END POVERTY. PROMOTE JUSTICE. UPHOLD DIGNITY.

The Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development

1800 024 413 www.caritas.org.au

>WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE DRC, AFRICA

>CARING FOR SYRIA’S ELDERLY

>THE CHURCH’S ROLE WITH HIV AND AIDS

SIMPLY HUMAN: HELPING THE WORLD’S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

#138 SPRING 2014

2 | CaritasNews

FROM THE CEOI hope you enjoyed reading the 50th Anniversary edition of CaritasNews. I also wish to thank you sincerely for your support for Caritas Australia as we journey beyond 2014.

In this issue we focus on Pope Francis’ words about being ‘Simply Human’. In a homily in March last year, he said that “being a protector is not just something involving Christians alone, it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone”.

He added that being a protector means, “protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.

“It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about … In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!”

These words mean a great deal to all of us in the Caritas family. They also reflect the spiritual tradition of the Saint whose name Francis adopted when taking up the role of Pontiff – Saint Francis of Assisi.

On 4 October every year, Catholics worldwide celebrate the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, who embraced the sacredness of creation and a love for the poor.

In all aspects of our Caritas mission, we try hard to live out the core principles on which he based his ministry and which are reflected in Catholic Social Teaching principles. We focus on respect and dignity for all, on the preferential option for the poor and marginalised, on solidarity with them and subsidiarity in decision-making.

I thank you for your support, especially in this, our Jubilee Year.

In solidarity,

Paul O’Callaghan, CEO

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CONTENTS03 SIMPLY HUMAN

04 FEARLESS VOICES IN THE DRC, AFRICA

06 LEADING THE WAY: INDIA

07 STABILITY IN THE SYRIAN CRISIS

08 THE CHURCH’S ROLE WITH HIV AND AIDS

09 CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING MOVES ONLINE

10 CARITAS COMMUNITY: PROJECT COMPASSION 2014

THANK YOUThank you to schools, parishes, Diocesan Directors and everyone who has sent messages of support in our 50th year. As we work into the future, we will continue our work to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

The Gospel of John provided the inspiration for this year’s Project Compassion theme, “Have life and have it to the full”. This was reaffirmed in 2013 when Pope Francis said, “Men and women of all times and all places desire a full and beautiful life ... a life that is not threatened by death but that can mature and grow to its fullness”.

We pray for full and beautiful lives for all and would like to thank you for supporting Project Compassion 2014. This year, we raised nearly $11 million.

Thank you.

LEARN MORE about Caritas Australia’s Jubilee Year at www.caritas.org.au/50-years

Cover: Since 2006, Caritas Australia has been supporting our partner, Caritas Goma in the Eastern Congo to increase women’s capacity to prevent and respond to violence against women. The program provides medical and legal support to woman and girl victims of violence, creates attitudinal change in the community, works to build women’s leadership skills, and provides training in income-generating activities.

All photos Caritas Australia unless otherwise stated.

Caritas Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land.

Caritas Australia is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

Caritas is fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to participate in the ANCP.

HELPING THE WORLD’S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

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In this, our Jubilee Year, we thank you for 50 years of walking alongside us in solidarity. This community from the district of Bardiya, Nepal is participating in a ‘welcome and thank you’ dance for visitors from Caritas Australia and Caritas Nepal.

Our heading is taken from Pope Francis’ Homily from 19 March 2013. Every day, Caritas Australia is working towards the creation of a just and compassionate world for everyone. We thank you for walking alongside us.This issue of CaritasNews is about being ‘simply human’ by helping the world’s most vulnerable communities and upholding the dignity of those at greatest risk including the elderly, disabled, displaced, women and children, and people living with HIV and AIDS. Our articles take us around the world:

• In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Caritas Australia and Caritas Goma are working together to help survivors of rape and sexual violence.

• Rajan, 45, lives in an Indian village. Born with only one working arm, he was identified as a potential program participant and has become an inspiration to his community.

• After noticing that large numbers of Syrian refugees registering for assistance were older people, Caritas Australia’s partner, the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center, commissioned research into the needs of older refugees affected by the Syrian crisis.

• In light of the Church’s care, compassion and extensive work on HIV and AIDS, a conference titled Stepping up the Pace: Remembering the Loaves and Fishes, was held earlier this year in Melbourne. Monsignor Robert Vitillo, Caritas Internationalis special advisor on HIV/AIDS and Health, and the Head of Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, speaks to Caritas Australia about the Church’s work.

