St Luke's aims to give 15% of the parish income to outreach projects. About 80% of this goes overseas whilst the remainder is spent in New Zealand. When allocating the funds consideration is given to how prospective projects fit with the five aspects of mission defined by the Anglican Church. These are:
Here is a little about the projects we support overseas. For more information or to donate to any of these projects contact Diane Ormsby.
Bethlehem Bible College is 10 minutes walk from the site where Jesus was born. The college has just graduated its first students in Mass Media and is producing Arabic Christian programs. Bethlehem TV station has given them one hour a week airtime for anything they want to do. The first programs went to air in March 2005. The students, staff and graduates of the college seek to testify to the power and presence of the Lord in a city under siege. They work towards peace, justice and forgiveness in a troubled land.
Nobi Noor has been our sponsored child for the past few years. Last year we held a Family Service focussing on overseas outreach and made Nobi a scrapbook about the life of his Church Family in New Zealand. He was delighted with the gift. Our donations have provided Nobi with health care services and clean water. He has also had enhanced leadership, management and skill training which should help him gain a greater income and employment opportunities when he leaves school.
Nobi has now left school and does not need our help. Another child from the Kaliganj Community in Bangladesh called Samrat Miah is our new sponsored child. Samrat is 6 years old, goes to kindergarten and loves playing football. He speaks Bengali and has one sister. Samrat loves receiving letters. Are you willing as a member of his Church Family to write to him once or twice a year? Contact Diane Ormsby for his address details.
The Board of Anglican Missions funds projects based in countries all around the globe, including New Zealand. There is however, a particular emphasis on projects based in Polynesia and Africa.
The Christian World Service 2004 appeal had the theme "The Right to Food". CWS works through many partners to facilitate implementation of these guidelines and ensure that communities have adequate nourishing food.
South Sudan is racked by civil war. The New Sudan Council of Churches, a CWS partner, is working to rebuild these war-torn communities. They run workshops teaching a variety of skills and believe that education is the key to facilitating a peace process and allowing local groups to practice effective self-management. The people of South Sudan seek to rebuild their communities but need funding to run these workshops and provide the seeding capital for new ventures.
The Leprosy Mission in Bangladesh and other developing countries provides education and drugs to treat and cure Leprosy. Education programs in the villages of affected countries help prevent leprosy from having a devastating effect in developing countries. Leprosy is curable if treated with antibiotics and if caught early enough does not produce any physical damage.
In New Zealand our money is used to support the work of two organisations:
Mission 4 families seeks to provide the support that families need to live and feel better together. They provide counselling, practical support, budget advice and food parcels for families who are struggling.
Mission 4 seniors provides support and socialisation for older people isolated by sickness and disability.
Habitat for Humanity is "an international Christian organisation dedicated to eliminating substandard housing". More than 200 houses have been built in New Zealand since 1993. The organisation works in partnership with volunteers and the families in need. Both the volunteers and the family receiving the house help to build it and the family buy it back through a no-profit, zero-interest loan scheme.
