The magazine of Us (the new name for USPG). Founded 1701. Winter 2015 Meet the first woman bishop in Asia Page 12 Cover: Bishop Pushpa Lalitha, of Nandyal Diocese, Church of South Finding hope India. See page 12. (Stephan Metzler) here is so much pain and T tragedy in the world that it We are Us. We are an Anglican sometimes seems difficult not to mission agency working in partnership feel overwhelmed and it can be with churches around the world. easier to look away. Together, we work alongside local communities to improve health, In this edition of Transmission put children in school, tackle we read about the hardships facing discrimination, nurture leaders, give refugees in Europe and in Ethiopia. a voice to women, and much more. We read about communities Founded 1701. devastated by large-scale mining in the Philippines. And we hear directly Us in Britain Us., Harling House, 47-51 Great from children and teenagers about Suffolk Street, London SE1 0BS the pain they feel as they face an 020 7921 2200 uncertain future. [email protected] Thankfully, there is always hope www.weareUs.org.uk in Christ. As Bishop Pushpa explains facebook.com/UsWorldwide on page 12: ‘Jesus came to make twitter.com/weareUs_tweets Registered charity number 234518 us strong and give hope to the hopeless.’ Us in Ireland Without this hope in Christ, all of Us in Ireland, Egan House, St Michan’s our work, however commendable, is Church, Church Street, Dublin 7 in vain. +353 (0)86 858 6337 It is because of this hope that our [email protected] www.weareUs.ie church partners around the world Charity numbers: CHY 7988 (in Ireland), dare to reach out with a belief that XT 26530 (in Northern Ireland). lives can change for the better. God needs our hearts and hands Transmission is the magazine for to do his work, and we need to live in supporters of Us. The views expressed the Spirit of God if we are to make here may not always represent the official position of Us. sense of a suffering world. ISSN 0967-926X Janette O’Neill Edited by Mike Brooks Chief Executive, Us Designed by Monika Ciapala Printed by Fretwell Print Transmission is sent free of charge, although donations to cover the cost You can subscribe to receive Transmission of publication are appreciated. by post or email. You can also order copies for your church. Call Eunice Kasirye on 020 7921 2211 or email [email protected]. uk, letting us know your full name, title and postal address. 2 Supporting Europe’s refugees The Diocese in Europe has meet the immediate needs of ↑ Refugees at appointed Us to receive refugees, which is especially Gevgelija donations to support its work critical as winter sets in. on the among refugees. The diocese is also developing Macedonia/ Over 500,000 migrants are a longer-term strategy because Greece border. estimated to have arrived in the situation is unlikely to settle (Dragan Tatic) Europe this year. Many are Syrians for a long time. who have fled fighting in their At the moment, the diocese country. Large numbers have has committed to the following been living in over-populated and initiatives in partnership with the under-funded UN refugee camps Greek Orthodox Church: in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. • On the Island of Leros, a With conditions in the camps church centre is housing refugees deteriorating – and hopes for and providing food, clothing, peace in Syria fading – desperate toiletries and medicine. families have been travelling • On the Island of Samos, overland to the coast of Turkey, a church hostel is caring for then taking boats to Greece, 600 refugees, many of whom hoping eventually to find refuge have medical needs. The hostel and a home in Europe. is mostly supporting Iraqi and Families arrive in Greece feeling Afghan refugees. exhausted. Many are in urgent • In Athens, the church need of medical care. Children and is working with the Salvation young people are vulnerable to Army to provide food, water human trafficking. and medicine to refugees who The Diocese in Europe is congregate in local parks. ■ working ecumenically with local churches and agencies, with a particular focus on Greece, while also working through Anglican Read more and make a donation at chaplaincies across the continent. www.weareUs.org.uk/europe Your donations will help to 3 Church is caring for war refugees Us has sent emergency funds to support the Anglican Church in Ethiopia as it reaches out to refugees fleeing war in South Sudan. A civil war between political factions in South Sudan saw 350,000 refugees fleeing the country for Gambella and Asosa in Ethiopia during 2014. Fighting intensified in July and a further 150,000 refugees arrived in Ethiopia, putting immense pressure on relief efforts. Most of the refugee families arrive with only what they can carry, usually a few clothes. The needs are enormous. ‘There is a camp near the town of ↑ Children But, with support from our Rapid