Bishop’s Lent Appeal 2010
1st February 2010Diocese to support Haitian earthquake victims and Street Child World Cup in South Africa Local parishes are being asked to make a special effort to fundraise for two international charities during the coming Lent season. Each year the Diocese of Ely calls on local congregations across Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk to give generously during Lent to support charity work worldwide. This year the Appeal will support the work of the Christian Blind Mission and Street Child World Cup. The Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr David Thomson, will launch his Appeal at Ely Cathedral on Ash Wednesday, 17 February 2010, the first day of Lent. Christian Blind Mission (CBM), whose headquarters are in Oakington, is a Christian overseas charity committed to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world. CBM provides medical care and rehabilitation to blind, low vision, deaf and physically disabled people with over 900 projects in more than 90 countries. It reaches out to 16 million people worldwide. The Mission has been working in Haiti since 1976 and has seven projects in the country. CBM sent their Emergency Coordinator and Regional Director into Haiti just days after the earthquake. CBM will be working with partners to support those disabled by the earthquake, as well as those disabled before the disaster. Their work in Haiti will continue for many years to ensure that people can continue to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation services, as well as education and livelihood support. Wherever possible, these services will be provided within the communities themselves. Community-Based Rehabilitation programmes will be put in place to give communities a legacy of skills. These programmes are devised to encourage independent living and the inclusion of disabled people into their society as equals. CBM supports people regardless of their religious beliefs. The Street Child World Cup will, for the first time, bring together street children from across the world to play football and to discuss the issues that are important to them. The children, who come from nine different countries, share the common experience of being driven on to the streets by hunger, violence and poverty. The project begins in March with ten remarkable days for the youngsters in Durban, South Africa, when they will be able to find their voices through the global language of the game they love. As well as competing in the first ever Street Child World Cup, the teams will work with international coaches to express themselves on the football pitch and meet specially trained artists who will enable them to tell their own stories. The event will set in motion an international campaign to build a better future for hundreds of thousands of street children throughout the world. Christian Blind Mission will receive 75% of the proceeds from the Bishop’s Lent Appeal. The remaining quarter will support the work of the Street Child World Cup project. Dr David Thomson, will launch his Appeal during a short act of worship in the Lady Chapel in Ely Cathedral at 10 am on 17 February. Each of the charities will give a short presentation on their work. For details and more information:
Canon Dr Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE
1st February 2010 |
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