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Author: CEDAR Fund

United in Christ to Restore Hope

Written by Winnie Fung (Chief Executive) ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.’ (Isaiah 43:19) The theme of the 20th Integral Alliance (IA) meeting this year is the ability to see God ‘doing a new thing’. It’s a challenging call, as it is easy to see darkness and despair in our world these days rather than hope and ‘new things’. But as Christians, we follow in His footsteps to care about the poverty and suffering in this world, and it is imperative that we practice the spiritual discipline of seeing God ‘doing a new thing’ and

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LETTER FROM CEDAR | OCT 2024

Dear CEDAR friends and supporters, Have you ever wondered why Christians give? The National Christian Foundation (NCF) has just published one of the largest research studies on Christian giving (a), i.e. giving done by Christians to both faith-based and secular causes. They find that givers aged 45 and above give because they ‘feel greater purpose in life’ and ‘feel grateful’. Those aged 44 and below give because they ‘feel more fully alive’, ‘feel closer to God’, and ‘feel more hopeful’. NCF finds that the overwhelming driver for Christian givers is their desire to ‘be good and wise stewards of what God has given them’. When asked about the most important characteristics they look for in a charitable giving

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‘SHARE’ 254 – Rural Development Model: ‘Relationship, Relationship, Relationship’

Editor’s note: In this issue of SHARE, we share about rural development work. The issue’s ‘Focus’ explores rural development centred on relationships, emphasising the interaction with nature, land, and interpersonal networks. ‘Back to the Bible’ reflects on the teachings of selflessness, drawn from agricultural-related scriptures in Leviticus. ‘Blessings by Offering’ features CEDAR’s projects in Nepal, bearing witness to how rural poor communities are transformed through capacity building and community empowerment. Additionally, in ‘Learn a Little More’, our colleague Dustin shares his ten-year service journey at CEDAR. ARTICLES OF THIS ISSUE ‘SHARE’ 254 – Rural Development Model: ‘Relationship, Relationship, Relationship’ ‘SHARE’ 254 – Rural Development Model: ‘Relationship, Relationship, Relationship’ Written by Winnie Fung (Chief Executive) If you ask a

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Ten Years of Graceful Service

Written by Dustin Tang (Donor Services Officer) As of September 2024, I have served in CEDAR Fund for ten years. Looking back, apart from changes in roles and tasks, God’s grace has always been with me. Ten years ago, I was introduced to CEDAR by a sister from my church. Initially, I participated as a volunteer and took part in administrative support work, such as contacting and inviting churches to participate in our activities, inputting participant information, preparing event materials, etc. Later, I became a part-time staff member and transitioned to a full-time role. My role and work have changed from being ‘behind the scenes’ to being ‘in front of the scenes’, sharing and leading experiential activities in

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Life Transformation of Villagers in Poverty

Written by Clara Chiu (Head of Partnership Development) According to the United Nations, ‘poverty entails more than the lack of income and productive resources to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, as well as the lack of participation in decision-making.’ It turns out that poverty is not just the ‘lack of money’, but also ‘lacking’ in many other aspects: income, resources, power, opportunity and respect. Let us share a project in Nepal which witnesses how CEDAR transformed poor communities who face multiple ‘lacks’. Since 2017, CEDAR has partnered with the local organisation Share and Care Napel (SCN) to carry out a project called

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Selflessness for the Common Good

Written by Janice Cheng (Pastor) Scriptures reading:  Leviticus 19:9-10 9 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:9-10 9 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor

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‘SHARE’ 254 – Rural Development Model: ‘Relationship, Relationship, Relationship’

Written by Winnie Fung (Chief Executive) If you ask a real estate agent the three most important factors for buying a house and determining its value, the answer will be ‘location, location, location.’ If you ask a development worker the three most important factors for rural development, the answer will be ‘relationship, relationship, relationship.’ When doing rural development, everything is about relationship. There is deep interdependence with nature and climate, significant identity ties to the land, and a necessary reliance on informal networks. Interdependence with Nature Most rural communities rely on farming, animal husbandry, and/or fishing for livelihoods. What the land produces is what they can consume. As a result, soil, water, and natural resource management is a

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Response to the Wayanad Landslide in India

On 30 July 2024, multiple landslides occurred in the northern part of the Wayanad district of Kerala state in India. As of 9 August, the disaster resulted in the killing of 427 people, with 131 being reported missing. According to the authority’s figure, on 13 August, over 1,700 people were sheltered in 15 relief camps. The affected region received 570mm of rainfall in the two days leading up to the tragedy. This landslide was marked as one of the worst-hit disasters in the history of Kerala. The research conducted by World Weather Attribution, an international group of researchers, revealed that the heavy rainfall during the early hours of 30 July, which caused the landslides, is the third heaviest

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Assam Flood Response

The Assam state of India has experienced unprecedented floods this year, with unexpected timing and intensity. The deluge was caused by incessant rainfall in late June, which affected millions and devastated vast areas. According to The Hindu, as of 21 July 2024, the death toll in this year’s flood, lightning and storm had increased to 113. In early July, the government had set up 489 relief camps and distribution centres in 21 districts, providing shelter to 286,776 people. Karimganj district was one of the worst hit by the flood, with 300 villages affected. Countless homes have been damaged, and families have been displaced. They face critical food shortages and urgent medical needs. The affected communities are confronted with

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LETTER FROM CEDAR | JUL 2024

Dear CEDAR friends and supporters, At the time of writing, Hong Kong recorded its hottest summer solstice in more than 40 years as temperatures reached 34 degrees. I was on a call with our field partner in India, and he was sharing how they had just experienced a record temperature of 50(!) degrees. ‘It’s not a human level of heat.’ 192 people have died in Delhi within a 9-day period this month due to the heat wave. Even at nighttime, people can barely sleep because of the suffocatingly high temperature, and this has led to increased stress on people’s bodies. The extreme heat is particularly difficult for people living in refugee camps and informal housing, as well as

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