SUDAN CRISIS APPEAL
Donations made via our CAFOD Red Box at St. Thomas’ continue to support this Appeal. Up to the end of August £121.21 has been donated. Thank you! After three years of conflict, more than 150,000 people have lost their lives and millions suffer. CAFOD’s local experts continue to work tirelessly to provide food, safe drinking water, urgent medical care, protection and cash assistance for families who have lost everything.. KAYODE AKINTOLA, CAFOD’S HEAD OF REGION FOR AFRICA says: “Sudan’s crisis is a crisis of human dignity. Our brothers and sisters feel abandoned. As a Catholic community, we can show through our regular giving that love of neighbour is stronger than violence, despair and war.”
HARVEST FAST DAY October 2nd
Our CAFOD Fast Days encourage us to eat simply on that day. This harvest season, we have the opportunity to thank God for all we have received and to share those blessings with others as we put our faith into action. CAFOD is part of the global Caritas family, the Catholic aid network that brings love, hope and practical help to our global neighbours experiencing poverty, working with people of all faiths and none.
As an example, this year the focus is on a rural village in north-eastern Zimbabwe called Bungwe, where we share the story of 12 year-old Tayla. Drought has left local communities struggling with food and water shortages. After fetching water before school each morning, Tayla often arrived tired and hungry and unable to concentrate. CAFOD’s local Caritas partners have worked with the local community to provide Tayla’s school with the basics needed to flourish and be sustainable. A solar-powered water system has been installed, providing safe water for drinking and hand-washing. The water has also been used to establish a vegetable garden, which will provide healthy meals for the children and staff. There has also been a renewed emphasis on and awareness of safeguarding. Now, Tayla and her classmates are better able to concentrate, to learn and to play.
With our support, many more schools will be able to benefit in similar ways, with similar simple but life-changing projects.
Our Fast Day Second Collection will be on weekend October 3rd /4th and envelopes and Prayer Cards will be handed out on the previous weekend. If you wish to donate by cheque, please make it payable to CAFOD, and if you are a tax-payer, please complete the Gift Aid declaration, which increases your donation by 25% at no extra cost to you. Or, if you prefer, you can scan the QR code on the envelope. Together, we can make a difference! Thank you!
