Urgent Appeal
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic country, with a population of 18m people. The
civil war has killed about 70,000 people, displaced hundreds of thousands
and held back the island's growth and economic development.
Our partners in Sri Lanka are currently working into this difficult
situation, after the Tamil Tigers advanced on a government garrison town
called Vavuniya. There are over one hundred and fifty thousand individuals
who have been directly affected by this tragedy. Most of them are Tamil
speaking and belonging to various religious groups. Many families have lost
their children, houses, and all their belongings. Presently they are living
in tents and many of them are sick. Their urgent needs right now are food,
clothing and medicine.
As followers of Jesus we consider it our duty to show our love and concern
for these needy people and do whatever we can to reach out and help them.
Our contacts in UCF (United Christian Fellowship) led by Rev. Ranjan
Fernando) are providing food, clothing and medicine for these needy people
in Vavuniya from the 17th to 19th July 2009. They are planning to help up
to 1000 people. For those who would like to contribute, here's the
opportunity to join with them.
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We also want to appeal to all our prayer partners to specially remember to
pray for all these families who have been war victims and those who have
lost their children.
Prayer Points
· Your urgent prayers are required for the many thousands who have been
displaced in the North. UCF is also trying to extend support to these
people.
· Please pray that the Lord will provide the needs of these people -
clothing, food, water and medicine.
· Pray for the staff of UCF, for strength as these servants are under very
trying conditions in rural areas.
· Please pray for the Pastors and Sunday School Teachers who are
ministering to all the displaced communities in the villages. Pray that the
Lord will provide the needed support for their monthly living allowances,
travelling etc
· Please pray for UCF, for their families and churches and their commitment
during this difficult time.
Here in Links International we have set up a special account for anyone who
would like to invest into the work that UCF are doing so that together with
them we can work towards bringing restoration to these individuals who have
lost so much.
On their behalf we offer our thanks.
The Links Team
Links International is a mission network established in 1985. We work by serving the vision of key nationals, providing practical and spiritual resources. We aim to work through the local church both in the field and at home, believing that the Kingdom of God is expressed primarily through 'Church'. We do not want to create a large bureaucratic organisation drawing people and resources to ourselves. Rather we want to empower others even at the risk of losing our own identity. Our vision is to change lives, and transform communities.
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Sending out teams of people with a passion for healthcare education into rural area around the world, to train and empower local people in basic healthcare principles.
The teaching begins with a needs assessment and goes on to teach on topics which are of local priority. For example, in a community where countless babies and children were dying from simple diarrhoea, we have seen a dramatic reduction in child mortality. This can be directly attributed to teaching on basic hygiene and sanitation and links the teaching to practical projects such as building pit latrines.
We teach in countries round the world, building on relational contacts and connecting with churches and communities. In 2009 seven PHC team trips are being planned and will touch at least 64 communities.
A small loan is given to an individual, group or family in the developing world to start a small business; this then generates sufficient finances to take them out of poverty. Children are fed, clothed and educated, daily needs are met and savings accounts are opened. The original loan is repaid and recycled to help start someone else up in business.
Micro-enterprise does so much more than provide basic needs; it restores people's dignity and empowers them to fulfil their destiny rather than perpetuating an attitude of dependency on others. It has been a huge success with initiatives running in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Colombia, India, Peru, The Middle East and The Philippines.
'Spiritual famine relief' to key workers around the world, many of whom do not have access to Christian resources. Currently we send out 220 parcels to 60 different nations three times a year containing a recently published Christian book, a worship CD and teaching CD. To receive a parcel can be an incredibly reviving experience, reminding missionaries and workers that they are loved and thought of.
This element of our work is very diverse. Smaller projects with a creative/entrepreneurial twist have proved highly successful - from Internet cafes in The Philippines, to clean water in Ghana. In Thailand we were able to set up a lychee farm and fish farm to provide both a source of food and an income stream to an unreached people group, living as refugees from Myanmar. Water pumped up from the low land would irrigate the farm and also serve as the breeding pool for fish. Links raised the money both for a pump and to convert the lake into a fish farm. The organization is now self-sufficient and able to provide jobs for the people they are reaching.
Currently we are working around the world befriending and serving churches, without personal agenda, training leaders and encouraging people on the frontline. We operate on the basis of relationship on a sliding scale between 'blessing' on a one-off basis and strategic input with an apostolic edge. We provide opportunites by taking out mission teams to serve in a variety of different ways and believe strongly in partnership without ownership. We also work closely with key business contacts in the UK and the USA to bring encouragement and support to those who have a vision to see their business resource the Kingdom of God.
Links International is an associate ministry of both The Pioneer Network and The Ground Level Network of Churches.
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One growing part of Links' work lies in the area of handling accounts and acting as a charitable umbrella for churches, individual, missionaries, organisations and business people, to enable them to fulfil their visiion without all the difficulty of forming their own charitable trust.
Links opens an account and collects all monies from donors. We collate and apply for all gift aid tax reclaims and put them into our client's account in full. All monies are held under a separate designated account and are then paid out on the specific instruction of the client. We have developed considerable expertise in transferring money abroad and can do so both regularly (i.e monthly payments) and/or as one-off payments, as requested. A small fee is charged to the account four times a year and statements are sent on a quarterly basis to each client.