What Do You See in This Picture?
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THE MAGAZINE OF ANGLICAN OVERSEAS AID | SUMMER 2018 What do you see in this picture? Inside • Honours, Welcomes and a Thank You • A Visit from Kenyan Partners • Bible Study: Preparing for Difficult Times Christian hope is CONTENTS more important 4 Honours, Welcomes and a Thank You than ever 6 What do you see when The Reverend Dr Bob Mitchell you look at this photo? Chief Executive Officer 8 A Visit from Kenyan Partners Meet the Partner: s another Christmas and New Year has Annual General Meeting, we honoured the 9 Acome and gone, we are again thankful incredible contribution to our organisation Florence Nderitu for Christ coming into the world. The past of Beth Hookey, the very first Executive 10 Bible Study: Preparing for year has been a tumultuous one for the Officer of Anglican Overseas Aid. You can Difficult Times world, so to be reminded of the hope we read the citation for her on pages 4-5. We have in Christ is more important than ever. also introduced two new Board members, 11 Generosity Amidst Our recent Advent reflection booklet Dr. Robin Ray, who is a wonderful Adversity: Emergencies attempted to express this hope that the Ambassador for us in northern Queensland, Update. world needs. It focused on the fact that the and Bishop Paul Barker. We also expressed FRONT COVER: Beach front on the presence of Christ is always with us. It is our gratitude to Denise Nichols, who has eastern side of Ambae Island, Penama past, present and future. provided (and still provides!) extraordinary Province, Vanuatu. In our work over the past six months commitment and support to us. You can also Photo: Anglican Overseas Aid/Iuma Bani we have been confronted with the reality read more about these wonderful people on of a changing climate, the terror faced by pags 4-5. TO DONATE the Rohingya refugees, and just prior to In November we were also fortunate to T: (03) 9495 6100 Christmas, the flare-up of tensions again in host a delegation of partners from Kenya. Freecall: 1800 249 880 the Middle East. All of these things affect They were here to receive training as part PO Box 389, Abbotsford, VIC 3067 people in the communities with whom of the Australian Government’s Australian ABN 39 116 072 050 we work. We have the easier job here of Award Fellowship. You can read about reporting on these tragedies, however they their visit and their work with the Anglican are the ones who are forced to live with the Church of Kenya on pages 8-9. consequences of what is happening on the A large focus of our work over the past ground. year has been on responding to emergencies It is within this around the world. context of us reporting On page 11 you can on these situations While we may be physically read updates on our that you continue to removed from what is responses to the terrible www.anglicanoverseasaid.org.au support our work. Our famine engulfing East All donations of $2 and over are tax deductible. Spring Appeal last year happening in countries Africa, as well as Keep up-to-date with our eNews, emailed straight to your inbox. Email [email protected] with the raised more than we where we work, your report backs on the word “Subscribe” in the subject line, or subscribe via our had budgeted for, and support is making a tangible situation facing people website: www.anglicanoverseasaid.org.au our Christmas Appeal in Syria. We also look All photos are supplied by Anglican Overseas Aid unless brought in many more difference there. at the experiences of otherwise stated. generous donations. the displaced Rohingya While we may be people in Myanmar. physically removed from what is happening Finally, on page 10 we have our Bible in countries where we work, your support study. This time our study looks at the story President: The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier, is making a tangible difference there. of Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh Archbishop of Melbourne and Primate of Australia Every donation adds up. You are making a in Genesis 41, and what this says about our Chief Executive Officer: The Reverend Dr Bob Mitchell difference for God’s kingdom! God and what we can learn about preparing One of our features in this issue of for disasters. Abundance is that of climate change and its Throughout these past months we have Anglican Overseas Aid is a member of effects in the Pacific. That part of the world seen the goodness of God in our midst. As is a focus of ours for the next five years, we prepare for this new year, our prayer is and our partners are hard at work to combat that you will know the love of this God who Anglican Overseas