Remember the Advocacy and Women Empowerment Programme in Nepal

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the women empowerment project in Nepal]

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Since 2011, CEDAR has been supporting partner Share and Care Nepal to improve lives of rural women and girls through formation and empowerment of the women and girls self-help groups in Makawanpur. By partner’s effort, the women and girls are now a major part of social actions and eagerly engaged in social activities like making of toilets, advocating for citizenship and promotion of girl education. Through encouragement & facilitation of local team, the boys began to support social activities and helping the community people. Nepal’s new government has been formed but was not able to announce of the election of constitution assembly as more than half of the political parties are against the new government.

Pray for the women empowerment project in Nepal:

  • Give thanks that good progress has been made in the programme, and both girls and boys now participate in social actions ;
  • Pray for programme schedule and activities which are affected by the strikes and demonstration, raise in price of fuel, transportation, commodities and lengthy power cut ;
  • Pray also for third year programme planning and its implementation.

Donate Now! Click here.

Other Methods of Payment

  1. Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  2. Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  3. Autopay (only applicable to regular fixed donations), enclosing with a completed Autopay Authorisation Form (Download: WORD or PDF)
  4. Visa/ Master Card

Download Donation Form

Please send a completed Donation Form, enclosing with cheque or pay-in slip, to CEDAR FUND, G.P.O. BOX 3212, HONG KONG.

Donation Form: WORD or PDF

[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.

 

Remember the Post-conflict Development in Mon State, Myanmar

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the development of Mon villages in Myanmar]

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Give thanks for a smooth visit into Mon villages by CEDAR staff and three overseas trainers who conducted training on Watershed management & Agro-forestry and production of EM (Effective Micro-organisms). Based on findings and discussion from the training, we will present result to advocate at higher level. In the past 5 years, local villagers observed there is an obvious decrease in water level and volume at different water sources which are caused by logging and gold mining activities by the business groups. CEDAR and local partner will continue to facilitate local villagers in planting of trees, protection of water source, and give environmental conservation lessons to students at the new school.

Pray for the development of Mon villages in Myanmar

  • Pray for wisdom and discernment of local partner and villagers as they implement watershed management and agro-forestry activities and lobbying work.
  • Pray that local peace leader will make a balance on economic development and management of natural resources.

Remember the Rights of HIV/AIDS Orphans in Zimbabwe

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the rights of HIV/AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe]

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The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe is high and affecting many families. Many widows and orphans are left without assistance and cannot exercise their rights to access to assistance or inheritance. CEDAR partner Trinity Project Trust is used to assist the poor who cannot produce the aforementioned legal documents to gain rightful access to their estates or resolve other property grabbing problems. From this July, they will try to tackle with the cultural practices (e.g. verbal confirmation is enough to confirm a marriage), the fear of witch craft (e.g. bring a baby out of her/his home only after 3 months) and other socio-cultural factors of Zimbabwean through counseling and advocacy.

Pray for the rights of HIV/AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe:

  • May God use this approach to make people aware of the importance of various kinds of registration;
  • Pray that partner can raise enough fund to implement the project.

Donate Now! Click here.

Other Methods of Payment

  1. Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  2. Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  3. Autopay (only applicable to regular fixed donations), enclosing with a completed Autopay Authorisation Form (Download: WORD or PDF)
  4. Visa/ Master Card

Download Donation Form

Please send a completed Donation Form, enclosing with cheque or pay-in slip, to CEDAR FUND, G.P.O. BOX 3212, HONG KONG.

Donation Form: WORD or PDF

[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.

 

When Caring About the Community Becomes a Job | TANG Po Shan

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ ‘SHARE’ May-Jun 2013 – Seeing It with Our Eyes ]　CEDAR’S BLOGGER

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Author> TANG Po Shan, Education and Promotion Officer

I often ponder this question: As a staff in a relief and development organisation that mobilises and encourages community concern amongst Christians, how deeply do I actually care about my society, or am I merely doing a job?

Indeed, it is wonderful to have work that combines one’s interests and ambition. It is a good thing if a person cares about his society and is able to work in a civil group or NGO, that promotes social changes through different channels such as education, services, community development, policy initiatives and social actions. Of course, caring for the society is not a privilege of a select few because it is our civic responsibility. In that face of various issues of modern society, we need skilled and able people, such as social workers, to act as frontline promoters and executors. My question is, when our work becomes routine, or when caring about society becomes a livelihood skill, would we be confusing means and ends?

I frequently ask myself, am I someone who cares about society? Outside of work, how much do I care about the society’s current affairs and how much am I concerned with the weak and disadvantaged groups? Do I keep silent in face of unrighteousness? Am I interested in spending time to listen to the poor? Am I willing to contact marginalised groups? I ask these questions not to set criteria, nor to imply anyone who fails to meet them would show that s/he is unconcerned, for I am against legalism. I believe that this is a kind of self-confrontation, to face my own life honestly, admit my self-righteousness and weakness and ask God to watch over me and have mercy on me when I fail.

