MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICANBOARD OF MISSION –

AUSTRALIA LTD

AUTUMN 2013VOLUME 31 • NUMBER 1ABN 18 097 944 717

INSIDENEWS FROMThe Holy LandThe PhilippinesPapua New GuineaAustraliaChina

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDRENA look at Christian education in the Philippines Page 4

READING THE ROCKSA pilgrimage to Jerusalem Page 6

ANGLICANS IN DEVELOPMENTThis edition we focus on the 7th MillenniumDevelopment Goal, environmental sustainability Page 9

SPOTLIGHT ON PNGArchbishop of Canterbury opens ABM Project in PNG Page 14

CONQUERING THE EDUCATION GAPStudents at the Gawura Campus atSt Andrew’s learn and grow. Page 16

A VISIT WITH OUR PARTNER IN CHINARevd John Deane visited Amity in late 2012 Page 18

Printed on recycled paper

Partners in Autumn

Front cover photo: Mother and child in Kenya.© ABM/Ivy Wang 2011.

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Dear Friends,The season of Lent reminds us of Jesus’ time in the wilderness and of thetemptations that were set before Him; it also prepares us for the great salvificevents of Holy Week. During a recent visit to the Diocese of Jerusalem,I journeyed through the wilderness on a trip to Jericho.

It is hard to describe the characteristics ofthe wilderness which is different from theAustralian desert. It is rugged and arid butfar less predictable with animals andvegetation and even Bedouin tribesmenappearing most unexpectedly. However, onarrival into Jericho I realised that it was notso much the experience of the wildernessbut the sense of fear and uncertainty whichpervades much of the land that had takenhold of me. My trip involved passing throughat least three check points, armed withsecurity guards, as we moved in and out ofthe occupied territory of the West Bank. Itmade me reflect that this was probably howmany of the people who lived in the time ofJesus also found their life under foreign rule.

They say when you go to the Holy Land, after

still need to play an important role in tryingto break down the fear and the barriers thathave been constructed over many years. Youwill note that in this edition of Partners weadvise of a change to the Marks of Missionto include peace and reconciliation. A trip toJerusalem and the journey through thewilderness to get there remind us of howessential this aspect of our witness stillremains.

I wish you a Holy Lent.

The Revd John Deane

a week you want to write a book, after amonth it becomes an article and after a yearyou simply say it’s complicated. The tensionsand problems which beset the Middle East,especially Israel and the Palestinianterritories are immensely complicated andassigning right or wrong to one side or theother does little to really improve thesituation. What appears to be most neededis an environment where peace may be builtand it reminds us that at the heart of ourfaith lies the Prince of Peace. Christians aresmall in number in the Holy Land but they

…“And the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness.He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he

was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on Him…”

Journeying in the footsteps of Jesus

The Revd David Tabo-oy, National Co-ordinator for Evangelism and Christian Education.© ABM/Brad Chapman 2012.Discerning God’s call in her heart to serve as a

Sunday school teacher was not such a difficulttask for Mrs Unos. “I’ve included them as oneof my own children,” she said. “Before Sundaycomes I’m really excited to meet them again.”

Having no prior experience in teaching couldnot prevent Mrs Unos from responding toGod’s call to serve as a Christian educator.

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“If you commit yourself in the service of GodI think you can do whatever he wills for you,”she said.

Love and passion are the simple ingredientsthat drive Christian educators like Mrs Unos tolive out God’s call in their life.

Facilitating a Sunday school learningenvironment is becoming simpler thanks to alectionary based curriculum being developedby the Episcopal Church in the Philippineswhich allows teachers to access resourcesand materials for their Sunday lessons without

Christian Education shaping lives in the Philippines By Greg Henderson

When Alma Unos was asked toconsider teaching Sunday schoolat Christ Church Kias in thePhilippines she was hesitant atfirst, having never taught a Sundayschool class before in her homechurch. From a class of fewerthan 15 children Christ Church’sSunday school gathering quicklygrew to average 35 children eachweek. This is just one of theChristian education stories thathas emerged out of ABM’spartnership with the EpiscopalChurch in the Philippines.

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extensive preparation and experience. Thechildren in Kias have responded positively toparticipatory story telling through skits, actionsongs and other activities suggested in thecurriculum. Rarely is there a quiet moment inthe classroom of Christ Church Kias whereone hour on a Sunday just doesn’t seem likeenough time to play, sing, draw, act and havefun with friends and with God. Mrs Unos’passion for serving God and her community

is made tangible in the joy and eagerparticipation that fills the Sunday school room.

