Compassion International, the organisation TEAR Fund NZ partners with in Child Sponsorship, runs a programme that unites them with bloggers. From time to time they take groups of bloggers on trips to see the work done in the developing world first hand and those bloggers write while on the trips, giving their readers a close proximity to what is happening and what sponsorship is achieving. One of those bloggers is a wonderful lady whose blog I follow [...]

To read part one, click here. Laziness has received a bad rap over the years. It’s an insult, a weakness, a failing closely related to sloth which is listed among the seven deadly sins. There are all manner of helpful books, videos and websites on how to beat your laziness, how to mould yourself into a more productive, highly motivated and energetic super being. But have you ever thought that maybe laziness is there to [...]

In this edition of the Podcast we talk to Ian McInnes, former country director for World Concern in Sri Lanka, TEAR Fund’s partner in the area. We discuss the current situation and what TEAR Fund is involved with.

Are you working too hard – arriving at work early and leaving late? Do you work weekends or attack your leisure activities with the same frenetic energy that you bring to your job? Or do you pack your “leisure hours with chores and other unpaid work? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then for the sake of your sanity and sanctity you need to read this article. If the answer is [...]

The following is taken from an op-ed piece in the New York Times written by Bono. I was made aware of it by Rich Johnson, through Twitter. You can follow Rich here. A few weeks ago I was in Washington when news arrived of proposed cuts to the president’s aid budget. People said that it was going to be hard to fulfill promises to those who live in dire circumstances such a long way away when there [...]

This just appeared in the Guardian UK: Hundreds of civilians are being killed or seriously injured in artillery and gun attacks as the Sri Lankan army attempts to finish off the last Tamil Tiger rebels trapped in a shrinking pocket of land. Injured civilians lucky enough to get out have told of carnage in this so-called “no-fire zone” – a 17 sq km strip of coast where the Tigers are penned in with their backs [...]

Recently my wife Helen and I enjoyed a brief holiday in Aus, driving from Melbourne to Adelaide. Along with our nifty, thrifty Getz, we hired a GPS. For the technologically illiterate a GPS is a Global Positioning System – a brilliant navigation device which holds a road map of the whole country in its little box brain and using a satellite signal, knows exactly where you are. Type in your destination and the GPS both [...]

For your interest, here is President Obama talking with students in Turkey. It is an interesting dilaogue.

Our child sponsorship programme around the world is run by our partner organisation Compassion International. Today, I thought I would offer you a video that explains Compassion International a little. If you would like to sponsor a child through TEAR Fund NZ and our partner, Compassion, call us on 0800 800 777 or click here.

TEAR Fund has many generous donors who are engaged with various parts of what we do, whether it be child, sponsorship, micro-enterprise, community development, disaster relief or our peace and reconciliation efforts. I was a TEAR Fund supporter long before I became the Education and Campaigns Manager. My wife and I support a number of TEAR Fund initiatives including child sponsorship, micro-enterprise, the work done through Watoto and various Gift for Life catalogue purchases. With [...]