Truly, concern for society is an attitude and one focus in our lives, and it should flow naturally from life. Caring about society is not about what we do but how we become someone who cares about other people and practises righteousness. I believe that, as Christians, caring for society is a spiritual discipline leading us to see people and the world as the Lord sees them, and in all areas of our life ‘to act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with God’.

When we have been at our daily task long enough and are so familiar with certain methods and teaching, things can become habitual, and even more alarmingly we ourselves do not believe what we say or do. This reminds me to reflect often on my work, challenge myself to leave my comfort zone and be courageous in walking the path of faith.

Advocacy on Ending Violence Against Women in Pakistan

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for ending violence against women in Pakistan]

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On 1 and 2 March 2013 CEDAR’s partner CGDC organised a National Conference on SAY No to Violence Against Women and thank God it went very productive and fruitful. 30 delegates from 3 provinces participated in the conference. Theme tracks were: What Bible Says about Domestic Abuse, Understanding Domestic Violence, Do’s and Don’ts for supporting a victim and dealing with perpetrators, Emotional Health in Families and Christian Family Life. All delegates went back with work plans and will share the learning with other staff at work. CGDC plans to keep in touch with all delegates and also supports innovative ideas to SAY No to Violence Against Women.

Pray for ending violence against women in Pakistan:

  • Pray for follow up work and documentation after the conference;
  • Pray that delegates can effectively bring awareness to their churches, NGOs and communities, and to initiate action plan on ending violence against women in their societies.

Exploring Integral Mission in Today’s World—Integral Gospel (2) │ Dr. CHAN Nim CHung

Posted on by 施達基金會

Author> CHAN Nim Chung, Board Member of CEDAR Fund

The Cape Town Commitment[1] of Lausanne III 2010, with reference to the Micah Declaration[2] released by the Micah Network in 2001, presents Integral Mission as the inseparable nature of gospel proclamation and social involvement. Since its inception in 1991, CEDAR Fund has long been a member of Micah Network whose 300 plus members have been working tirelessly to address the global concern over poverty issues, research and theological reflection upon myriads of serious poverty issues. A decade later, Micah Network has embarked on reviewing the Micah Declaration[3] in the hope of enriching its content to better address the present day situation around the world in a manner that reflect God’s mission and the role of the Church.

On the surface, if Integral Mission equals gospel proclamation plus social concern, then are many churches not on board already? What effect does this mode of engagement have in society, culture and value system? In the first instalment, I maintained that Integral Mission must be established upon the understanding of an Integral Gospel. A cheapened individualistic gospel is powerless in responding to societal and structural evil in many global issues. The Gospel is detached from social concern which is further degraded into a means for evangelism. Behaviour of Christians often faces challenges. If we contend that the Gospel should reach every corner of society, then social action should be carried out on incremental basis which could be categorised into three dimensions:

1. Relief and Provision—providing people in jeopardy with basic need and continuous assistance.
2. Development—transformation of individuals and communities; improvement in capacity and relation
3. Advocacy—addressing unjust authority or system

None of these three should be neglected. However, it is tempting for us to take the easy route of avoiding matters we are not familiar with.

It appears that Integral Mission focuses on saying and doing.  In fact, I consider “being” as the most crucial of the three. Otherwise, everything may just be resounding gongs and clanging cymbals. Talk is cheap. The power of transformation comes from one life influencing another. On the other hand, bad examples are the greatest hindrances. We must therefore take a serious look at whether our own lives and our dispositions carry the fragrance of Christ. Undoubtedly, God needs not rely on us to carry out whatever mission or to witness on His behalf.  It is, however, for our benefit that our faith may grow through the experience.

In addition to being, saying and doing, there are signs and the imprint of the work of the Holy Spirit. Integral Mission enables a community to live out the Kingdom of Heaven or move toward it. Such a community has the power to make a great impact. God’s truth and His Spirit can impact the hearts of those it touches even though not everyone would immediately come to faith in the Lord. Indeed this is something we can neither control nor plan. All we can do is being thankful.

God’s demand is crystal clear— to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.[4] It is one thing to recite these words but quite a challenge to demonstrate true humility in deeds since each of us is self-righteous (Christians are worse at times). Walking with God may merely be the desire to have God fulfil one’s own will in disguise. Learning to practise Integral Mission requires us to humble ourselves and pre-conception and follow the will of God diligently.

 

1 http://www.lausanne.org/documents/CapeTownCommitment.pdf  “10. c”
2 http://www.micahnetwork.org/sites/default/files/doc/page/mn_integral_mission_declaration_en.pdf
3 http://www.micahnetwork.org/pt-br/projects/review-micah-declaration-integral-mission
4 Micah 6 : 8

 

(The original Chinese version of this article was published in Christian Times on 19 June 2011)