As we ponder our own calling we can beencouraged and reminded that as we sharethe love of Christ with others we are

participating in God’s mission. Please join withus in prayer and thanksgiving for Alma andthousands of volunteers like her who arenurturing the spiritual development of younglives around the world.

In 2013 the ABM Auxiliary is supporting this project to encourage evangelism andChristian education in the Philippines. To see Christ Church Sunday School, Kias inaction, please visit www.abmission.org/lent to watch the documentary Jesus Lovesthe Little Children.

Children participate in Sunday School at Christ Church, Kias, in the Philippines. © ABM/Brad Chapman 2012.

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Reading the Rocks ByWayne Singleton, RVE Teacher at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Brisbane

Weworship and journey with a surprising God. I had other plans for myChristmas break. It was just another recess in my staff room. One handheld the cold coffee that I had made before school but hadn’t yet hadthe time to drink, my other hand was scrolling through the mountain ofemails that now are part of our work life. Opening only those that Icouldn’t put off until after school, I was about to skip over the emailfrom ABM but I thought no; that will be a quick read.Among the items was a simple line saying‘Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands’.

You know how you can be walking along deepin thought then for no apparent reason tripover your own feet? It was one of thosemoments. I sat for a moment then heardmyself saying ‘I think that I am going toJerusalem’. My colleagues in our smallstaffroom started saying things like ’that’s agood idea’ and ‘why don’t you’ and ‘buy me acamel’. Oh yes, I neglected to mention earlierthat it is an Art Staffroom that I inhabit!

It just felt right. It was now the ‘one day’ that Ihad told myself all my life would be the timewhen I would go.

Now, for me the word Pilgrim has alwaysconjured up images of a man in a hair shirtwalking with a stick and sandals along a dusty

road. So I used the word ‘visit’ before I went.Now I know the power of the word, I use theword Pilgrim. I have learnt that whilst a touristvisits to learn and be entertained, a Pilgrimwalks with different eyes. It is a walk incontemplation with our God, and with the rightguide making straight the path before you, it isfaith affirming, faith challenging, at times totallybewildering and at times totally awesome.

You notice I said ‘with a guide’. I can’t begin tosay how important it is to have one. Going to St.George’s College with ABM’s John Deane and asmall group of other Australian Anglicans forthe Jesus of Palestine Pilgrimage, enabled meto journey with spiritual and cultural guides whoknew ‘how to read the rocks’. It is not a placefor a novice to easily travel alone.

There is a saying here, ‘you don’t just travel to

the Holy Lands, you return’, it couldn’t be moretrue. Anglicans of my generation have been inwonder of the place since we were in SundaySchool. It is the cradle of the three greatmonotheistic faiths. Spiritually for me, it is thecentre of the world.

St George’s College offers a variety of coursesthroughout the year. The Palestine of Jesuscourse that I did enabled me to explore the life

Wayne at Pagan Temple ruins at Banias.© ABM, 2013.

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and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, byexploring his life in the physical and historicalcontexts in which he lived. It also enabled meshare this Pilgrimage with other Australian,American and British members of the AnglicanCommunion and that in itself was a blessing.

To drive what would have been the half daywalk for Mary and Jesus from Nazareth toCana, with a Palestinian Christian explainingwhy they would have made that journey andhow communities celebrated and still celebrateevents like marriages was a real privilege.

Walking from St. George’s down through agate of the Herod’s Old city, past the crowdedBazaar, past the Via Dolorosa, out to thesquare facing the Western Wall with its rowsof people at prayer, past the families paradingwith their children on their Bar Mitzvah, outthrough another gate down to the excavationsof David’s Old City. There to have a passionatearticulate Jewish Historian explain the Tel andits ‘finds’ and to walk us far undergroundthrough tunnels to the ancient city’s watersource; that was not an ordinary day!

Taking some contemplation time looking overthe Sea of Galilee up to my ankles in it, I wasreminded of a definition of contemplation that

conflict and the present day problems that facethe country. I actually came away with morehope than I took with me. I saw many signs ofcommunity groups wanting to work together ingood faith. As an outsider there is no place forjudgement or side taking, I could only listenand pray that all community groups can findways to ‘enlarge their tent’.

