Presbyterian Moderator Dr Ken Newell is urging all Presbyterians to be generous in their giving to relief agencies working in the Darfur region of Sudan and has launched an appeal throughout the Presbyterian Church to support them.
As an initial response the Presbyterian Church has donated £20,000, £10,000 each to its partner agencies Tearfund and Christian Aid who are already deeply involved in tackling this disaster as well as other critical situations including flood-struck Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries.
In a letter to all ministers urging their support and that of their congregations Dr Newell talks of "five million lives on the edge in Sudan."
"The United Nations estimate that one million people are displaced, 1.2 million are in urgent need of food aid between now and December, and a further three million are at risk. We can easily forget that these people are just like us, with family and friends."
Referring to the distress caused by "the images of suffering and fear from Sudan that are daily seizing our attention and stirring our hearts," the Moderator is asking Presbyterians to pray for the situation and to respond financially in Christ's Name in their congregations, through a retiring offering or some other appropriate method.
To maximise donations the Church is asking individuals to give through their congregations under Gift Aid and that congregational treasurers send a total amount to the Financial Secretary's Department in Church House, Belfast which will then be forwarded to Tearfund and Christian Aid.
The Moderator concludes his letter by thanking Presbyterians for their "help compassion and generosity which", he says "will make a massive difference to many people."
Over the last two years Presbyterians have channeled £1m through Christian Aid and Tearfund for HIV/ AIDS programmes around the world and in 2001 donated £0.75m to the Church of North India following the Gujarat earthquake.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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