Dima which is ethnically mixed, sleeping under Response Fund, the Anglican with Nuer, Dinka, Anuak and mosquito nets Church is doing what it can to Murle – all traditional enemies. supplied by provide food aid. In addition, However, when I went there, they the Anglican churches in the refugee camps told me they didn’t want separate Church for a provide education and serve as churches. They wanted to show refugee camp community centres. their people it was possible to live in Gambella. The Rt Rev Dr Grant together. (Bishop Grant LeMarquand, Area Bishop of ‘We named their church LeMarquand) Ethiopia, often visits the refugee Holy Family, both because Mary, camps. Joseph and Jesus were refugees Amid the drabness and scarcity and because this church was of life in the camps, he was able demonstrating what true holiness to report the following highlight: means.’ ■ Mission accomplished in Malaysia and Singapore Two mission associations – The Rachel Parry, Us Global Borneo Mission Association (BMA) Relations Director, said: ‘The two and the Singapore and West associations accomplished their Malaysia Diocesan Association task having helped to establish (SWMDA) – have been formally churches that are now fully closed, with BMA’s trust funds indigenous, vibrant and self- transferred to Us to use for the supporting.’ benefit of the church in Malaysia. She added: ‘The dedication of Us is an ideal home for the the BMA and SWMDA missionaries funds because we sent the first and their families was incredible, Anglican missionaries to Borneo with many early missionaries losing over 150 years ago. their lives to tropical diseases.’ ■ 4 The new Us blog is now online at www.weareUs.org.uk/blog and features the news, views and opinions of our world church partners. Activist killed in the Philippines Opposing destructive large- “extra-judicial killings”, perpetrated scale mining operations in the by armed groups allegedly Philippines, and around the organised, funded and maintained world, is literally a matter of life by government security forces.’ and death. Since 2010, under the current Just one month after attending Philippine president Benigno S the International People’s Aquino III, there have been 11 Conference on Mining, held in the massacres in indigenous Philippine Philippines, human rights activist communities, accounting for 49 Emerito Samarca was tortured lives, including seven children. and killed by armed forces on 1 Fr Herbert said: ‘Those affected September. by mining need people around the He is one of hundreds of world to hear their cry and their activists – including journalists, longing for justice and peace. Let lawyers and church leaders – us listen to them and become their who have been murdered after voice.’ speaking out against human rights Us is supporting initiatives to ↓ Fr Herbert abuses in the Philippines. combat destructive mining in the (right) Fr Herbert Fadriquela, Philippines. and fellow the Anglican Chaplain to the • For a full report from activists at the Filipino Community in Leicester, the mining conference, see conference. represented Us at the conference, www.weareUs.org.uk/mining ■ (Fr Herbert) which looked at how lucrative mining operations are destroying communities and poisoning the environment. He said: ‘In the Philippines and around the world, the stories of how communities have been affected by mining operations are innumerable. ‘Family members have been killed, people have lost homes and farms, communities have lost access to drinking water, children have lost schools and playgrounds, communities have lost churches and graveyards. ‘Community leaders that oppose mining are intimidated and harassed and, worse, they become the victims of so-called 5 Priests explore Christianity in Asia Church leaders are full of praise Eric writes: ‘I was really excited ↓ Britto for a new training academy that to attend the academy and learn Santharaj is providing fresh insight into more about the word of God and and fellow what it means to be a Christian how to be more effective in my participants in Asia today. ministry. In fact, the training has at the Asian Organised by the newly- changed my perspective and Theological founded Asian Theological attitude towards my ministry. Academy. Academy, the first in a series of ‘I knew that God was opening (Britto monthly training events took doors for me. We shared a lot Santharaj) place in Sri Lanka this summer. In about the joys and sorrows in our attendance were 15 young church ministries. The sessions on social leaders – men and women – from justice and liberation theology Bangladesh, India, Mauritius, and on inter faith and ecological Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri issues were very helpful. The Lanka. overall lesson was that God is not Future seminars and workshops just open to the Christians but to will be held in different countries everybody, especially those who in Asia.