Bulletin March-April 2017
Dear Friends
The world still seems a little bleak right now, with cold weather and increasingly alarming news stories. But the daffodils and blossom are defying the cold, and sticking their heads above the parapet, to offer us hope and joy. I hope that we, as God's people, can stand up and be counted for justice and mission, even when these things seem far away. I hope this Bulletin will give you some ideas of how we can work together to bring hope and light into our world.
I am sending this on International Women's Day, which seems great timing as our Conference last month was on Gender Equality! If you missed it, please see info below, and if you were there, please use today as a reminder to take action to bring about Gender Justice.
Prayers
1. Famine in East Africa - Drought conditions continue to trouble parts of Ethiopia, Somalia and Northern Kenya and are set to worsen. More than 12 million people across the three countries are in need of food aid. Pray for aid agencies working to support communities through these challenging times, and for drought conditions to end.
2. Colombia - pray for the peace process to hold and for the government's push to finance farmers in other areas away from growing drugs.
Pray for local fair trade fruit juice company Fruto del Espiritu, who have been taken on by a restaurant chain and offer a viable alternative to farmers
http://www.fruto.co.uk/portfolio/
3.
Women and girls - give thanks for improving attitudes towards gender equality. Pray for an end to abuse of women and girls, including FGM and all forms of violence, and for girls to receive an education wherever they live in the world.
Actions
1.
International Women's Day, 8th March - As our recent Gender Equality Conference highlighted, women are still subject to terrible abuse and injustice across the world. Please listen to the
podcasts from the Conference and see the attached notes for ideas of action you can take to free women and girls from these abuses and reach their potential, and please share these resources widely - on social media and through your networks.
Sign up to the IWD
#BeBoldForChange campaign
2.
Buy Fairtrade! We're in the second week of Fairtrade Fortnight; perhaps this Lent, one of your commitments can be to buy more Fairtrade products to enable farmers to get a fair deal. You can support Traidcraft's Let It Grow campaign
here
3.
Lent actions with Operation Noah - take climate action through Lent
http://operationnoah.org/resources/lent-course-climate-change-purposes-god/
Events
1. Fairtrade Coffeelicious - Saturday, 11 March 11.30am – 2.30pm The New Room, John Wesley Chapel, 36 The Horsefair, Bristol BS1 3JE
At 12.30, Maura Jarquin Blandon will be talking about her life as a coffee and cocoa farmer in Nicaragua and the difference Fairtrade has made to her life, her family and her community. Also available Free Fairtrade coffee tastings, an array of Fairtrade products on sale, mini café area selling hot and cold Fairtrade drinks, lots of information to browse and a rolling loop of Fairtrade short films to watch.
FREE to attend. More details
here
2. Fossil Free Training - Saturday, 18 March 11am- 4pm Central Bristol (tbc)
The fossil fuel industry have been driving the climate crisis and delaying action on climate change for decades.
350.org and People & Planet are running creative action and media trainings in 10+ UK cities, ahead of the Global Divestment Mobilisation this May. The focus of the training sessions is on creative action planning and media skills.There will also be space for local campaigns to talk about their work! The sessions will be interactive and participatory.
£5 full price or free for unwaged/student. Email
ellen@350.org or click
here to book a place
3. Art Under Occupation - Friday, 24 March to Sunday - Sunday 2 April Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre, 27 Broad Street BRISTOL BS1 2HG
Art work by Palestinian, Local and International artists Malak Mattar, Kerry Beall, Cliff Hanley, among others... Facebook link
HERE
Thank you for your support for justice and peace throughout the world; together we are a team of people that God can use to really make a difference. I hope that this time of Lent will inspire you to take action for the poor, knowing that God will multiply our efforts for Him.
May God Bless You
Jenny
on behalf of the Global Aware Team