The first evening that we arrived, the Dean ofSt George’s asked the question ‘Why have youcome?’ We were asked to sleep on it. Thequestion surprised me and I realised that I hadjust responded to what I felt was a call oropportunity from God and that I hadn’t any realexpectations. I began to fret that my answermight sound lightweight in the morning. Afterall, the majority of the Pilgrims doing thecourse were Seminarians from the UnitedStates and I didn’t want to let the otherAussies down. That evening as we sat in thecathedral waiting for the Eucharist to begin, Iread the introduction in their Prayer Book. In itthe Archbishop had written an extraordinarystatement, in part it said ‘God’s not finishedwith you yet’. I had my answer.

So I say to you, if like me Jerusalem is on your‘one day’ bucket list, then can I encourage youbrother/sister to just do it…let go, let God.

called it ‘a long loving look at the real’. For thefirst time I really heard the word ‘long’ in thedefinition. I knew that I was not there to runwhere Jesus walked! A long loving lookrequires a saunter not a sprint. It is the paceto experience the soil and the people of theHoly Land, the land that some have called ’thefifth Gospel’. I am reminded of a moment ofmeditation in Capernaum, the ministry base ofJesus. In a moment of just ‘being’ I suddenlybecame consciously aware of the bird songaround me and realised that these were thesame songs that Jesus would have heard.How wonderful.

Of course you can’t have 3,000–6,000 years ofhistory and three major world religions in acountry without acknowledging the history of

Wayne Singleton and John Deane at CaesareaMaritima. © ABM, 2013.

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More than Words

The Anglican Board of Mission has welcomeda change to the 5 Marks of Mission made bythe Anglican Consultative Council in late 2012.

The change to the fourth Mark of Missionreflects the importance of God’s mission inpeace, conflict transformation and reconciliation.

ABM has responded by revising its fourth Markof Mission to “Challenge violence, injustice andoppression, and work for peace andreconciliation”. Previously the fourth mark hasbeen to “Challenge injustice and oppression”.

Education Missioner for ABM, Brad Chapmanexplained that the 5 Marks of Mission are morethan just words.

“The Marks of Mission emerge from the livedexperience of God’s people throughout theAnglican Communion,” Mr Chapman said.“They reflect God’s active presence in theworld today”.

According to ABM, the transformation ofviolence is a pressing and life threateningconcern for Anglican churches in countries likeSouthern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of

the Congo, Zimbabwe, South Korea, thePhilippines, the Solomon Islands and theMiddle East.

Every night as the sun sets over Guadalcanal inthe Solomon Islands, the Sisters of the Churchlock and bar the gates of the Christian CareCentre, a hostel that provides refuge and lovingcare to women who are fleeing from the terrorsof gender based violence.

Seeking to protect the victims of violence anddefuse its causes is a natural expression of thecommandments to love God and love ourneighbours.

Mr Chapman said it is important to rememberthat the 5 Marks of Mission don’t just apply tochurches overseas. “ABM is calling forchurches in Australia to reflect prayerfully uponthe new fourth Mark of Mission and to askwhat it means in our local context,” he said.

The interpretation of the 5 Marks of Missionthat has been adapted by ABM is:

1. Witness to Christ’s saving, forgiving,reconciling love for all people

2. Build welcoming, transforming communitiesof faith

3. Stand in solidarity with the poor and needy

4. Challenge violence, injustice and oppression,and work for peace and reconciliation

5. Protect, care for and renew life on our planet

Resources to use when reflecting upon theMarks of Mission are available fromwww.abmission.org.

A change in our 5 Marks of Mission reflects God’s mission in peaceand conflict.

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ANGLICANS IN DEVELOPMENTA SUPPLEMENT OF PARTNERS – THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN BOARD OF MISSION – AUSTRALIA LTDAID

UNDERSTANDING THE MILLENNIUMDEVELOPMENT GOALS

> Some 1.7 billion people have gained access to safe

drinking water since 1990. Yet 884 million people

worldwide still do not have access to safe drinking

water and 2.6 billion people lack access to basic

sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines.

> The world has missed the 2010 target for biodiversity

conservation. Based on current trends, the loss of

species will continue throughout this century.

> Slum improvements are failing to keep pace with the

growing number of urban poor. The absolute number of

slum dwellers keeps rising, with some 828 million

people living in slums today, even though the share of

the urban population living in slums is declining.

