|
Message from
Sarah
At Lent Event, we are making May a month for reflection,
reaffirmation and thanksgiving.
To you we say a giant thank you. Devoting one’s self to the
Lenten journey is not an easy task. The reflection, sacrifice and
discipline that Lent Event participants undertake, over 40 days,
can be extremely challenging. Having recently returned from
Timor-Leste, I have a deeper sense of how much the spiritual and
financial support we provide is appreciated.
 The Lent Event team
has been blessed recently by those of you who have contacted us to
explain how Lent Event has changed their individual lives and that
of their faith community. It is has been wonderful to hear from
different congregations throughout Australia explaining how the
journey through Lent has changed their relationship with God and
our neighbours. Even more wonderful is the news that many
communities have been inspired to deepen their engagement with our
overseas partners. We can’t wait to see how these new connections
will change lives, both here and overseas, in the months that
follow. We’ll keep you posted on what transpires.
May God bless you richly as you continue to be a blessing to
others.
Sarah White
Lent Event Founder
Timor-Leste Update:
Agricultural Projects
How much would you value a goat?
For farming communities in Timor-Leste, goats are highly prized,
as Sarah White recently discovered, during her trip to the poverty
stricken nation with Rob Floyd, UnitingWorld’s Associate Director
of Relief and Development.
Goat rearing is just one of the initiatives coordinated by
UnitingWorld’s partner church, Fusona, part of the Protestant
Church in Timor Lorosa’e (IPTC), to improve the lives of
agricultural communities in Timor-Leste. As part of its animal
husbandry initiative, farming groups receive six goats which they
learn to care for and breed in order to later sell at market, where
they are highly sought after.
In addition to this project, Sarah was lucky enough to visit a
number of farming communities where UnitingWorld has provided basic
equipment and supplies for growing crops. Donations have funded
training programs for natural fertiliser and insecticides, as well
as the provision of seeds and hand tractors, to harvest the
crops.
 For farmers such as
Matius de Aroujo, a wetland farmer, the provision of a hand tractor
for ploughing his community’s land will ensure that the six
families that make up his farming group can provide for themselves
this season. Not only that but the increased yield derived from the
enhanced ploughing method will allow the excess crop to be sold to
pay for the education of their children. “This is just one of the
group’s relying on Fusona’s support for economic viability,” Sarah
observed. “These groups are very vulnerable and our support can
make an enormous difference.”
Message for
Coordinators
Thank you to all the amazing Lent Event coordinators who have
organised Lent Event in their faith communities in 2010. Without
your help, Lent Event would simply not have been!. Lent Event runs
over just 40 days – yet it takes many months to organise. Therefore
we thank you for your dedication and hard work.
Recently, we have heard from a number of coordinators
apologising for not being able to get their Lent Event donations in
yet. Processing continues and it is not tool late to get those
donations in. If your community has yet banked and processed their
donations, could you please contact the Lent Event office by email
or phone to inform us of any problems.
Send us your
feedback
Lent Event has been thrilled with the feedback that is flowing
in about Lent Event 2010. We are greatly encouraged by comments
such as this one from a NSW coordinator: “The program is brilliant
and really fits with our way of teaching: biblical teaching,
relevance today, community action, sharing with the rest of the
congregation.”
 In the next few
months, the Lent Event team will be developing vital discipleship
resources for Lent Event 2011. If you have thoughts about how the
program has worked in your community or suggestions/ ideas you
think could improve the program for the future, please feel free to
contact us by phone or email. We would love to hear your ideas on
how we can further engage with Christ’s vision of a world without
poverty.
Timor-Leste: Medical
Aid
As part of its commitment to help alleviate the poverty-induced
suffering of our brothers and sisters overseas, UnitingWorld works
in partnership with Fusona, to provide medical assistance and
agricultural support for the people of Timor-Leste.
On her recent visit, Sarah White witnessed first hand the
project’s achievements as well as its challenges.
Sarah reported how she felt a profound sense of respect for the
staff who work with such dedication to ensure that the Los Palos
health centre and mobile health clinics (the medical component of
the project) provide the local population with vital medical
services.
Lack of funding for government-run health centres means that the
people of Los Palos rely heavily on the Fusona’s Immanuel clinic
and its five hard-working staff members to provide much needed
medical advice and medication.
 While visiting the
clinic, Sarah was able to meet with staff members including Amena
da Costa, a local Timorese woman who works tirelessly, performing
the role of Doctor’s Assistant, Pharmacy Assistant and Clinic
Coordinator.
Amena was able to attest to the community’s need for the health
initiative to continue, reporting that between January to December
2009, the clinic treated 15, 209 patients, equalling approximately,
1, 300 patients per month.
“The clinic regularly sees 130 patients per day and has reached
up to 222 patients” Amena reported.
Sarah was able to witness this herself, as large groups of
locals began to line up to see the doctor prior to the clinic’s
opening time of 8.00 a.m.
The Lent Event founder watched on as staff treated patients,
mostly children, suffering from ailments ranging from wounds and
infections to Tuberculosis, Malaria and acute childhood
malnutrition. Sarah was greatly moved by the plight of families and
the efforts of the staff who sought to care for them. “Seeing what
God is up to in this place is inspiring and calls us to do
everything we can to help”, reflected Sarah.
Prayer Points
Prayer is such an important part of our discipleship and our
relationship with our partner churches. Please join together to
pray:
- For Lent Event, that is may continue to grow into the
future.
- In thanksgiving, for the many blessings received by individuals
and congregations this Lent.
- For ourselves, that we may continue to reflect on Christ’s
vision of a world without poverty and work tirelessly to pursue
this.
- For UnitingWorld, as they oversee vital relief and development
work to alleviate poverty overseas.
- For all of our overseas partner churches and communities, that
they experience partnership and empowerment through the
projects.
|