centre.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="96" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TkqW0WOAhtI/TeUmKd3C4CI/AAAAAAAAACU/G3Z9IfonfzU/s200/Infant+Rescue+Centre.png" t8="true" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As babies were brought to Collette, it was obvious that there was a need to open an Infant Rescue Centre. Currently there are eight babies who are being nurtured to health and wholeness until they can be adopted into a loving Christian family. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is another group interested in saving these babies... Unfortunately, they are known child traffickers who have vested interest in getting possession of these babies in order that they can sell them! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I received an email from Lizette asking us to pray for 'Baby David.' This is a young infant that has been a part of her ministry. These child traffickers are attempting to get custody of this little one pictured below:</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ADRMdmWFfrA/TeUqd5CvqKI/AAAAAAAAACc/IU0RMUlTPRY/s1600/Kids+in+Crisis+.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ADRMdmWFfrA/TeUqd5CvqKI/AAAAAAAAACc/IU0RMUlTPRY/s200/Kids+in+Crisis+.png.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is an excerpt from Lizette's letter</span>:</span> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Today may be the deciding day! Please pray for justice. The cries of hundreds, even thousands, of babies, thrown away by their mothers or stolen from their parents are rising up to God, as they are sold out of country into adoption, slavery, for sacrifices or for organs.</span> </span></em></span></span></span><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My heart is totally torn by this massive tragedy, but God is able to touch the hearts of the judge and counsel,so that this country's child protection laws will be upheld, and child traffickers' schemes be foiled. W</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e are fighting not only for David, but for all babies thrown away. They need to be loved and cared for until good families are found for them, families who will adopt them legally, love them and raise them up as their own."</span> </span></span></span></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I sit and write this from my office, thousands of miles away. How do I respond? How do I participate in this battle against injustice? I pray...AND I contribute funds to the <strong><em>C&MA's Global Advance Fund</em></strong> which supports Lizette and Collette to be there leading these ministries. I also contribute money to the two projects that specifically enable the care for these precious lives. The <em><strong>C&MA's Baby Rescue Centre</strong></em> and the <em><strong>C&MA's Kids in Crisis.</strong></em> I invite you, the reader to do the same!</span></span></div>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-85637075407399819252011-03-24T16:51:00.002-04:002011-03-24T16:55:10.098-04:00Pigs + Prayer = Powerful Presence<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On a recent trip to a Caribbean Island to visit our international workers and the microeconomic program they oversee, I was deeply impacted by <span></span><span></span>what I experienced. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our 25 churches on this island are house churches. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aY6IkuYLy3c/TYui1L4y37I/AAAAAAAAAB4/8htCZsiM8LE/s1600/Island+house+church+-+web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aY6IkuYLy3c/TYui1L4y37I/AAAAAAAAAB4/8htCZsiM8LE/s200/Island+house+church+-+web.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The pastors of these churches sacrifice their living space in their homes in order to provide a ‘sanctuary’ for their small congregations. A wall knocked down between a living room and a bedroom creates a space large enough to hold some pews. Many families then share one bedroom! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As many of the pastors and members of the congregations live in poverty, our team initiated a microeconomic program for church members several years ago. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">I walked through small communities visiting members’ projects – one after another: some were raising pigs (the most common project), some growing crops, others sewing clothes, or painting furniture... the initiatives too varied to list them all here. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nlTq8FsrnF8/TYupc3t15rI/AAAAAAAAACI/4QXfmorO5Cg/s1600/Pig+Project+4+-+web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nlTq8FsrnF8/TYupc3t15rI/AAAAAAAAACI/4QXfmorO5Cg/s200/Pig+Project+4+-+web.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nk-z9BKIbyk/TYunPamcVxI/AAAAAAAAAB8/y1RlfPSTh24/s1600/Pig+Project+3+-+web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nk-z9BKIbyk/TYunPamcVxI/AAAAAAAAAB8/y1RlfPSTh24/s200/Pig+Project+3+-+web.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our leaders invited other denominations to participate and currently 20 churches from 7 denominations are involved.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The goal of the program is to provide financing for the poor so they can develop small businesses to help them out of poverty.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Another objective is to empower the national church to become economically self-sustaining through the tithes of their members. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As we visited with pastors and members they told me about a 24/7 prayer movement that has been birthed within this interdenominational relationship. Their annual prayer retreat was attended by 280 pastors and leaders last time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lm294B_Qh-8/TYur0ic3QtI/AAAAAAAAACM/JIvDlvy1Spw/s1600/Prayer+-+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lm294B_Qh-8/TYur0ic3QtI/AAAAAAAAACM/JIvDlvy1Spw/s200/Prayer+-+web.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some of the microeconomic groups have started to include prayer and fasting at their weekly meetings. One of the pastors had the vision to invite people in the neighbourhood to participate in the micro program as a way to serve the community and express the love of Christ. During the first 6 months of their involvement with the program, 20 community participants have made decisions to follow Jesus. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RILuN25lO30/TYusorvRK5I/AAAAAAAAACQ/OHFB-CWupFA/s1600/Island+-+new+believer+-+web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RILuN25lO30/TYusorvRK5I/AAAAAAAAACQ/OHFB-CWupFA/s200/Island+-+new+believer+-+web.JPG" width="166" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One man told me that he sensed something very different in the people. As he engaged with the small groups he soon came to know that it was the presence of Jesus that he was sensing. He told me, “Now my life has been transformed; I am so thankful that they opened their group up to me!” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I, too, discerned a powerful Presence in these believers. Their passion for Jesus is contagious.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Through pigs and prayer, God is empowering His Church to impact that island nation!</span></div>Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613011420835295183.post-14673533226370303032011-03-22T13:00:00.001-04:002013-03-08T14:59:48.699-05:00International Women's Day...For Many, Not Much to Celebrate<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">On March 8</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><sup>th </sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span">the world is encouraged to celebrate International Women’s Day. As I reflect on the reality for millions of women around the world, my heart is saddened for the fact that so many suffer injustices. It is experienced in various forms such as: trafficked into the sex trade, prohibited from going to school, held in illiteracy, raped and abused, forced to work in unsafe environments, chained in slavery, or even what might seem trivial, in light of the aforementioned - not allowed to drive a vehicle or to play sports. As I have traveled and been exposed to many different cultures, it has become apparent that the only hope for these women is that Jesus would transform the worldviews of those that perpetrate these injustices. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worldview is defined as the way that someone sees and understands the world, especially in relation to their religious or political beliefs and ideas. One aspect of a distorted (or sin affected) worldview sees women as second-class citizens, or even worse, valued less than property or animals – not worthy of having rights. This ideology is one factor that precipitates unjust treatment. <b>Justice, from a biblical perspective, ensures all people are treated with dignity and fairness because all people are made in the image of God. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">As I consider the ministries happening every day either by our global teams or local churches in Canada, I am encouraged by those that are intentionally ministering to girls and women that suffer injustices. Whether offering literacy classes, vocational/skills training, maternal health education, goat-loaning, micro-economic opportunities, participating in the <b><i>Defending Dignity </i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span">initiative here in Canada (</span></span><a href="http://www.defenddignity.ca/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.defenddignity.ca/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">)<span class="Apple-style-span">; as we are implementing these kinds ministries, we are ultimately reflecting a biblical worldview of Jesus’ love for and value of these individuals. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">So this month, as I think about the enormous issues women face in our world, I am motivated by Jesus, who declared, <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">because he has anointed me</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">to <b>proclaim good news to the poor</b>.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">and recovery of sight for the blind,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">to <b>set the oppressed free</b>,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">to <b>proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor</b>.” </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">(Luke 4) </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">As we</span></span> continue Christ’s ministry of demonstrating and declaring this Good News, it is my prayer that the hearts and minds of the oppressors will also be transformed and that women who experience these injustices will truly be fre</span><span class="Apple-style-span">e!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Joanne Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08248832815674819385noreply@blogger.com1