QUICK FACTS

Source: UN Department of Public Information – DPI/2650

TARGETS:1. Integrate the principles of sustainable development

into country policies and programmes and reversethe loss of environmental resources.

2. Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010,a significant reduction in the rate of loss.

3. Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population withoutsustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

4. Achieve, by 2020, a significant improvement in the lives of atleast 100 million slum dwellers.

www.abmission.org

There are 8 Millennium Development Goals, adopted bythe international community in 2000. Each goal is brokeninto measurable targets and indicators.In this edition of Anglicans in Development we take acloser look at Goal 5.

GOAL 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

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Pangao, PhilippinesFrom a distance, environmental stewardship can seem like a luxurypursued by the rich once they have freed themselves from the scourgeof poverty. Surely, the argument goes, the world’s poor have morepressing concerns than environmental sustainability. This argumentignores the fact that communities where people survive on incomesof less than $1/day are exposed to greater environmental risks andextremes than wealthier communities.

In 2011 the community of Pangao in the Northern Philippinesbegan a dialogue with the Episcopal Church in the Philippinesabout providing safe drinking water in their growingcommunity. ABM’s partners in the Philippines are concernedfor the welfare of their communities and well experiencedwith implementing water projects, but communitydevelopment is much more than bricks and mortar alone.

The National Development Officer for the Episcopal Church inthe Philippines (who is also a member of ABM’s DevelopmentCommittee), Attorney Floyd Lalwet, points out that simpleinterventions can have complex unintended consequences. According toMr Lalwet, if the church had simply responded to the needs in Pangaoby going in and constructing a water system, they would be harming thelong term ability of the community to manage their own development.

Instead of sending builders and supplies, the Episcopal Church invitedmembers of the community in Pangao to attend an intensive trainingworkshop on Asset Based Community Development. Three leaders fromthe community undertook this training along with representatives from

other communities in similar circumstances.

When they returned to Pangao, theseCommunity Research Volunteers began to share the

skills and ideas that they had learned with their neighbours. The centralidea of Asset Based Community Development is that the driving forcefor development and problem solving should come from inside acommunity rather than some external party.

The community began to organise themselves to take charge ofidentifying and addressing the most important issues for theirdevelopment as a community. For Pangao, one issue that was identifiedwas the importance of protecting the watershed area that surrounded

ASSET BASED COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT

Above: Community representatives gather inPangao along with staff of the Episcopal Churchin the Philippines.Left: Inocancio Kimao, a Community ResearchVolunteer, leads a community meeting todiscuss the Pangao water catchment.© ABM/Brad Chapman 2012.

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their water source. Pollution from fertilisers and animals as well as illegallogging was threatening the quality of the water that all the communityrelied upon. Working together, the people of Pangao established a plan toprotect their watershed and replant trees. They approached environmentalexperts and asked for assistance to establish a nursery and selectappropriate saplings.When the volunteers mapped the skills and assets that were alreadypresent in the community, they became convinced that the water systemthat had been requested could be funded and built by the communitymembers themselves. Even though the people of Pangao were poor, theyearned income by growing and marketing vegetables, in a touchinggesture the community informed the Episcopal Church that the ABM fundswhich had been set aside for their water project should be given to someother community with a greater need.The asset based community development process has helped the people

of Pangao to design and begin building a water system for themselves.If something goes wrong with the water system in the future, it is likelythat instead of turning to an external donor and saying “the water systemyou build is broken”, they will turn to one another and say, “we built thissystem, we can fix it”.This sort of local ownership is essential if the Millennium DevelopmentGoals are to be achieved. It is also important that we, in countries likeAustralia, are able to listen to the environmental concerns of the peopleof Pangao and other communities where people are completely dependenton a healthy environment for their survival. The effects of changingclimate and the loss of environmental resources are being felt mostseverely by the world’s poor.The story of the people of Pangao has been made into a video calledAsset Based Community Development. The video appeared on the2013 Life Stories DVD and it can be viewed on ABM’s website.

In Pangao water is essential for consumption, hygiene, and for growing market vegetables. © Brad Chapman, 2012.

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After a series of trainingworkshops the San VicenteFarmer’s Association wasformed. They receivedfunds to help with theconstruction of a dryingpavement and storagebuilding. They were alsogiven a mudboat, a ricetracer, a carabao and acart. Along with theequipment, a welding

machine was provided for futurerepairs.

