A 6.6 earthquake hit the boarder areas of Minxian and Zhangxian counties, Dingxi city in Gansu on 22 July, followed by over 500 aftershocks. Up to 23 July, the disaster has caused 100 death and over 1,200 injured. Rain and low temperature at nights are expected in the affected areas in coming few days. Victims are in dire needs of relief items including blankets and tents. The affected areas are restricted only to official teams for rescue and emergency relief works. CEDAR is keeping a close watch on any needs there.
Pray for Gansu Quake victims:
May His comfort and protection go to the victims and families suffering in loss of lives;
Pray for the on-going emergency relief work and appropriate response to dire needs of victims.
[ePrayer – Pray for the community development projects in India]
Partner EFICOR, in partnership with SCOPE, launched community development projects aiming at sustainable livelihood and capacity building in villages in Orissa, India. It is glad to note reduction in seasonal migration (poor peasants getting to work far from home after the harvest season) and there is increase in crop yield and household income. Local leaders in a village have got involved in resuming water supply. Treatments with medicine and operation by an eye hospital nearby are extended to the villagers. SCOPE staff is graceful in receiving various trainings in skills and knowledge fit for the projects.
Pray for the community development projects in India:
Pray for further reduction in seasonal migration;
Village children used to quit their studies in response to parents’ command to collect plants for making wines and cigarettes. Pray for these families!
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
[ePrayer – Pray for the post-drought rehabilitation in Ethiopia]
Ethiopia and Kenya were seriously affected by drought in 2011. CEDAR supported partner Tearfund UK to provide emergency relief in Ethiopia. By the end of 2012, partner has also started a post-disaster rehabilitation project in Moyale District in partnership with a local Christian group Ethiopian Mulu Wongel Amagnoch Church Development Organization (EMWACDO). The project focuses on rehabilitating 7,000 poor and vulnerable households to improve their livelihood with selected interventions such as restocking of the livestock, income diversification through introduction and promotion of high yielding agricultural inputs, construction of water schemes for human and the livestock consumption, and promoting money saving and credit culture through organising self-help groups.
Praise the Lord for the good rainfall and calm after conflict. And now, the project fits in well with the government strategies. The district government, therefore, plays an active role in providing veterinary support and vaccination to the goat purchase and distribution process.
Pray for the post-drought rehabilitation in Ethiopia:
Local partner EMWACDO is the first NGO to train women in vegetable production. The District Agriculture Bureau will scale it up to other areas. Pray that more communities will be benefited;
Now, 30 self-help groups are organised, which is over double of what we planned. Pray for good coordination and facilitation.
The progress of goat purchase and distribution is quite behind; and the pilot introduction of drip irrigation is in utmost urgency. Please remember the implementation of different components of the project.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
[ePrayer – Pray for violence against women in Pakistan to cease]
Praise God that good progress has been made so far on the Violence Against Women Prevention Project by partner CGDC. This project has set an example for churches in Pakistan to speak out on Violence Against Women (VAM) with a focus on promoting Christian family life and teaching people what the Bible says about domestic abuse. In the first 6 months, pastors in 4 churches were trained to counsel victims and deal with perpetrators; 31 field visits were conducted. A video documentary will be produced by this August, hope that it will be completed on time.
Pray for violence against women in Pakistan to cease:
Pray for the many visits and family counselling activities to be done;
Give thanks: on the First National Conference on VAW, delegates from 3 provinces participated and they found it informative and eye opening;
There are many requests for VAW sessions to be launched in other areas. Pray that many different district areas can join this project in the next phase.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
Early monsoon rains have caused massive flooding and landslides in northern India’s Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh states and Nepal since mid-June 2013, affecting tens of thousands of people. The state of Uttarakhand in India suffered maximum damage. More than 1,000 people have reportedly died with many more missing. Damage to bridges and roads left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places, of whom, many are waiting to be rescued. About 22,000 local people are said to be still stranded. In Nepal, 39 people have been killed and more than 1,700 families have been displaced. CEDAR partner EFICOR has sent a team to Uttarakhand making need assessment. Integral Alliance, a global Christian network coordinating the disaster relief response, is monitoring the situation closely.
Remember the India flooding in prayer:
May His comfort and protection go to the victims and those who lost their families in the flood.
Pray for His strength that EFICOR and other CEDAR partners can respond to the relief effectively and efficiently.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) signed a tentative peace agreement with the Myanmar government in late May, the last of the 11 major ethnic armed groups to do so since 2011. Key issues are yet to discuss including how to develop an equitable peace economy and proper regulation and management of Kachin’s rich natural resources. CEDAR partner KLCC has been taking care of displaced families who take shelter at church compounds, school hostel and displaced camps.
Pray for Kachin community in Myanmar:
Pray that the peace agreement will secure lasting peace in the country.
Pray for God’s provision as KLCC start to secure new land to settle displaced families in Government allocated area.
Pray that God to raise up HK churches/Christians to partner with CEDAR to respond to needs in Kachin State.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
