SNAPSHOTS FROM THE CARIBBEAN
By Major Donna Barthau
Recent hurricanes in the Caribbean have wreaked havoc across many islands. Fortunately, the pre-schools and children in St. Lucia and St. Kitts that we support through Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship survived the devastation, experiencing only hydro outages and minor problems from heavy wind and rain.
Aer attending our nursery and kindergarten schools, the children are well prepared to start primary school. In St. Kitts, primary school students with developmental disabilities can also attend a separate program twice a week to receive extra help with their studies.
In St. Lucia, one child was forced to leave school when his family could no longer afford the fees. Levi missed so much school that his development regressed and he stopped talking. anks to your support, Brighter Futures was able to help Levi and
other impoverished children pay for their school fees and other educational materials.
Aer he had returned to school for several weeks, Levi began to talk again and is now doing well in class. e principal of his school presented Levi’s case to the Ministry of Special Education and he is assured a place at a new school with teachers who are trained to assist students with special needs.
Levi’s family is truly grateful to all our sponsors who have helped Levi return to school so he can develop to his full potential.
In Jamaica, we support a rural basic school, which teaches children social and academicskills, and provides them with a nutritious cooked lunch every day e children are happy and developing well.
ere are several projects currently in the planning stage, including providing assistance to e Salvation Army Jamaica School for the Blind, as well as a nutritious
Primary school children in the Caribbean
Athrillofhope;thewearyworldrejoices, foryonderbreaksanewandgloriousmorn.
OHolyNightwaswrittenin1847by theFrenchpoetPlacideCappeaude Roquemaurewhiletravellingbytrain throughFrance.Itisnotedthatthe inspirationforthisbeautifulcarolwasthe desireofthepoettoinserthimselfintothe centreoftheChristmasstory,asrecorded intheGospelofLuke WhatIloveabout thiscarolisthevisualizationofhopeasa newandgloriousmorn.
AsyoureadthisissueoftheGlobal Link,youwillseethemanywaysinwhich theinternationalArmyprovideshopeto peoplewithinourreach.
Overthepastfewmonths,wehave witnesseddevastationcausedby hurricanes, oodsandmudslides.Inthe midstofrecoveryfromthesedisasters, SalvationArmy rstrespondersseektobe abeaconofhopeastheyprovideshelter, foodandhygienekitstothoseinneed.
Inthearticleonthepigprojectin China,youwillseehowthegiofapig impactsthelivesofindividuals,families andentirecommunities.OurGisofHope programgivesCanadianstheopportunity topurchasespecialitemsthatprovide supportforourintegratedcommunity developmentprojects.
Lastly,children’ssponsorshipprojects, suchasinTanzaniaandtheCaribbean, makealastingimpact,givingvulnerable childrenhopeforabrighterfuture.
AsyouprepareforChristmasthis year,maythepeaceofChristandthehope foundinHimbeknowntoyou.
Sincerely,
MajorBrendaMurray
Snapshots
feeding program for children living in a rural village in Haiti Our Hurricane Matthew relief efforts in Haiti are coming to a close Over the past year, we helped repair schools and provided educational materials to child victims of the hurricane.
By sponsoring the Caribbean Territory through Brighter Futures, you are helping over 200 vulnerable children in four different countries. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of children, their families and communities.
RESPONDING TO INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS
By Major Brenda Murray
Inrecentmonths,wehavewitnessed numerouscatastrophicnatural disastersandeSalvationArmyhas been inthethickofthesecrises,respondingtohumanneed broughtonbyhurricanes,earthquakes, oodingand mudslides.efollowingprojectsare nanciallysupportedbyeSalvation ArmyCanadaandBermudaTerritory, throughtheWorldMissionsDepartment: LandslidesinRangamati,Bangladesh HeavyandincessantrainfallfromJune11 to13caused amassivelandslideand ash oodsinmanypartsoftheChittagongHill TractsinBangladesh.istragicdisaster claimedasmanyas135lives,30%ofwhom werechildren.Inpartnershipwiththe Bangladeshigovernment,itwasdecided thateSalvationArmywould focusits effortsonrebuildinghousesfor150ofthe mostseverelyaffectedfamiliesinthe Rangamati Hilldistrict.
