Numerous protests in Delhi broke out and there is now a global concern on the situations and rights of women in India after a female victim of a savage rape died recently. In recent years, Indian women have more opportunity going out to work and participating in politics, but crimes against women in India are rising too. Reported rape cases rise by 9.2% and trafficking by an alarming 122% in 2011. Each year more than 100,000 women are killed by fires in India. Analysts say deep-rooted changes in social attitudes are needed to make India’s women more accepted and secure. Many citizens queried if the political parties and politicians would take any actions to protect the women when the political parties in the last five years have fielded candidates for state elections that included 27 candidates who declared they had been charged with rape, as well as there are six elected state legislators who have charges of rape against them. [BBC]
CEDAR’s partners in India are addressing this issue on violence against women in their own respectively programmes. Our partner EFICOR is bringing awareness collectively among women self help groups on such incidents and to pressurize local administration with prompt actions.
Let us pray together:
Oh God, we are deeply aware of our afflictions and pains in the face of the death of a savage rape victim in India. We lift our hands in prayer. Hear us from Your heavenly dwelling.
May the victim be granted eternal rest in Your peace. May Your comfort be with her family and friends. May women and girls from India who have suffered from sexual abuses receive healing. May Your presence be felt in their difficult times.
We thank You for the quick response of Indian government and the law court. We seek for Your justice.
Pray that the offenders can have a broken and repentance hearts. Pray that the society in India to deal with widespread misogyny and take appropriate measures to protect the women.
Please raise up Your church to be peacemaker. Where there is hatred, there is always light from You. Where there is sadness, may Your church bring Your love and comfort.
After the exposure monitoring trips and discussions in the past two years, we have finally chosen Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, India, Nepal, Myanmar and China to be the focus countries for our projects. We have since strengthened our partnership in these focus countries through cooperation and communication to promote our mutual capability on project operation and management to provide more appropriate and effective assistance to impoverished communities.
In recent years, the Chinese and Nepalese governments have loosened official restrictions on local Christian churches. In addition to reforms in the political process in Myanmar, there is a new turning point for the growth of Christian relief and development work in these countries. CEDAR hopes to seize this opportunity to seek furthering the cooperation of Hong Kong churches with overseas churches and Christian organisations. Project sites in the above six focus countries will become important platforms for Hong Kong churches to participate in appropriate response to global ministry in the practice of integral mission. Hong Kong churches can provide strong support in human and financial resources to these overseas partners engaged in frontline ministries. This way we can develop the partnership between different nations, regions, churches and organisations in better synergy.
As a member organisation of the Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor (the HKCNP), CEDAR will endeavor to mobilise local churches to work with frontline organisations, social enterprises and government, facilitating the development of district network for social concern among churches. We look forward to churches becoming the real neighbour to the poor, giving them timely, suitable and holistic care and assistance.
[ “SHARE” Nov-Dec 2012 – Care for Children ~ ‘Join Hands Join Hearts’ ] FOCUS ~ Interviewing a Ministry
Compiler and writer> Jojo POON
‘Give children a happy childhood’, ‘care for the pillars of our future’, ‘give the little ones a cup of cold water to drink’, ‘love for children’ – these are all reasons people support children’s ministry. But how do we give impoverished children a happy childhood? What do they really need? In this issue some children’s ministry stakeholders will talk about joining hands and hearts with children.
Supporters: Walk together so they may see
Mr. and Mrs. Wong have sponsored children before through other organisations. Upon hearing about CEDAR’s principle of ‘From Church, Through Church’, they started supporting CEDAR’s children’s ministry, helping overseas impoverished children with their basic needs.
Through CEDAR’s short films a few years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Wong learned about children’s education in war-torn Afghanistan, the health condition of scavenging children in Indonesia, and how HIV/AIDS wrecked families in Africa. Mrs. Wong tells us, ‘This world is so unfair. Perhaps those of us who live in Hong Kong are so blessed that we do not truly understand… developed countries lead the world and yet they set rules and system which are difficult for poor countries to follow.’
Mr. and Mrs. Wong understand that providing children with their basic needs deals only with one level of the poverty issue, so they hope that these faraway families can become self-reliant rather than having to depend on relief from organisations. ‘Providing appropriate life skills training, fighting for reasonable returns for producers, having proper HIV preventions and all-round control of diseases all bring changes to impoverished families.’
Another supporter, Chris, joined CEDAR’s Children Ministry Scheme over four years ago. He hopes that his contribution will help children go to school and improve their lives. ‘I believe the impact of education is far-reaching; it is very important for children’s growth and can greatly impact the community. With knowledge, children may even resolve problems such as hunger and disasters.’
