Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts
A portion of Harbour’s Good Friday offering went towards the earthquake relief efforts in Japan being carried out by the Fellowship Agengy for International Relief. Below is an brief update on the relief efforts. Below that is a downloadable file giving more detailed information.
Japan Earthquake Update
Thank you to those who have prayed and given financially towards the Japan earthquake relief efforts. In addition to their ongoing ministries, our missionary team in Japan has been involved with relief efforts at varying levels—from rounding up drinking water and food in the days immediately following the quake, to clearing mud from tsunami-ravaged buildings, and gathering supplies to deliver to those living in shelters.
As of today (June 14), $215,058 has been received for relief efforts.
The attached report provides some details as to how funds have been used to date and outlines opportunities for future involvement, should funds be available. Also included in the update is an interesting report about a unique way some of our missionaries and Japanese believers have been able to partner with those in the community to provide supplies for kids in the earthquake and tsunami zone. A very interesting read.
Further details about FAIR’s relief efforts and an update from Fellowship International missionaries in Japan will be available in the next issue of Focal Point (later in June). To obtain a copy, contact Wendy MacDonell at: wendy@fellowship.ca.
Click here to download the PDF file containing more information about the Fellowship Agengy for International Relief and their work in Japan. (Click here to download a PDF viewer if necessary.)
Take the T2: 5-Day Challenge – APRIL 12-16
For most North Americans, nourishment is easy. We go to the grocery store, head to a restaurant, or drive past a window where prepared food is handed to us in a matter of seconds. We turn on a faucet, and clean water flows instantly into our homes.
We are an exception.
More than 1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean water. In many parts of the world, women and children carry 40-pound jugs for miles to retrieve their daily allotment—and even then, the water may not be safe to drink. It’s a critical situation. Every five seconds, a child dies from hunger-related causes. Every fifteen seconds, a child dies from water-related diseases. And with the global economic slide, Another 100 million people have slipped into extreme poverty.
As an act of solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the globe, we encourage you to eat for five days, April 12-16, as the bottom economic half of the world does every day. Eat the three meals of your day using only the options below. Set aside the money you would have spent on additional groceries, and donate it to support those who struggle with hunger and thirst.
Meal Options
- Plain oatmeal or Cream of Wheat
- A tortilla, rice, and beans
- Rice with bits of fish or chicken, and a vegetable
- Tap water
Food Portions
Portion sizes around the world are much smaller than a typical Canadian meal. One cup or eight ounces is a generous portion. Meat is a luxury, with the average African consuming about ¾ ounce per day—the size of a small chicken nugget. Fresh fruit is rare, available only if locally grown and in season.
While these meals seem small by our standards, they actually represent average diets when compared to the rest of the world. Half the world’s population lives on no more than $2 a day. Approximately 1 billion people live on even less – only $1 per day.
Water
Public water systems in Canada generally provide adequate, accessible, clean water for the common good in environmentally sustainable ways. Choose to only drink water from the tap and not bottled water (or any other beverage) during these 5 days. As you do, remember the more than 1.1 billion people who don’t have access to clean water.
Involving Your Kids
This is also an experiential opportunity for you to form compassion in your family: seeing a need and doing something about it.
Throughout this challenge, use discernment with your children. Be wise with dietary limitations, and encourage honest conversation about how each person feels. Those
discussions will be key in opening your family’s eyes to the needs of others. Set aside time each day to talk about the experience, and to pray for families around the globe who face hunger and thirst every day of their lives.
If you have school-aged kids who are participating in the challenge, you may need to be creative in what your pack for lunches but please take time to help them determine how to explain global hunger and thirst to friends who ask about the food they eat.
Limit Your Consumption
During this entire series (April 11th – May 2nd) we will also look at making small but purposeful changes in how we steward our spending.
Choose a few sustainable ways you can limit your consumption, then redirect those dollars to help alleviate hunger. Through the money collected, we will be providing meals for children at our ministry partner PACE in Kenya. During the school year PACE feeds 200 people morning tea and lunch and 60 people supper. The monthly cost is approximately $1300 Cdn. 50% of your donation will go to PACE for meal costs. The other 50% will be used by our Walk Compassionately Team to help meet needs within our own community.
Every time you limit your consumption, put aside the money you saved. Enclosed is a label. Place the label on container that is symbolic of how you are limiting consumption (eg. A bean container, a Tim’s cup, etc.)
Bring your container and what you saved to church on May 2nd, and celebrate how our small changes in consumption will be used to fight hunger in our world and community.