Our agency is nourished by our biblical roots, the Church’s tradition, and Catholic Social Teaching on the one hand, but also by the experience of our journey in solidarity with the poor and the marginalised.

You can help Caritas Australia extend a loving hand to the poor by:

• Donating to us

• Praying for those in need

• Participating in Caritas Australia events

• Reading and sharing our posts on Facebook and Twitter, or by

• Regularly checking our website where you will find our new Catholic Social Teaching tool (see page 9) and information on our Jubilee Year.

For more about Caritas Australia, please head to www.caritas.org.au

SIMPLY HUMAN

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY21 SEPTEMBER – INTERNATIONAL

DAY OF PEACE

1 OCTOBER – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS

11 OCTOBER – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD

12-18 OCTOBER – ANTI-POVERTY WEEK

“ ONE HUMAN FAMILY, FOOD FOR ALL”: CARITAS AUSTRALIA, ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE CARITAS NETWORK, HAS A VISION OF A FUTURE WITHOUT HUNGER BY 2025. JOIN OUR INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN AT WWW.CARITAS.ORG.AU/FOOD

AFRICA: THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

4 | CaritasNews

Every hour, 48 women are raped in the DRC. In a country ravaged by more than a century of exploitation, and two decades of war, women and girls have been the targets of deliberate, systematic and brutal attacks by soldiers, militia and civilians alike.

Designed to terrorise communities, humiliate military opponents, and quash political opposition, rape is a weapon of war and a token of conquest. And in a country where women are already cast to the margins of society, sexual and many other forms of violence can render defenseless the most vulnerable members of the Conogolese community.

Since 1997, this culture of violence has thrived as public officials, militia, and international actors compete for control of the country’s abundant natural resources. Today in the DRC it is estimated that more than 44 armed groups – including perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide – continue to fight over land, minerals, politics, and race.

Against this backdrop, Caritas Australia and Caritas Goma are helping survivors of sexual violence to wage a peaceful and courageous campaign to restore the rights of women and girls in their rich, vibrant and beautiful country.

VUMILIYA Vumiliya’s story is as horrifying as it is inspiring. Displaced by conflict three times in the space of 10 years, Vumiliya has been the target of two brutal attacks; was kept by militia in sexual servitude for six months; and was abandoned by her husband and her extended family. Today Vumiliya lives in a camp where she runs a small restaurant from her tents and cares for 13 children, three of whom were born of rape; five of whom are not her own.

Having received trauma counselling, access to healthcare, and a microcredit loan from Caritas, Vumiliya is now a local champion for our program and is dedicated to supporting the survivors of the Congo’s war on women.

Reflecting on a decade of violence, insecurity, and alienation Vumiliya says, “I felt like heaven and earth didn’t want me and I felt out of control of my mind.

“Because I’ve been through this myself, I think it is so important to be with other women and to keep talking. It’s important for them but also for me.

“ WHEN I’M SHARING WITH OTHER WOMEN, I FEEL STRONG MYSELF - THIS IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING.”

“Those who commit these terrible crimes against our women should face the consequences.

“If those men are allowed to live in the community, it is the women who will suffer over and over again. They will suffer physically and they suffer inside their hearts. They can’t keep going on like that and we can all play a part to make sure they don’t have to.”

It has been said that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the most dangerous place to be a woman. But for the survivors of rape and sexual violence, fear has no place in their future.

“Vumiliya is like my mum. I’m so thankful for her, and I want to say thank you to Caritas,” says Elisabeth (left) with Vumiliya.

Please note: this article contains information about sexual violence.

FEARLESS VOICES

SINCE 2006, CARITAS AUSTRALIA HAS SUPPORTED OUR PARTNER, CARITAS GOMA IN THE EASTERN CONGO TO INCREASE WOMEN’S CAPACITY TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.

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PASCALINE “My name is Pascaline. I am a survivor of rape.

“Thanks to Caritas I found a place that welcomed me and embraced me. I was able to earn some income, to reconcile with my husband, to start again and to become strong.

“For six years I have managed the Caritas centre for women and girls in my parish. Today I am strong, proud and passionate about sharing my own experience with other women. Through my story, I encourage others to have hope.