At first Chris was happy with just corresponding with the children and exchanging news. That was ‘poverty relief’ to him. But then he realised that there was more to it and he needed to go further, so his involvement changed from merely sponsoring daily needs to supporting community development programmes and now struggles with greater awareness of the injustices behind poverty.
After years of involvement, supporters now see not only the needs of individual impoverished children, but also the predicaments faced by their families, communities and countries, as well as the importance of mobilising community development in order to help these children.
Project officers: Reach out so they may see wider
Tracy joined CEDAR in 2007 working on children’s projects. Through our global partners she learns about oppressed children – some are victims of wars or natural disasters; others are AIDS orphans, school drop-outs or scavengers. Problems and challenges vary but Tracy believes that whatever the situation, children should receive basic living guarantees and education, because protection and provision are the basic rights of children.
Years of ministry have taught Tracy that, to help the children, it is not enough to just take care of their personal and superficial needs but it is also necessary to know the particular situation of the entire family and the community. ‘Actually, the hardship of the children’s families can be resolved by helping the entire family and the community, to empower them and nurture mutual-help. Improving the community as a whole can give the children a better environment to grow up in. If we merely sponsor individual children directly but not their siblings because of the insufficient resources or the restriction of organisation’s policies, there will be discrepancies in learning, development and growth.’
Hazel, our project consultant, recently visited India and met an organisation that adopts the children’s rights-based approach. She saw how children were encouraged to think and express their views on their community’s issues through children’s rights and development groups. ‘It was very memorable to see children bravely voicing out their concerns, such as alcohol abuse, fathers abusing mothers, lack of community sanitation, frequent verbal abuse of children and the government’s reckless tree felling. We see that the children’s daily life and concerns are inseparable from their community and even the children are well aware of those issues.’
Annual street drama raises awareness of the lack of clean water in schools
Frontline partners: Serve so they may see farther
Our frontline partners live in the same countries and face the social situations as the children-beneficiaries; they therefore identify and struggle with the children’s needs.
Facing Zimbabwe’s high unemployment and inflation rate, high HIV infection and millions of AIDS orphans, CEDAR’s partner Family Aids Caring Trust (FACT) understand that these orphans need education, food and community support. ‘Without an education one cannot find work. Therefore, education is vital for children-beneficiaries to have job opportunities in the future. Further, even if children can go to school, low-income families still have to worry about food because of continuous droughts and inflation… Experiences tell us that community support can help orphaned or traumatised children build self-respect and thereby reduce the risk of them going astray.’
Even though children worldwide have varied backgrounds and needs, all of our partners point out that, apart from basic needs such as food and clothing, bible-based worldview and family/community support are essential for children’s growth. A worker at Addis Ababa Guenet Church (AAGC), CEDAR’s partner in Ethiopia, says, ‘We learn from years of ministry that we need to not only love these children, but also to establish relationships with their families and communities, so as to give them a better living environment.’
CEDAR’s partner New India Evangelistic Association (NIEA) tells us its expectations for its children-beneficiaries, ‘We hope they will get to know and experience Christ, and by their words and deeds they will be witnesses of Christian faith and power. We also hope that they will help other children in the future, know their community’s needs and join in serving and building a better country.’
Children-beneficiaries: Please listen to me
Ultimately, children are the largest stakeholders. Let us hear what they have to say.
[Left] Meheret, Ethiopia > I need food most; education, clothes and shoes that fit. Being properly clothed protects my body and gives me confidence to interact with classmates and enjoy school life. [Right] Priya, India > The most important things in my life are studying, praying and my family.
[Left] Norman, Zimbabwe > I need food, health and education most, because I do not want to contract HIV/AIDS. [Right] Pynos, Zimbabwe > I think food, health and a stable home are the most important things in life.
Extended Action
Since children are vulnerable, they arouse our compassion; however, because they hold an infinite future, they give us hope not despair. Are you willing to join this project of hope and bring changes to children in Myanmar, India, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe? Please support our ‘Join Hands Join Hearts’ Children Ministry Scheme and donate monthly towards our community-based children development programme, to improve living conditions for children and give them a life of dignity and value once again.
CEDAR Barefoot Walk 2012 has completed successfully on 10 November (Saturday). Nearly 400 participants walked barefoot in Central to experience the hardship of the poor and disadvantaged and to raise fund to support impoverished communities in South Asia’s nations, including India, Nepal and Bangladesh, to be self-reliant. After an opening ceremony led by Dr. CHAN Nim Chung, Chief Executive of CEDAR Fund, participants set out in 15 groups barefooted. They passed through Des Voeux Road Central, Cotton Tree Drive and Ice House Street and other main streets in Central and left their footprints on several famous places like the Hong KongPark and St. John’s Cathedral.
