Thank you for sharing God’s love through the Christmas Bowl

A global health crisis may quiet the world’s attention on international injustice and poverty, but these issues do not go away. In a difficult year where so many people have been impacted by COVID-19, your generosity through the Christmas Bowl will ensure that communities in need are not alone as they face conflict, displacement and the pandemic. Thank you so much.

As a church community, we have raised more than $1 million with more still expected to be received.

Through the Christmas Bowl, you are helping educate girls in Afghanistan.  As the coronavirus affects the family’s ability to work and earn an income, your gifts will enable parents to keep their daughters in school.   Without help, this may be the second generation of girls who have not received education. 

Your gifts can also help refugees around the world with the long-term support they need to build safe and peaceful futures, just like Syrian refugees in Jordan.  Your compassion brings families a source of income, medical treatment, hygiene kits and healing from the trauma they’ve experienced. 

Thanks to your support, girls in Afghanistan like 10-year-old Jaleela, are able to attend school and receive an education. Image credit: Tamin Noori/Act for Peace		Dr Mehidi Hassan and his fellow doctors see between 1200 and 1500 patients a day. Together they treat people for fever, chest infections and mother and child related issues.  Image credit: Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

You’re also helping Sri Lankan refugees returning home after years of civil war and displacement.  Your gift can mean that refugees have access to practical items such as temporary shelter, clean water, a citizenship certificate and ID card, and the opportunity to earn a living, to start again

In Zimbabwe, your support through the Christmas Bowl is helping farmers receive seeds for the new the new planting season and training in conservation farming.

Thank you for responding to the message of Jesus to love our neighbour and to share what we have with those who need it.  Whilst we may not have been able to physically worship together in the past year, thank you for coming together in prayer and in the sharing of your resources through the Christmas Bowl.  

If you would still like to give a gift to the work of the Christmas Bowl, you can do so here: www.actforpeace.org.au/christmas-bowl/give   

Thank you for sharing your blessings this Christmas Bowl, so together we can care for people who are hurting and build a better world for all. 

Coffs Harbour Council of Churches supporting the Christmas Bowl appeal on the 28th of November 2014. Image credit: Karen McGrath/Act for Peace