“ I WAS A VICTIM OF VIOLENCE BUT I AM NOT DAMAGED. I AM A HUMAN BEING. WE ARE NOT ANIMALS, WE ARE WOMEN.”

“Today I have the drive to just be myself and to help others transform their lives.

“Please continue to pray and lobby for us and for peace. Help us show the world that the impunity must stop so that all women will be safe to live in the Congo.”

ELISABETH Caritas Australia supporters first met Elisabeth during Project Compassion 2011. Four years earlier, Elisabeth was raped by nine men and her family’s tent was set alight. Elisabeth’s two-year-old son died in the blaze and she suffered severe burns to her back, neck, face and arms. Like many survivors of sexual violence, Elisabeth was abandoned by her husband and although severely traumatised, she courageously began to build a new life for herself and her children.

Today, Elisabeth still feels restricted by her physical injuries but with counselling and surrounded by a network of strong, compassionate and fearless women, she says she has the drive to create a brighter future.

“Vumiliya is like my mum. I’m so thankful for her, and I want to say thank you to Caritas,” says Elisabeth remembering her first encounter with one of Caritas’ local champions in the campaign to end violence against women.

“Before I met Vumiliya, I didn’t have any hope at all. We had very little; just had a very small house, made of thatched grass. My children and I slept on the ground. We weren’t protected and when it rained we would all get wet.

“Today I’m sleeping in a house. I can sit in a chair, I have furniture, and my children can sleep on a mattress – I’m so happy for that.

“ MY LIFE HAS IMPROVED; THE WAY I WAS, IT IS NOT THE WAY I AM TODAY.”

“I can see the solidarity around me. My Caritas family drives me to continue on. I may not have physical strength but I have the courage to survive.”

“Thanks to Caritas I found a place that welcomed me and embraced me,” says Pascaline (far right).

DRC

A STRONG PARTNERSHIP

Since 2006, Caritas Australia has supported our partner, Caritas Goma in the Eastern Congo to increase women’s capacity to prevent and respond to violence against women.

The program provides medical assistance and legal support to survivors of rape; creates attitudinal change in the community; builds women’s leadership skills; and provides training for women’s economic empowerment. To date the program has provided:

• MEDICAL SUPPORT TO MORE THAN 3,000 WOMEN AND GIRLS.

• SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING TO 2,500 WOMEN AND GIRLS.

• EDUCATION SESSIONS TO OVER 5,000 PEOPLE ON TOPICS SUCH AS EARLY MARRIAGE AND VOLUNTARY HIV AND AIDS TESTING.

ACT> In November 2014, Caritas Australia will publish a follow-up to our 2008 report Forsaken Voices. Learn more and take a stand for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at www.caritas.org.au/congo

Born with only one functioning arm, Rajan hasn’t let his disability stop him from becoming a lead farmer.

other famers in my area will be guided toward the promotion of organic farming,” he said.

When not working the land with his neighbours, Rajan tests organic manures and pest repellents before recommending them to others. He also conducts classes on manure preparation and its application with various crops in training programs.

Rajan now feels that his self-esteem has improved and he is living a life of dignity. He is grateful for the help he and his neighbours have received.

“Thanks to Australian Aid, Caritas Australia and Caritas India for the support given to us to improve our livelihoods and health.”

6 | CaritasNews

Rajan, 45, lives in a small Indian village with his wife and two children. Life in a marginalised community can be difficult, but even more so when born with a disability. When Rajan joined Caritas India’s Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures (FARM) program, he never imagined that he’d change lives in his community.

It is often assumed by the mainstream community that people with disabilities cannot contribute equally to income generation and the maintenance of their families. And for many years, Rajan felt very pessimistic about his future.

Rajan was selected as a potential program participant due to his vulnerability. Through the Caritas India FARM program he received training in farming techniques and organisational skills. Rajan soon realised he could be successful at farming and his self-esteem grew. Three years later, he’s become the lead farmer in a group of 10 families.

ORGANIC FARMING

Caritas India’s FARM program, which is supported by Caritas Australia, focuses on sustainable agricultural practices. Through the use of organic manure and other fertilisers, as well as natural pest repellents, the program shows local farmers how they can provide for themselves and their families without damaging the environment they depend on.

THROUGH THE PROGRAM, RAJAN QUICKLY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN ORGANIC FARMER, WHICH IMPROVED HIS AND HIS WIFE’S ABILITY TO CARE FOR THEIR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.

