All Things New

All Things New Please use this resource in your Lenten Sunday services, notice sheets or intercessional prayers. Our focus is on the plight of women in poor countries around the world, and their inspirational drive to make life better – for everyone in their community. As your church journeys with us, could you celebrate Easter by twinning your toilets? If you were to hold a special offering during Lent, or encourage your congregation to give up something (like chocolate or caffeine) and donate what they save, you could donate £60 to twin one of your church toilets with an individual latrine around the world, or, for £240, you could choose a special Toilet Twinning certificate that features four toilets in one community or four toilets in one continent. Lent is a Sunday 18 February special time. It allows us ‘Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5 to stop, think At the start of Lent we begin to walk with Jesus and hope in the wilderness. For many people in the world’s poorest countries, there is a daily struggle to keep safe and healthy. Proper sanitation provides a path into green pastures. Hope is real. ‘A house without a toilet is not a home.’ In Margret’s village in Malawi, toilets used to be rare. Local materials such as wood were scarce and people had little incentive to build anyway. They didn’t Father understand that poor sanitation causes disease. A local partner organisation started teaching villagers As we walk alongside your son in the wilderness, open why latrines are so important, and then trained our eyes to your world. Bring us a fresh understanding of them to make concrete slabs to cover their pits. The those in need, whose daily lives are difficult. We pray for slabs are easy to install and can be reused once a strength and courage for your people in Malawi as they pit’s full. Now people have materials and motivation, work to stay safe and healthy. Help us to play our part. everyone’s building toilets. Amen [email protected] 0300 321 3217 /toilettwinning @toilettwinning toilet_twinning Sunday 25 February ‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’ Hebrews 6:19 The old hymn that speaks of ‘clinging’ to the cross brings to mind an anchor in a stormy sea. Firm and secure. Safe. Our hope in Jesus convicts us to reach out to others who often have no hope and don’t feel safe. ‘I didn’t know what caused my baby to die.’ Reina had no idea why her first child died. Back then, the few toilets in the village had sewage pipes which Father led directly into the river. Many people used to bathe there and some drank the river water. Toilet Twinning Thank you that you are our hope. The anchor we can helps fund a local organisation that trained local hold in stormy seas. We pray for those in Guatemala families to build proper toilets and disconnect the who fear for their children’s health and who are falling ill old loos. They’ve also provided families with water through poor sanitation. Remind us this Lent about the filters for drinking water. Reina’s pregnant again – and needs of your people around the world. confident now she can protect her children’s health. Amen May each Sunday of Lent be filled with opportunities to Sunday 4 March thank God in practical ways for the gift ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ of Jesus 2 Corinthians 5:17 International Women’s Day is 8 March. In many parts of the world, women face huge cultural challenges because of their gender. But, with the support of our partners, many women find the strength they need to speak up for equality, dignity and safety. They work together to bring change. Kanchana lives in Pakistan. When Toilet Twinning’s partner explained the link between ill health and sanitation, she was determined that the whole Father community would build latrines. There were challenges to overcome, not least her low social You make all things new. Thank you for your mercies status as a woman, but she persuaded every that are new every morning. We pray for women family to build a toilet. Finally, she had a voice. around the world who long to be heard and have a ‘I was alone,’ says Kanchana, ‘but now I have the place in society. We pray for strength and confidence as strength of the people.’ they step out in faith, that they can make a difference. Amen Sunday 11 March ‘His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.’ Lamentations 3:22–23 No matter what our sins, God’s love and forgiveness will come. How amazing to wake every day in this knowledge. Let the morning light shine into our hearts as we think of those walking in darkness. On this Mothering Sunday, we think of a young mother in Uganda: Life for Justine and her children has been transformed – all thanks to a simple loo. Before, the family were dogged by ill health and suffered regularly from intestinal worms and diarrhoea. Father Then Toilet Twinning’s partner taught Justine the skills she needed to build a latrine, and showed We pray on this special Mothering Sunday for all her the importance of hygiene and handwashing. those who are mothers and who look after children As a result, the family’s health has improved and young people. We think especially of mothers in dramatically. poor countries around the world whose daily life is a struggle. May we be a light to them as we follow the Justine is now part of the local Community example of Jesus. Development Team, that helps others build their Amen. own latrines. Sunday 18 March ‘He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”’ Revelation 21:5 New life. New hope. A blank page. Wonderful to think we can choose to walk with God each day as he guides our path. And wonderful, too, to see that we can make things new for his people all over the world through practical acts of love and service. ‘Personal hygiene for us and our children was all new to us. There used to be lots of flies and we’d get diseases, but not now.’ Ekyoci and her children used to wash in the lake near their home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But it was dangerous: many women and girls were attacked as the region was (and remains) so unstable. When we set up a Community Health Father Club in her village, Ekyoci learnt how to build a washing area near her home. She also learnt how Each day we walk with you. Each day you bring new life. to make a tippy tap, so the family could wash their Thank you. May we step onto that path in the light of hands after using their toilet. A new tap bringing your love and reach out to those living in darkness. new life! Amen. Sunday 25 March ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ John 12:13 Welcome Jesus as he enters the city, in humility, to bring salvation to all. Focusing on his sacrifice makes us truly grateful. May we never cease to serve him as we praise his name. ‘It was very new for us to hear about washing our hands with soap.’ In Ethiopia, Tadelech used to watch in despair as her eight children frequently fell sick. Everything changed when Toilet Twinning’s partner taught Tadelech how to build a latrine using local materials and how to keep her house and Father compound clean. Simple things such as washing their hands with soap have transformed family Hosanna in the highest! Thank you for the gift of salvation. life. Until then, any money Tadelech had went As we approach Easter, we pray that you will open our on medicines. Now, she can afford to send her hearts and minds so that we will be filled with wonder children to school. ‘Before, we were very sick and and gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. We praise thought we would die. Now we believe we will you for our new life in Jesus! live a long life.’ Amen. ‘The old has gone. The new has come!’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 [email protected] 0300 321 3217 /toilettwinning @toilettwinning toilet_twinning.

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