Aid is a signatory to the ACFID Code the effects of a changing climate, which are has a special place for the poor. of Conduct. already being felt in places like Vanuatu and We hope you had a meaningful and www.acfid.asn.au Solomon Islands. You can read about our special Christmas and a safe New Year. work in the Pacific on pages 6-7. Thank you so much again for your support. We have also had much to celebrate in We hope you get a lot out of this issue of the last six months. In November at our Abundance. Printed on recycled paper. SUMMER 2018 LIFE. ABUNDANTLY. FOR ALL. ABUNDANCE 2 INBRIEF Less is More: Sharing our vision A Lenten Reflection Since the publication of the last Abundance, our team has been busy With Lent starting early this The booklet is available at getting out and about. One of the highlights was the visit to Melbourne year, we are pleased to no charge, in either English, by our long-term partner in Ethiopia, Valerie Browning. It was great to announce the publication of Mandarin Chinese or Dinka. host an event for her at St Michael’s Anglican Church in North Carlton. our Lenten Reflection booklet They make ideal resources She spoke to over forty people about her work and experiences of for 2018. The booklet looks at for personal or small group living in the Afar region of Ethiopia for the last 30 years. the themes of Connections, reflection. We were also sponsors of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne Generosity, and Service from If you would like to Conference on Missional Leadership in the 21st Century. Our CEO, the perspectives of ‘More’ or order copies for your own Bob Mitchell, led a workshop looking at what we can learn from the ‘Less’. For example, in our reflections, use in a small church in the developing world, specifically focusing on Mozambique. busy lives, what does more group, or for distributing Later in the year, we exhibited at the General Synod for the first time, generosity look like, and at church, please call 1800 as well as the Melbourne Synod. what does less generosity 249 880 or email aoa@ At the same time that General Synod was on, our Marketing and look like? Each reflection is anglicanoverseasaid.org. Communications Manager, Brian Holmes, was in the Diocese of also supported by a selection au. Newcastle, sharing with the Anglican Women of Newcastle about of Lenten practices, such A pdf version can be our work in Palestine. His particular focus was on breast cancer as practicing slowness, or downloaded from our website awareness and diagnosis at the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, and replacing consumption with at www.anglicanoverseasaid. Brian was able to share his experiences and photographs from a contemplation. org.au recent visit to the region. ANGLICAN OVERSEAS AID ANNUAL REPORT WELCOMES A NEW PUBLISHED STAFF MEMBER We are delighted to welcome For many, the thought of Kylie Wingjan to our International reading an Annual Report is not Programs Team. Kylie has more than captivating. However, annual a decade’s experience in professional reports are a great way of development practice and program knowing what an organisation is management, working closely with doing, and how it is spending the partners and communities in Africa, money given to it. South and S.E. Asia. Prior to joining Our Annual Report for 2017 Anglican Overseas Aid, Kylie worked is now available, both in paper with a similar sized Christian aid and digital formats. We would and development agency where she urge you to have a look, and find developed her passion for building community capacity and resilience out what we have been doing around child rights and protection. Kylie also brings corporate during the last financial year. You experience in the areas of people, culture and learning, which firmly can find out how we work with underpins her strongly relational approach and commitment to our partners’ strengths and learn transformational community development. from their work. We show what Download a copy impact we have had, and how from our website at www. we are helping partners prepare anglicanoverseasaid.org.au SPREADING OUR MESSAGE AT THE for risks and disasters. The or request a hard copy to be JUSTICE CONFERENCE report also lets you know how sent to you by calling 1800 We were proud to be a partner at The Justice Conference, held at we have been engaging with the 249 880 or emailing aoa@ Melbourne Town Hall, in late October. We joined with many other Anglican Church in Australia, anglicanoverseasaid.org.au justice-focused agencies to support the annual event. Many people and how the money raised is came to our stand, engaging us in stimulating conversation about spent.