But for Rajan, it was just the beginning and, while developing his village’s model farm, he began to teach other farmers about the benefits of organic farming. This component of the program ensures that people living with disabilities are given the opportunity to transcend their assumed limitation, this way people like Rajan are no longer held back because of a disability.

One of the ways Rajan achieved this was by converting a room in his house into a resource centre where local farmers could learn more about sustainable farming. Through charts and samples in this room, he triggered a shift in the villagers’ attitudes to their environment. And when 10 farmers from nearby areas formed a community-based farming organisation, it seemed fitting that Rajan should be their leader.

Known collectively as a labour bank, Rajan and his colleagues provide farming services to other farmers. Through their work, they not only take better care of their environment, but tell others about the program. In just one village, 327 farmers have taken up organic farming practices. Although the group focuses on local communities, Rajan is always aware of the broader importance of their work.

“With the level of use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in farming, the survival of humanity is at stake and it is time for everyone to realise how harmful it is. My association with the FARM program helped me to learn organic farming practices, and it is fetching better results. I will ensure that

LEADING THE WAY

SOUTH ASIA: INDIA

LEARN> For more on Rajan, see the back cover. Learn more about Caritas Australia’s work at www.caritas.org.au/disability

“ OLDER REFUGEES SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS PASSIVE RECIPIENTS OF AID; THEY POSSESS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT IS UNIQUE, IMPORTANT, AND OF GREAT VALUE TO REFUGEE COMMUNITIES.”

#138 SPRING 2014 | 7

The crisis in Syria has had devastating effects on the Syrian people. Millions of children, women and men are still in need of urgent humanitarian aid, but there’s one group of people who have particular vulnerabilities, but also have a unique role – the elderly.

After noticing that large numbers of the Syrian refugees registering for assistance were older people, our local partner, the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center commissioned research into the needs of older refugees affected by the Syrian crisis.

They discovered that many have specific issues and needs, including:

• Poor health status with many older refugees reporting at least one chronic health problem. A substantial number said they left Syria because hospitals and clinics had been destroyed or dismantled, so they could no longer access the medical care they required.

• Disability, with 10% of older refugees unable to leave their homes.

• Mental health concerns: a high proportion said they felt anxious, depressed, lonely, or that they were a burden to their families.

One of the most poignant and illustrative findings of the research was that some of the older people reported that they had been eating less food in order to leave food for younger family members.

“We know from experience that older persons suffer in silence, quietly stepping aside so that younger family members can access services and aid,” says Father Simon Faddoul, President of Caritas Lebanon.

STABILITY IN THE SYRIAN CRISIS

The Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center’s research has highlighted the importance of remembering older refugees in these times of crisis, as they are often the ‘forgotten voices’. Photo: Sam Tarling, Caritas Switzerland

DONATE> For more about the Syria Refugee Crisis or to donate, please head to www.caritas.org.au/syria-crisis

Donations $2 and over are tax deductible.

MIDDLE EAST: SYRIA

On 9 April 2014, after the assassination of Father Van der Lugt, a Jesuit Priest in Syria, Pope Francis said, “I fervently implore all to join in my prayer for peace in Syria and throughout the region, and make a heartfelt appeal to the Syrian authorities and to the international community: set down your weapons and bring an end to the violence! No more war! No more destruction! Respect human rights, take care of your people who are in need of humanitarian assistance, and pursue the longed-for peace through dialogue and reconciliation.”

GIVING A VOICE

The Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center’s research has highlighted the importance of remembering older refugees in these times of crisis, as they are often the ‘forgotten voices’.

“We value the human dignity, the contribution, and the protection of all human beings, at all stages of life. We at Caritas Lebanon consider this study as a means to give a voice to those older persons in this time of emergency. They are our grandfathers and grandmothers, our uncles and aunts, and we owe it to them in this time to care for their needs, as they have cared for ours as we were growing up,” says Father Faddoul.

8 | CaritasNews

Monsignor Robert Vitillo, Caritas Internationalis special advisor on HIV/AIDS and Health, and the Head of Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva.

“This conference is important for Australia and for the whole Pacific region, because it’s the first time an international HIV and AIDS conference of this size has been held in the region.

“It’s also an opportunity for researchers to present their latest findings. This is invaluable for the development of treatments, possible vaccines and a possible cure. Hopefully, these discussions will show us how the Church can maintain a balance between focused advocacy for its mission and services and the requests of those seeking health, healing and the full enjoyment of their God-given dignity,” he adds.

