Posts Tagged ‘TEAR Fund’
Posted on June 5, 2009 - by Frank
up:link – Podcast 10 – Dr Tim Meadowcroft
This week we chat with Dr Tim Meadowcroft – Senior theology lecturer at Laidlaw College, TEAR Fund board member and recent visitor to the Palestinian territories.
up:link - The TEAR Fund Podcast
To support the work of TEAR Fund, visit www.tearfund.org.nz or call us on 0800 800 777
Posted on May 22, 2009 - by Frank
up:link – Podcast 8 – Ian McInnes – The latest from Sri Lanka
In this edition of the Podcast, with the Sri Lankan government declaring the defeat of the Tamil Tigers and the Red Cross pulling back from it’s aid operations with the victims of recent events due to the government restricting access, we thought we would catch up with Ian McInnes, one of our programme officers and the former director of our partner organisation in Sri Lanka to get an update on the latest events and TEAR Fund’s connection to the area.
up:link - The TEAR Fund Podcast
To support the work of TEAR Fund, visit www.tearfund.org.nz or call us on 0800 800 777
Posted on April 3, 2009 - by Frank
up:link Podcast 3 – Steve Tollestrup
There is a book coming out in New Zealand that looks at 5 Christian perspectives on the Palestinian/Israeli issue and puts them in conversation with each other. One of the 5 contributors is Steve Tollestrup, the Executive Director of TEAR Fund. In this edition of the Podcast we chat with Steve about the book, the Christian perspective of the issue and TEAR Fund’s involvement in the West Bank and Gaza.
Click here for instructions on how to subscribe to the Podcast.
up:link - The TEAR Fund Podcast
To support the work of TEAR Fund, visit www.tearfund.org.nz or call us on 0800 800 777
Posted on March 20, 2009 - by Frank
up:link Podcast 1 – Patrick McDonald
In this Podcast we talk to Patrick McDonald, head of the Viva Network and advocate on child issues. Patrick was recently in New Zealand for TEAR Fund’s Compassion Day.
up:link - The TEAR Fund Podcast
To support the work of TEAR Fund, visit www.tearfund.org.nz or call us on 0800 800 777
Posted on March 4, 2009 - by Frank
Press Release: Wider consultation needed before changing NZAID
New Zealand’s aid budget, while not above scrutiny, should not become an easy target for government tinkering, said TEAR Fund executive director Stephen Tollestrup.
Mr Tollestrup was reacting to comments made by Foreign Minister Murray McCully that New Zealand’s aid budget payments were creating a culture of `hand outs’. The minister also suggested that the goal of poverty elimination was too wide and amounted to shoving money out of a helicopter.
Mr Tollestrup believes New Zealand aid should not be politicised and that the minister should convene a wider dialogue with development sector professionals and NGOs before coming to any decision on reintegrating NZAID within Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Posted on February 26, 2009 - by Frank
Advocate Team Back in NZ
Recently our advocates team who were on an Insight Tour in the Philippines got back. This was written by Jane Laurie (TEAR Fund Regional Co-Ordinator).
Dear Friends
The TEAR Fund Advocate Team returned to NZ on Sunday. All of us, through the haze of being jet lagged, are still processing what we have seen and experienced.
You have read in previous blogs of our time in Manila. Fom Manila we travelled to Cabanatuan City for 4 days with TEAR Fund’s partner ASKI. We visited a number of TEAR fund related projects, in the Auroa Province, which is about 3 hours drive through the mountains from Cabanatuan. We saw first hand the difference these projects are making in the lives of the communities involved – how they are empowering the people within the community.
To travel by ‘hand tractor’ across the renovated Pacugao Bridge was a highlight. Orginally there was only a one person width swing bridge, in a great need of repair,which made getting people and goods across the river very difficult. To get a coffin (and body) across the river was no easy task. Now that has all changed with the new bridge.
At each of the projects we met with the locals, we witnessed and took part in their cultural dances and singing; we were made to feel so welcome.