FloodsinBangladesh
isprojectisassisting750families (approximately3,750people)whohave been affectedby oodinginnorthern Bangladesh.e oods,whichwerecaused byheavyrainsandexcessivewater ow, haveimpacted 31districtsinthispartof
thecountry.eArmy’sresponseincludes thedistributionoffoodandhousingrepair materials.
HurricaneIrma–Barbuda eCaribbeanTerritoryisassisting individuals fromBarbuda,whowere evacuated fromtheirislandandrelocated toAntigua. Hotmeals,foodparcels, hygienekits,cleaningmaterials andbaby careitemswereprovidedtoover300 people,alongwithemotionalandspiritual support.
HurricaneIrma–Cuba
HurricaneIrmahitCubaasacategory5 hurricane,leavingdestructioninherpath. eSalvationArmyrespondedby providingfood,shelterandpersonalitems fortheindividuals whosehomesand livelihoodsweredestroyed.Onehundred affected familiesandpatientsfromthe RehabilitationClinic willbene tfromthis muchneededsupport.
If you would like to support our current and future international disaster work, please visit saworldmissions.ca. On behalf of the many beneficiaries, thank you!
World MissionsDirector
DID YOU KNOW?...
Goderich,Ontario
InAugust,PrimeMinisterJustin Trudeauparticipated inaback-toschooleventrunbyeSalvationArmyin Goderich,Ont.,helpingto llbackpackswith schoolsuppliesforchildreninneed.Asa thank you,theOntarioGreatLakesDivision ofeSalvationArmymadea$75donation to BrighterFutures onbehalfofJustin Trudeau’schildren,anda$100donationto GisofHope tosupportadultliteracyon behalfofJustinTrudeauandhiswife,Sophie.
St.John’s,Newfoundland
CongratulationstoSt.John’sCitadelfor raising$1,900fortheMalbork Children’sCentreinPoland Children attendingtheSt.John’sVacationBibleSchool inNewfoundlandwereexcitedtotakepartin numerousfundraisingactivities (includinga collection,loveoffering,andrecycling program)tohelpprovidehealthymealsfor vulnerablechildreninPoland Enthusiasm forthefundraisergreweachday,andthe childrenlearnedthevalueofhelpingothers lessfortunatethanthemselves.
InternationalHeadquarters
eSalvationArmyinKenyaand InternationalHeadquarters,alongwith theSweden andLatvia Territory,Switzerland, AustriaandHungaryTerritory,International DevelopmentServicesandInternational EmergencyServices,createdavideopromotingpeaceaheadoftherecentelections inKenya.
Someofthechildrenwesupportthrough BrighterFutures arefeaturedinthisvideo! Comingfromdifferenttribes,townsand cities,andhavingdifferentoutlooksinlife, thevideocapturestheessenceofwhatit meanstobepeaceful–knowingthat “everyoneissomebody”,“Kenyaishome” and,becauseofthat,peoplecanlivetogether as “onefamily,unitedandfree”Towatchthe video,type“kenyamyhome”intothesearch baronYouTube,orfollowthislink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHHwrrxhr3M
HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE IN TANZANIA
TheSwahiliwordfor“Hope”is
“Matumaini.”BrighterFutures Children’sSponsorshipisthrilled toassisttheMatumaini“SchoolofHope” forphysicallydisabledandAlbino childreninDaresSalaam,Tanzania.
isboardingschool,whichhouses 200residents,hasbeenabeaconofhope forchildrenwithdisabilitiessince1969. InTanzania,itiscommontomeet disabledprofessionalswhoreceivedtheir educationalandtherapeuticgroundingat Matumaini.
Onesigni cantcomponentofour supportatMatumainiisprovidingfunds forprosthetics,braces,crutchesand custom-madeshoesforthechildren. Helpingwithschoolsupplies,recreational equipment,nutritionalmealsand clothes/uniformsalsomakesabig differenceinthechildren’slives.