Since 2001 CEDAR Fund has raised fund through Barefoot Walk. This year we held the event in Central, the glamorous, prosperous commercial centre of Hong Kong, letting participants to feel the struggle and deprivation of the poor and disadvantaged people living in urban cities by leaving their footprints of concern for the poor to express their determination to walk with billions of underprivileged people around the world.
A halfway station of the Walk was set at Li Hall of St. John’s Cathedral. Participants could sense and learn about the cultures and daily lives of South Asian people through images (photo exhibition), smell (fragrance of South Asian nations), taste (Indian milk tea) and hearing (Indian music), in order to inspire their interest and concern for the South Asian countries.
Many participants were first time comers of CEDAR Barefoot Walk. Not only do they get a sense of difficulties faced by the poor within a one hour walk, they demonstrated their collective power by helping impoverished communities in South Asia to walk out of poverty. Some participants took photos with their barefoot at the finish stop and some hold prayers for the impoverished communities in South Asia.
Sincere gratitude to the following organisations/groups which support and join the Walk (in no particular order)
Red Cross Hospital School
Hong Kong St. John Ambulance
St. John’s Cathedral
Kinbroad Limited
Arthome
Mr. Kenneth Chau
Hong Kong Police Force
United Christian College (Kowloon East)
Heep Yunn School
Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School
Shatin Baptist Church – Unity Chapel
Hong Kong Baptist Church
Assembly of God Harland Park Memorial Church
Western District Evangelical Church
Hong Kong Foochow Dialect Evangelistic Fellowship – Tsuen Wan Church
Hong Kong West Point Baptist Church
Hung Hom Christian Church – Joshua Fellowship
Christian Central Church (Jordan)
Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Church of the Good Shepherd
Sheng Kung Hui St. Thomas’ Church
All Saints’ Cathedral – Esther Fellowship)
Chung Sing Church – Andrews Group
The Church of Christ in China Mongkok Church – Daniel Fellowship
ELCHK Salvation Lutheran Church
Min-nam Chinese Christian Trinity Church
Remembrance of Grace Church (Fanling Church)
Better Together Group
Paul
Rebels
3。Ding’s family
Micah family
Kwong’s family
Introduction of CEDAR Fund CEDAR Fund is an independent Christian relief and development organisation found in Hong Kong in 1991. We work ‘From Church, Through Church’ and serve the impoverished communities in Asia and Africa in partnership with churches and Christian organisations worldwide, together to build a just and compassionate world in Christ.
[ “SHARE” Jul-Aug 2012 – What Has Poverty to Do with Me? ] STEP INTO THE WORLD
Many poor Indians live in rural villages in the forests of Orissa State. These villagers are mainly low castes or tribals with their different religious beliefs. Conflicts among such groups are always happening and that worsen their desperate plight. In 2008, Hindu-Christian violent clashes resulted in many casualties and much economic loss. Tribal hatred has simmered on.
Communities are further marginalised by illiteracy which hinders them from learning new farming or other skills. Moreover, their villages are too remote and they rely only on oxcarts for transportation. This makes it difficult for them to leave and find work in towns and cities.
CEDAR partner Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR) launched community development projects in twenty villages in Orissa. It organises women literacy class and improves farmers’ livelihood by building their capacities. Leadership training helps facilitate sustainable community development and network among the castes and lead to an inclusive community.
HK$100 trains up one teacher for adult literacy classes
HK$300 supports ten farmers in agricultural training
HK$850 improves the quality of one hectare of farmland soil.
You can donate to support this integrated community project, helping rural communities in Orissa Stateto build up a sustainable development 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.
Many poor people live in the rural villages back behind the forests of the Orissa states. These villagers come from different castes, tribes and have different religious beliefs. Conflicts among groups are always happened and worsen their impoverished livelihood. In 2008, the Hindu-Christian violent conflict there, resulted in causalities and economic losses. Even now, the community has not experienced real reconciliation. Bias and hatred piled up.
The local community is further marginalized due to their illiteracy which hinders them from learning new agricultural skills. Moreover, their villages are too remote and they only rely on oxcart for transportation. This makes them difficult in going out to find a job and work. It is difficult for the poor communities to access just and fair development opportunities and hence trapped in dire situation.
Hence, CEDAR partner Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR) launches a community development projects in twenty villages in Orissa. Villagers receive trainings on literacy, leadership, income generating skills and community health. Local self-help groups are helped with governance training for managing various issues in their communities on their own and thus enhancing sustainability in the development.
The impact of the project is growing gradually. Over 600 villagers from different castes and tribes have benefited. For roads construction is the most effective one, the transportation to the outer world is obviously improved. Most importantly, all the transformation in the communities are led by the local village leaders.