In one of the Barangays (villages) the team experienced a little more closely community life when we had a one night home stay. Imagine living in a village where western visitors are extremely rare, and then having 7 Westerners stay over night. For one dear lady it was a little overwhelming and she felt too shy to have the orginally planned two overnight guests. In no time at all another local took up the challange to have the guests stay.
ASKI staff are so dedicated to the Lord and to the work they are doing – they really get to know the individuals within the communities they are working in. The people who recieve benifit of the programmes are not clients – they are partners. ASKI dont create hand outs – there is always a counterpart towards the cost of a project from the community, whether it be in cash or manpower. We were impressed.
Our final night in Cabanatuan City was one where some of the team were again out of their comfort zone – me in particular. The Filipinos love to dance and sing and so after a lovely meal with the ASKI staff we joined them in Karaoke. As a team we all sang together then as individuals we had the opportunity to ‘go it alone’ I took the plunge and was soooo embarrassed-Nothing like singing, out of tune, in front of at least 50 people – it does ones pride good!!! Actually it was such a fun night.
So there you have it, some highlights from the Advocate tour from my perspective.
What have some of the advocates had to say about the tour? . . . .
“This trip was beyond what I expected. A real ‘insight’ into a world outside my comfort zone.”
“Heart changing!!!! Absolutely heart changing for me. God has done an amazing work in me!”
“I have seen the reality of the benefit to the people through the various programmes TEAR Fund is supporting. It is lifechanging for those receiving the benefits”
The highlights of the tour for one advocate. . . Home visits with CCT, visiting the Kaibigan feeding programme and meeting other advocates.
If you are a TEAR Fund Advocate and are interested in joining an advocates tour in the future please contact Beth at TEAR Fund.
Thanks for your interest in this tour and your prayers.
Blessings from Mama (Nanay) Jane whose brain is still a bit fogged from jetlag!!!!!!
If you would like to support TEAR Fund’s work in the Philippines then contact us on 0800 800 777
Posted on February 26, 2009 - by Frank
TEAR Fund’s Events in 2009!
Check this video promo for TEAR Fund’s upcoming events in 2009!
Check out the events & tours section on the TEAR Fund website for more details and more events.
Posted on February 24, 2009 - by Frank
NZ First Western Country to Experience Sowers
New Zealand audiences will be the first outside of Africa to experience the joyful and rhythmic sounds of the talented East African gospel group; The Sowers.
The Sowers will play three free concerts highlighting child poverty on behalf of aid agency TEAR Fund. The opening concert will be in Auckland on March 5, followed by concerts in Tauranga and Hamilton on March 6 and 7.
Having fled the Congo and Rwanda, the band members have a powerful story of survival which has inspired thousands as they have overcome poverty and the scars of conflict, said TEAR Fund events manager, Andrew Robinson.
Posted on February 18, 2009 - by Frank
Start a Revolution – Trade Your iPod!
The following was written by Carl Worthington, a TEAR Fund supporter who has kicked off a radical campaign to raise money to see a well built in Orissa, India, through our partner there.
Welcome to a revolution, this year I have decided to do something bigger than myself and try to make a radical impact on the poor in Orissa, India.
It all started when I was introduced to the idea of building basic wells in Vanuatu through YWAM, a team of like minded individuals and the local community. Unfortunately this never eventuated, but the passion and drive for building wells still anchored itself within me.
Posted on February 13, 2009 - by Frank
Hello From Manila – Day One
Right now we have an Insight Tour in the Philippines. Occassionaly the team will be updating us on how the trip is going. This was written by Jane Laurie (TEAR Fund Regional Co-Ordinator).
Day One
How do I begin to explain our day – it was certainly action packed.We have seen some amazing projects with CCT (Center for Community Transformation) and met with such dedicated staff. This morning we visited a couple of Micro enterprise fellowship groups and all of us came away so inspired. Then this afternoon we visited Kaibigan – the street dwellers programme and it was such an honour to spend time with 200 Kaibigan at their feeding programme.
