On Tuesday 12th January we watched in horror as Haiti experienced it’s
most devastating earthquake in over 200 years.
The epicentre of the magnitude 7.0 quake was near the densely populated Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
The first images to emerge on Wednesday showed streets strewn with bodies, clouds of dust and the rubble of destroyed buildings. We listened as witnesses tell of their harrowing experiences of building rocking backwards and forwards hearing people crying out from beneath the rubble.
People from every level of society have been affected by the devastation from UN officials to many thousands of people considered to be the poorest in the world. Even the presidential palace was badly damaged. The latest death toll estimates range between 50,000 – 100,000.
Efforts have intensified over the last few days to help the survivors, who lack food, water, shelter and medical care.
Haitians are desperate for help – and as the Church of Jesus Christ we are the expression of God here on earth. We mustn’t stand aside. If there was ever another opportunity to join with The God of the oppressed who hears the cry of the poor, it’s now!
In Links International we are committed to stand with our Christian brothers and sisters in Haiti to not only see an immediate relief to their terrible suffering, but to also look for strategic and lasting solutions to see the nation raised up out of poverty. Will you join with us to see a restored Haiti.
Please give by sending your cheques to the following address:
Links
International
PO Box 198
Littlehampton
West Sussex
BN16 3UQ
Please make cheques payable to Links International, specifying either in writing on the reverse of the cheque or by including a note that the money is to be used for ‘Haiti: Disaster Relief’
Thank you.
Joe
Gisbey
On behalf of The Links Team
Links International 'links' with partners in the west and in developing countries to inspire, empower, train and resource individuals and communities to break free from poverty and disease.
This is achieved through micro-enterprise, community healthcare, income-generating projects, resources, training and strategic partnerships. The result is holistic and sustainable!
Established in 1985 as a missions network and a registered charity, Links International partners with churches, organisations and communities in 64 nations. Links is committed to changing lives and transforming communities.
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Links International has seen hundreds of communities around the globe transformed through training and empowering community influencers in healthcare. Ten Community Healthcare training trips are scheduled for 2010 and will impact hundreds more.
Training is open to the whole community, but a core team of community influencers, committed to ongoing training, are selected as potential voluntary healthcare workers. Links works with this team to help them discover how they can bring positive change to key issues facing their community. Where appropriate existing healthcare professionals are up-skilled.
Links' healthcare training is sustainable. On average, once five training trips have been completed, communities are not only healthier but also resourced and empowered to independently develop healthcare in their communities and in others.
Pastor Steven Chisale said of the recent training in Malawi, 'It has provoked our mindset that says there is nothing we can do about this. It was so exciting to discover that we have the answers to solve the problems we face in our communities. Thank you so much, may God bless you'.
We're also excited because more than fifty communities in Malawi have begun the journey of transformation. We'll return April 2010 to keep the momentum and training going.
Check out opportunities to Go. You could be part of the next transformation story.
We believe sustainable freedom from poverty is about giving people a hand up not a hand out. Micro-enterprise is one way we give a hand up.
Links International has established successful micro-enterprise initiatives in Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Colombia, Nepal, the Middle East, five throughout India and two in Peru. In the next twelve months new initiatives will begin in China, India, the Congo, the Philippines and in the Solomon Islands. A great training programme, careful selection of indigenous administrators and ongoing oversight has resulted in a 95% loan repayment.
A small loan and business training is given to an individual, group or family in the developing world. They start a new business generating sufficient income to break free from the cycle of poverty. The original loan is repaid and recycled to give someone else the same opportunity.
Micro-enterprise achieves so much more than simply providing income for food, clothing and education. It empowers, restores dignity and ensures sustainable poverty relief.
Help us give a family a hand up. You can Give or become a micro-enterprise trainer and Go.
'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.
We like to be creative and don't believe in dependency so enjoy working with our partners to come up with creative, entrepreneurial solutions to problems.
Clean water, milk producing cows, fish farms and guest houses - just a few of the diverse Links projects. The key is that they are sustainable and income generating.
A regular source of food and income were created for our partners in Thailand. Links raised the capital to purchase a pump which irrigated a lychee farm and fed a fish breeding pool. The project has been a huge success. Our partners are now self-sufficient and providing food and jobs for an unreached people group living as refugees from Myanmar.
Please Give and help us make a sustainable difference.
We value relationship and believe in partnership without ownership. We love to train, encourage, network and resource the church.
We don't do the usual missions thing - we want you to support us in what we're doing - but ask 'how we can serve you in what God is calling you to do in your local church?' It's all about the church.
We link with and actively help churches develop their own missions' strategy serving leaders who often feel that, with activists pulling in different directions, the tail is in danger of wagging the dog!
An exciting new development is Act4You Church Accounts. Open a designated, ring-fenced account in your church's name. Links will receive your regular missions' investment and hold all funds strictly to your order. We'll talk with you and your team three times a year and discuss a range of investment options and projects that match your church vision.
Links International is an associate ministry of both The Pioneer Network and The Ground Level Network of churches.
One growing part of Links' work lies in the area of handling accounts and acting as a charitable umbrella for churches, individuals, missionaries, organisations and business people to enable them to fulfil their vision without 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.
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