Saturday 30 April 2016

Drought in Southern Africa is hurting people we know



Africa is in the midst of a serious drought, there has been little or no rain for months so that anything that has been able to grow, has now withered in the fields. This has gravely affected the communities Hands at Work is serving because they rely on their small gardens to feed the children. Where there is food, the price has risen dramatically, so the funds that many  of us give to support the children is no longer enough.  (This is for the the 3 Essential Service of Food security, Education and Health at £15 a month) .



We need your help.  But even more than this - the people we know in Africa need your help.



Pray for water, it says in the bible When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” Isaiah 41:17 We must claim this promise from God.



(The message says “The poor and homeless are desperate for water,
    their tongues parched and no water to be found.
But I’m there to be found, I’m there for them,
    and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty.)



Fast

Some of us have been fasting. This really helps to focus on the children and care givers that we know. It helps us feel a tiny bit of their pain. If you are going to do this let some of hte pople who you know at Link for Life know so that we can do it together. You might want to replace all your drinks with water for one day, replace a meal with plain rice, miss one meal for a day or cut out all hot food.



Share

Find out more about it and then tell your friends….there hasn’t been much in the news and so people don’t even know it’s going on. You can find out more on the Hands at Work website where you will see two videos (one short and one long) explaining the situation http://www.handsatwork.org/droughtrelief . You could listen to this interview on the radio http://goo.gl/v55i8d   (BBC Africa by David Orr of the World Food Programme)  or read about four unexpected consequences for school children of having no water. bit.ly/22LI6yC



Give

Hands at Work UK have set up a Just Giving Page
http://www.handsatwork.org/uk-donations  

for people to be able to support Hands in bringing relief
to the most vulnerable children and communities directly impacted by the drought and food crisis across Africa



Please help, it is now that our partnership with Share really counts. We always said we wanted to be a Link for Life, so let’s help.



Thank you

Rose Westwood