“With health and social services the world over, the Catholic Church has been instrumental in leading a holistic approach to prevention, care and treatment for all affected by the epidemic. This includes rural communities in some of the most isolated parts of the world.

“And many of the most affected communities can be found on Australia’s doorstep, the Asia-Pacific region. I think it’s really important for Australians to be able to talk about how they’ve responded well and about what still needs to be done in response to this life-threatening epidemic.”

LEARN>Find out more about Caritas Australia’s response to those living with HIV and AIDS, at www.caritas.org.au/HIV-AIDS

It is estimated that the Catholic Church provides as much as 25 percent of the worldwide care for people living with HIV and AIDS, especially in developing countries. In light of the Church’s care, compassion and extensive work on HIV and AIDS, a conference titled Stepping up the Pace: Remembering the Loaves and Fishes, was held earlier this year in Melbourne. It brought together those who are engaged in faith-based responses to the virus.

Sponsored by Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Australia, St Vincent’s Health Australia and the Catholic HIV and AIDS Network (CHAN), the conference looked at best practice in HIV and AIDS interventions, scientific developments, advocacy with pharmaceutical companies, ethical issues and funding for Catholic HIV and AIDS programs. It was a precursor to the 20th International AIDS Conference, which was also held in Melbourne.

Monsignor Robert Vitillo, Caritas Internationalis special advisor on HIV/AIDS and Health, and the Head of Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, was in Melbourne for the pre-conference and the main UN Conference.

He notes that, since the 2012 International AIDS Conference, the Church has witnessed a decrease in funding for many faith-based and community-based systems that provide treatment, care, and support for people living with HIV and AIDS and their families.

“We are continually being asked to ‘do more with less’,” says Monsignor Vitillo.

“The situation reminds us of one of Jesus’s most well-known miracles. The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is one of the few miracles that is recounted in all four Gospels. In it, the disciples are given a seemingly impossible task: to feed a crowd of over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes. The task overwhelms them, but Jesus shows them that it is possible.”

Similarly, the pre-conference organisers stated that, while considerable challenges remain, the Church could use the parable as an inspiration to step up the pace of its efforts. Monsignor Vitillo echoed this belief.

LOAVES AND FISHES

FAITH-BASED RESPONSES TO HIV AND AIDS

“THE SITUATION REMINDS US OF ONE OF JESUS’S MOST WELL-KNOWN MIRACLES.”

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Caritas Australia’s web and education teams are blazing a trail with their new online educational tool kit.Launched on our website in May this year, the kit was developed in response to Caritas Australia’s Strategic Directions 2013–2018 document, which called on our agency to deepen our Catholic identity which includes Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles.

Aimed at school students and their teachers, the kit focuses on six key CST principles:

• The Dignity of the Human Person

• The Common Good

• Subsidiarity and Participation

• Solidarity

• Preferential Option for the Poor

• Stewardship of Creation

A suite of videos, photos, cartoons and comics make up the learning tools effectively illustrating the principles of Catholic Social Teaching with a global flavour.

A focus on marginalised communities is emphasised through footage of Caritas Australia’s work in the Brazilian city of São Paulo where Maristely, the young face of this year’s Project Compassion, lives with her family.

The kit’s focus on questioning, critical thinking and problem solving not only reflects its inquiry-based learning approach but also the extensive consultations that were conducted with teachers during its development. Over a 12-month period, many teachers, social justice coordinators and religious education coordinators provided their input on the project to ensure that the final kit was as engaging and teacher-friendly as possible.

Kate Andreo, the Resource and Partnership Team’s Global Education Coordinator, sees such stakeholder input as one of the highlights of the project.

“Incorporating feedback and comments from teachers and Catholic Education Office consultants from across the states was absolutely invaluable — it was fantastic to be able to test the tool kit and tweak it according to the suggestions we received, and to get a sense of the energy around the product before it was released,” says Kate.

The kit is comprehensive, providing units of work for all school levels from early primary through to secondary school level. “With over 120 resources written in-house, along with our work with a film company and a cartoonist, we had to manage our time carefully to ensure we were producing high-quality resources within the desired time frame.”

These views are shared by her colleague, Melissa Murga, Global Education Advisor, who also found the project rewarding on another level.