Posted on February 13, 2009 - by Frank
A Sponsor Child Visited – The Philippines
Clarissa & Stephen Wickens recount the visit to their sponsored children – 15 -16 December 2008
We had decided more than a year ago that we would spend Christmas 2008 and New Year in the Philippines with Clarissa’s family. Since we were going anyway it seemed like a too good an opportunity to miss to visit our sponsored child, Ronald, and by the time we were ready to make plans for the trip we had a second sponsored child in the Philippines – Lea, who had been given to us when a girl we had sponsored in Africa had graduated from her programme.
Posted on February 11, 2009 - by Frank
The Strength of Partnerships
Last night I was sitting down watching and evaluating a group of DVD’s that TEAR Fund NZ has. Some of them were from TEAR Australia and TEAR UK.
One of the things that came through loud and clear in each of the DVD’s was the thing that made me fall in love with TEAR Fund in the first place – the value of partnerships.
TEAR Fund works on a principle of partnering with various groups working amongst the poor around the world. TEAR Fund does not engage first hand in issues, instead it grows and nurtures relationships with indigenous development groups working to find solutions to their own areas issues. TEAR Fund’s desire is to be invisible while resourcing and equipping the poor, thus empowering them towards self-sustainability.
Posted on February 11, 2009 - by Frank
Trade Your iPod for Life!
I love seeing people getting involved in the world’s issues and creatively using what they have to make a difference. It is also especially inspiring when those efforts involve personal sacrifice.
A little while ago I got an email from Carl who has started a campaign called “Trade Your iPod for Life!“. Our advocacy manager, Beth, had sent him my way as he was looking to make contact with my former work place to try and promote what he’s doing. I put him in touch with Asher, the afternoon guy on Life FM… the extremely talented announcer who has taken over my show since I left… and they organized to have a chat on the radio.
Posted on February 9, 2009 - by Frank
Indian Lunch
This isn’t something I will normally write about, but since it was my first experience of a lunch outing with a TEAR Fund team, I thought it was worth giving you an inside peak.
When chatting with Steve (the Executive Director) prior to me taking up the role as TEAR Fund’s Education and Advocacy Manager he had sometimes mentioned an Indian place where he likes to eat. Being a fan of Indian food, I was looking forward to giving it a go sometime. Today we did just that.
Posted on February 9, 2009 - by Steve
Myanmar After the Cyclone
Thoughts after a recent trip to Myanmar.
When Cyclone Nargis hit the southern most end of the Irriwaddy Delta in Myanmar, on May 2nd most of us were fast asleep. Some may have heard news of that a cyclone was bering down on the country from the Andaman sea. Just another bit of weather news in a far flung part of world.
The village headman whom I was talking to had seen nine months earlier the wall of water coming. At 6 am a tidal swell of dark water, trees, flotsam, animal and human bodies , some alive and others dead varying in reported height of up to six meters scoured clear the low lying island shredding palm trees into sticks, erasing villages and polluting the fresh water. All around the wind howling at speeds of 200 kph. The only escape was either by climbing up a sturdy tree, turning quickly to any high ground or grabbing anything that could float and ride it out. In one village alone that I visited, out of 1,000 residents, only 7 survived. Cyclone Nargis was literally hell of earth. Approximately 140,000 deaths and thousand still missing.
Posted on January 30, 2009 - by Frank
The Strength of Twitter
A lot of people ask what the point of Twitter is, a web application that allows anyone to write short sentences about anything at any time that others can follow. Some of you will also be asking what Twitter has to do with humanitarian issues since I am writing about it here… you’ll see.
The question of the usefulness of Twitter was something that I asked for a while, but I signed up anyway. I figured if so many people were getting involved then its usefulness would probably reveal itself at some stage, and for me it did reveal itself quite strongly around one event – the Mumbai attacks in November last year, with the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower (hotel).
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