International development
A recent survey in Christ Church revealed that
TEAR Fund was the Christian organisation that received most
financial support from our members. TEAR Fund is one of the largest
UK charities, working and campaigning to alleviate poverty in many countries
around the world.
One of its strengths is in providing resources that churches
such as ours can use - especially at Harvest time - to make us more aware of
what life is like for the world's poorest and what we can do about it.
African street children
The
Amani Children's Home
provides care for street children in the
town of Moshi, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. We
have felt a special empathy with this cause because, like us, Amani
has undertaken a building project - though on a much bigger scale
than ours.
In February 2007, Cathie, one of our members, travelled
to Tanzania for the opening ceremony of their new building, which
is now home to around 60 children and young people.
British church growth
Closer to home,
CPAS
(Church Pastoral Aid Society)
is a UK-based organisation that links together Anglican churches across the country,
providing resources and training, especially in the area of children's and youth work.
CPAS also runs Falcon Camps, which provide residential holidays for children from
deprived backgrounds.
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This church in Malawi now has benches thanks to a gift from
Christ Church
Romania
One of our oldest links is with a Christian family in
Romania, which began over ten years ago when two of our members
drove a truckload of relief supplies across Europe and carried out much
needed dental work in orphanages and hospitals. The friendship with István,
a pastor in the Hungarian Reformed Church, and his family has been
maintained over the years. It was a great privilege for us to be
able to contribute towards the cost of a minibus for their village.
Media work
A family from our church is currently engaged in Christian work
in Cyprus. Richard, Sue, Daniel and Timothy have their own
family website with more details of what they are up to.
...and elsewhere
Donations by Christ Church members (boosted by the profits from the Traidcraft
stall) have enabled us to pay for benches in a church in Malawi, medical care
for street children in Ukraine, and (in partnership with a church in Germany)
a minibus for István's village in Romania.
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