“This was an extremely rich professional learning project for me as a teacher. But personally, I was also deeply encouraged in my faith by the richness of the CST principles and honoured to promote them in learning activities for the classroom,” says Melissa.

For more, please visit www.caritas.org.au/cst

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING MOVES ONLINE

“YOU ARE NOT MAKING A GIFT OF WHAT IS YOURS TO THE POOR MAN, BUT YOU ARE GIVING HIM BACK WHAT IS HIS. THE EARTH BELONGS TO EVERYONE, NOT TO THE RICH.”

- ST AMBROSE

Preferential Option for the Poor: what is Justice for the poor? Caring for the poor is everyone’s responsibility. Preferential care should be shown to poor and vulnerable people, whose needs and rights are given special attention in God’s eyes. At Caritas Australia, our programs aim to reach the poorest and most marginalised people.

ACT> Explore and share Caritas Australia’s CST learning tools at www.caritas.org.au/cst

EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

10 | CaritasNews

PROJECT COMPASSION 2014

MARISTELY from Brazil

DENG from South Sudan ARCHIE

from the Philippines

NIRANGINI from Sri Lanka

MARTINA from the Solomon Islands

LORRAINE from Australia

CARITAS COMMUNITY

The Gospel of John provided the inspiration for this year’s Project Compassion theme, “Have life and have it to the full”. This was reaffirmed in 2013 when Pope Francis said, “Men and women of all times and all places desire a full and beautiful life ... a life that is not threatened by death but that can mature and grow to its fullness.” A full life is one filled with certainty; a life free from the burden of poverty with equal access to food, water, education, healthcare and shelter; a life of dignity and a life of peace within our hearts and minds.

Thanks to you, nearly $11 million was raised in Project Compassion 2014. These funds are helping us work to create a just, compassionate world. In 2014, we have learned about life in its fullness through the experience of six special participants in Caritas Australia’s programs.

“HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.”

- JOHN 10:10

#138 SPRING 2014 | 11

THANK YOU FOR THESE AMAZING MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR MARISTELY!

Maristely, keep up the great work you are doing as God’s instrument of peace! Be strengthened, and be steadfast. Do not dread, and do not fear. For the Lord your God is with you in all things, wherever you may go. Joshua 1:9

It is people like you that make the world a better place to live in. May God give you the strength to continue doing what you are doing. God bless.

Keep looking forward to the future. You will see remarkable things happen. Apply all your energy and skills. Positive minds produce positive results.

Dear Maristely, my father was a

medic in Manaus from 1902-1914,

so I am interested in Brazil. I am

now 99 years old and pray as I

can for all the world for God’s

mercy. My love and prayers.

Despite the physical distance between our communities, we are close in spirit and support.

If God is with you, who can be against you?

Maristely, there is nothing you can’t do if you believe in yourself.

Maristely, you have the gift of joy and hope for a better future. We have the gift of supporting you.

Good luck, Maristely, with the tremendous work you are doing. A great example for many young people around the globe. May God and peace always be with you.

WWW.CARITAS.ORG.AU/PROJECTCOMPASSION

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO POSTED A PHOTO OR MESSAGE TO THE PROJECT COMPASSION ONLINE WALL OF SOLIDARITY.

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YES, I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE FARMERS AND FARMERS LIVING WITH A DISABILITY IN POOR COMMUNITIES:

$154 HELPS US RUN WORKSHOPS TO TRAIN COMMUNITY BEFRIENDING VOLUNTEERS IN COUNSELLING TECHNIQUES.

$102 HELPS US LINK MARGINALISED FARMERS WITH OTHER SUCCESSFUL FARMERS IN THE REGION SO THEY CAN SHARE PRACTICAL AND PROVEN FARMING TECHNIQUES.

$64 COULD HELP DELIVER AGRICULTURAL-BASED SKILLS TRAINING FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.

$31 ALLOWS US TO TEACH FARMERS HOW TO PREPARE ORGANIC FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES FOR THEIR CROPS.

Rajan is now a lead farmer in the FARM program.

ALTERNATIVELY, I’D LIKE TO GIVE $

THE FARM PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FARMERS. Thanks to your support, vulnerable farmers and farmers living with a disability can develop more sustainable farming practices and explore other long-term livelihood opportunities so they can provide for themselves and their families without damaging the environment they depend on.

The Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development N3T

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