A Response to Haiti
Let’s all take some time to pray for the people of Haiti today and for those who are offering aid. As God would put on your heart to respond, we are recommending sending support through Samaritan’s Purse Canada – www.samaritanspurse.ca. See Video Below. They have been partnering with Christian organizations in Haiti for 15 years and Through Operation Christmas Child they have distributed over 200,000 shoe boxes since 1999. We’ll have more information on Sunday. Thanks in advance for those of you that will Walk Compassionately as we seek to be the church and to love and care in Jesus name.
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
In the wake of the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti, Samaritans Purse Canada is engaged in relief efforts to bring medical supplies, food, clean water and shelter to the thousands of Haitians that have been displaced by the quake.
In this video Franklin Graham asks for your support in Samaritan Purse’s efforts to help the people of Haiti.
MATCHING DONATIONS
On January 14, 2010, the Government of Canada announced that it will match dollar for dollar contributions of individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations in support of humanitarian recovery and reconstruction efforts in Haiti up to a total of $50 million.
Which Donations Will Be Matched?
To qualify for matching, the donations must be:
- made by an individual Canadian (not a corporation or business) – the donation from an individual may not exceed $100,000;
- made to a registered Canadian charitable organization that is receiving donations in response to the January 12 Haiti earthquake;
- specifically earmarked for the purpose of responding to the earthquake; and,
- made between January 12 and February 12, 2010.
May We Be People . . .
May we be people who see God’s goodness
in the helpful gesture of a friend
May we be people that extend a hand to those in need.
To those who need friendship.
To those who need love.
May we be that love
to strangers,
to friends,
to family,
May we be people who know God’s goodness in the still tiny moments…
May we extend our table and make room for the unlovable and the uncomfortable.
May we be people who love when love seems impossible because we know that God loved us first.
May we be people who have thankful hearts
to our God who is so good.
This Christmas may we be people
who make room for God to act in our hearts
to stir us, to change us.
Acts of Kindness Make Good Memories
Author asks to remain anonymous
Christmas has always been a great time of year for our family. We’ve enjoyed establishing our own traditions. We go as a family to a Christmas tree farm, struggle to agree on the perfect tree and cut it ourselves. We get to spend extra time together because of the kids out of school and I get time off work. By and large we have been blessed financially to not have the usual worries about the expenses that come with this time of year.
Amongst these blessings, some of the most fulfilling memories have been some acts of kindness we have been able to show others. Usually these have been inspired my wife’s sensitivity and awareness of those around us. We have known some families that were struggling financially and were able to anonymously provide some money to help them purchase gifts for their kids. We paid for some lessons for a talented child because we knew the parents didn’t have money for extra curricular activities. We have hosted some individuals that were going through lonely times.
I struggle to share these things because they may seem to come across as boasting. I share anonymously because of that. I do however think it is worthwhile sharing these things, because I have been blessed and am thankful for the opportunity to be able to bless others.
“…not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:9-10 NIV
The Love of Christ Lived Out
By Pat Wichert
I don’t know if you’re like me or not but I like to do everything myself. As it turns out this time I could not do it on my own.
Last May I had done too much gardening and ended up throwing my back out. I had an appointment at the chiropractor that day and did not want to miss it. I woke up with the flu. I thought it would go away. I thought not being able to stand up straight was bad enough. Now, I was bent over…well you know, you get the picture.
My oldest daughter Rachel was home from school so I called her. She was happy to come and pick me up. We didn’t make it home without a couple of stops along the side of the road. I was so upset, I felt so awful, but she was so caring and compassionate. I finally made it back to my couch. Rachel offered to make me soup, get some ginger ale, put a cool cloth on my head, some ice for my back, tucked me under a blanket and sat with me while I fell asleep. Oh, how my heart was touched by her caring spirit. She stayed awhile and in those few moments I felt the love of Christ lived out through her.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV
Video – Cherishing the Moments We Have
This is the third of four videos that Harbour Christian Fellowship created to celebrate the 2009 Advent season. The videos complemented a sermon series entitled “Making Room for God.” Harbour attendees talk about how acts of compassion affect their lives.
Video – I Don’t Have to Be Rich
This is the second of four videos that Harbour Christian Fellowship created to celebrate the 2009 Advent season. The videos complemented a sermon series entitled “Making Room for God.” Harbour attendees talk about how acts of compassion affect their lives.
Video – How Much Does a Goat Cost?
This is the first of four videos that Harbour Christian Fellowship created to celebrate the 2009 Advent season. The videos complemented a sermon series entitled “Making Room for God.” Harbour attendees talk about how acts of compassion affect their lives.
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