InAfrica,childrenwithAlbinismare atgreatriskofbeingkidnappedorsoldto humantraffickerswhobelievethey possessspecialqualitiesthatcanbeused forwitchcra.Offeringthesechildrena safeplacetoliveandstudyensuresthat theynotonlysurvive,butthrive,giving themandtheirfamilieshopeforthe
By Major Donna Barthau
future.Withyoursupport,wealso providespecialsunlotion,hats,sunglassesandotherequipmenttohelp preventskindamageandvisionfailure causedbythesun.
Oneofthenewestjoysforsomeofthe childrenarethesewingclassesthatare offeredaerschool.Earlierthisyear, Grade7studentswentonafascinating andeducationaltriptothemuseumsin Bagamoyo.iswasthelaststopfor
formerslaveswhowerethenshippedto Zanzibarforfurthertransporttoother destinationsaroundtheworld.
echildrenandstaffatMatumaini sendtheirheartfeltthankstoallour sponsorswhosupporttheirschool.
PIGS BRING HOPE TO RURAL CHINA
Wearethrilledtosharewith youthesuccessofour income-generationprograminSichuan,China,inwhichmembersofthecommunitywereinvolvedin avarietyofactivities aimedatreducing poverty.issustainableprojectcontinuestoimprovethevillagers’lives,a yearaeritscompletion.
189householdsparticipated inpig breeding,eachreceivingtwosows, while14householdsalsoreceived a boar.Initially,someofthegovernment staffandvillageleaderswereskeptical aboutthisproject,butovertimethey becameincreasinglyenthusiasticasthey sawthepositiveimpactithadonthe community.eyhavenowtakenona moreactiveroleindeliveringrelevant skillstrainingtocommunities within thetownship
By Ruth Hobbis
A PARTNERS IN MISSION CAMPAIGN SUCCESS STORY
By Marilyn Kershaw
Itiswithagratefulheartthatweexpresssincerethanks toallthe divisionsinourterritoryfortheirongoingsupportofour PartnersinMission campaign. Ministryunitscontinuetobe creativeintheirfundraisingeffortstosupportandprovide awareness,whilechallengingdonorstomakeadifferenceinthelives ofourinternationalpartners.
ePrairieDivisionincreased theircontributioninthe2017 campaign by22.5%overthepreviousyearamidstfundraising challengesatsomeoftheirministryunits.Tooffsetthesechallenges therehasbeen steadygrowthingivingatotherlocations,plusanew avenueofsupportfromDHQitself MajorShawnCritch,Divisional Commander,explainedthat,“eDivisionalFinanceBoardwas verypleased tocommitaportionofourinterestincomefromour investmentsatterritorial headquarterstothe2017campaign. Aswe soughtto nancethemissionthroughoutthedivision,werealized thattherewasanopportunitytosupporttheworkofbrothersand sistersinChristinotherpartsoftheworld Itisasmallgesturebut onewhichwebelieveisimportantandhonoursthe faithfulnessofGodinresourcingourworkinthe Prairies.”
eCanadaandBermudaTerritoryismakinga worldofdifferencethroughthePartnersinMission campaign.
Positivecommunicationhasalso increasedbetweenvillagersastheyshare helpfulinformationandexperiences withoneanother.Fromtheoriginal 392 pigs,2,959pigletswereborn,andthe averagehouseholdincomeofthose involvedincreasedby50%.
Followingthecompletionofthis project,thelocal governmentcontinues tosupportthevillagersbyproviding furthertrainingandvaccinationsforthe pigs.Aspartofthesustainabilityofthis project,thevillagerswillre-distribute 300pigstonearbyvillagesasthey developpigbreedingindustriesoftheir own.
Allofthepigswereprovidedbyour GisofHope program.Bygivingthis gi, youhavetrulymadeadifferencein thelivesofimpoverishedcommunitiesin China.Withoutyou,thisprojectwould nothavebeen possible ank you!
When a family has a small herd of goats, school fees, medical bills and basic living costs can be met.