EVEN AFTER 105 YEARS, WE'RE STILL MAKING HISTORY.

- IN THIS ISSUE -

Our application for government funding has successfully moved to the next stage.

If you know me, you know I live my life by the word of God (number one) and the word of Bono (a close second).

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry”.

I confess the reason Psalm 40 is one of my favourites is because of a little Irish band called U2. As my team will no doubt know by now (I've made sure to remind them), U2 finish many of their concerts with their interpretation of the Psalm, called “40”. Bono puts it this way:

“...behind lament lurks hope. Yeah, grief becomes a kind of invocation, doesn’t it? A prayer to be filled?”

 

Lament seems like a word that was made for our time doesn't it? Literally, “a passionate expression of grief or sorrow”. There's almost too much in this world that illicits our personal and collective grief and sorrow. But it's my sincere belief that at the core of our lamentation is a seed of faith, a kind of invocation - a prayer to be filled.

I also confess that Anglican Missions has lamented over these last few years. We've had to have tough conversations, make difficult decisions and confront attitudes and perceptions. We've lamented with our partners and those we serve - those affected by disasters, emergencies and situations outside of their control.

But this past week, we're seeing the first fertile shoots which have started to grow. Our prayers are starting to be filled in God's mysterious way. Our application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) for contestable funding has been provisionally approved, and we're able to move into the design phase of a new development project.

This is a first for us and it’s a very big deal.

Mark will tell you all about our very exciting new project in the next section. What I want to say is this:

• This funding means the New Zealand Government trusts us to deliver results on their behalf (and will hold us accountable to do so)
  
• We've had a very large magnifying glass over us; we've needed to prove the strength of our processes and systems and our ability to deliver what we say we're going to do
  
• This is a huge vote of confidence in Anglican Missions and represents a significant partnership between us and the New Zealand Government. 

While there will always be a time for sorrow, we're moving into a time of joy. What's most exciting of all is we get to do this with you by our side! Our supporters, our parishes, other church agencies and partners, our leaders, our friends, our family. You're the heartbeat of what we do.

We're excited to see this next chapter unfold alongside you. Thank you all for your support. I'll leave it to Bono to have the final word:

"...the heart is a bloom that shoots up through the stony ground... it's a beautiful day!"

Michael Hartfield

National Director

About the Ontong Java Resilience Project.

The Solomon Islands is under threat from climate change. This is even more real on the remote Solomon atoll of Ontong Java, the world's largest inhabited atoll. 

This isolated island is 24 hours by boat from the nearest port, which means that provision and help is significantly more challenging to provide. The atoll and its inhabitants face a consistent battle with rising sea levels and natural disasters. With climate disasters becoming more and more common, they're at serious risk should a large event occur. 

In a partnership with the Anglican Church of Melanesia, the aim of this project is to enhance the inhabitant's resilience and well being so that they can not only survive these events, but thrive in their environment.

The project has a 2 year timeframe and covers three critical areas:

1. Sustainable agriculture

This focusses on revitalising and scaling up farming practices that are resistant to the effects of climate change. That includes an emphasis on permaculture (adopting the elements that make local ecosystems flourish into new agriculture). It also includes capacity building and teaching for local farmers in order to equip them with modern techniques and farming practices.

2. Water and sanitation

To address water scarcity and sanitation challenges, the project will expand rainwater harvesting systems, providing reliable access to safe drinking water. It will also introduce appropriate sanitation facilities and promote hygiene awareness, particularly benefiting women and girls.

3. Disaster preparedness

Community-based disaster preparedness programmes will include early warning systems, emergency response plans, and training on disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies. This will empower communities to effectively respond to and recover from natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency and severity.

By engaging local communities, building capacity, and promoting sustainable practices, the project aims to create lasting positive impacts and contribute to the well-being of the Ontong Java population.

How you can help us with this project.