Because of this well designeddevelopment intervention, thepeople of Sangay have been ableto improve the efficiency of theirfarming practices. Another resultof the development program hasbeen to improve relationships

between Christians and Muslims in Sangay becauseeveryone has benefited from the developmentprogram.

The story of the people of Sangay has been madeinto a video by a volunteer in the Philippines. GideonBustamante attended a training course run by ABM

in Manila in 2012. He was given a tablet computer which hehas used to film and edit a wonderful video that brings this story to life.The video is called A Grain of Hope. You can find it on ABM’s website.

According to the World Bank, during 2011 some 1.5 billion people livedin countries which were affected by violent conflict. Civil instability canmagnify the impact of poverty and complicate development. Take forexample the residents of Sangay, in the South of the Philippines. In 2008the community was embroiled in an armed conflict between a rebelmilitia and the Philippines Army.

Most of the members of the community were innocentbystanders to the conflict which endangered their lives on adaily basis. They were evacuated to a township manykilometres away, leaving behind their homes, crops and most oftheir possessions. For the next 8 months they waited anxiouslyfor the crisis to resolve so that they would be allowed backonto their land.

When the fighting eventually ceased, people who had beenpoor returned to a desperate situation. Many in the communitycould not afford to purchase seed in order to plant crops ofrice. Not having anywhere else to turn, the people askedthe church for assistance.

The Episcopal Church in the Philippines has established aCommunity Based Development Program to help communitieslike Sangay to overcome poverty. In consultation with thecommunity the church was able to access funds from ABM tohelp with agricultural facilities and seeds and equipment thatwould allow people to improve their own livelihoods.

A GRAIN OF HOPENew ABM Video produced by a volunteerfrom the Episcopal Church in the Philippines

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What happens to the stamps ABM supporters donate?

ABM is pleased to receive stamps all year round from across the country.

For many years we have been accepting used postage stamps as part of our fundraising. Today thispractice continues with our loyal supporters from different dioceses sending us stamps on a regular basis.

Sister Rosamund, from the Community of the Sisters of theChurch, is a philatelist and collects the stamps from our officeevery two weeks.

She takes them back to her convent where she and the rest ofthe Sisters sort through, clean and select the ones that may bevaluable and are in good enough condition to be sold at auction.

The stamp auction takes place twice a year and the balanceof the stamps are sold to agents in 2-5kg lots to be used in“mission mixture packs”. Sr. Rosamund receives a cheque forthe auction and sales, which she passes on to ABM.

In 2010 ABM sold 45 lots of stamps and received $18,786.68,in 2011 we sold 41 lots and received $9,477.75 and in 2012we have sold 36 lots and received $10,174.00.

Christopher Brooks, acting Fundraising and CommunicationManager said, “We are so pleased to receive this money fromthe stamps that our loyal supporters offer us.”

“Unfortunately, it is not possible for ABM to ascertainindividual prices for collections. I am currently working withSr. Rosamund to see if we can overcome this issue, so we cantell everyone how much their collection raised for ABM. Themain difficulty arises when several collections are sold in onelot as the auction house does not give a breakdown of eachcollection.”

“It is quite amazing that over $38,000 can be raised in threeyears from the donation of used stamps. We thankeveryone for their donations which raisesmoney that supports our work inmission,” he said.

You can send your used stamps toABM, Locked Bag Q4005Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230.For enquiries phone 1300 302 663.

Archbishop Rowan Williams, Archbishop Joseph Kopapa and Sr Mildred Laksen, Hospital Manager forSt Margaret’s Hospital at the official opening. © ABM 2012.

The St Margaret’s Health Clinic has served thepeople of Oro Bay and the surrounding areasfor many years, initially with the help of ABMmissionaries and volunteers.

Over the last few years ABM has beenworking with its partner, the Anglican Churchof PNG, to refurbish the Clinic.

The aim of the refurbishment has been toupgrade it to a Level 4 hospital, so that it maycomplement the state-run Popondetta GeneralHospital, and also contain a specialisedfacility for the testing and treatment ofsexually transmitted infections as well as anobstetrics section.

ABM’s Executive Director, Revd John Deanewas privileged to be alongside Archbishop

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Archbishop RowanWilliams, thehead of the worldwide AnglicanCommunion was welcomed toSt Margaret’s Hospital in PapuaNew Guinea late last year toofficially open the centre, partfunded and supported by theAnglican Board of Mission (ABM).

Archbishop of Canterbury opens ABM Project in PNG

The Archbishop of Canterbury cuts the ribbon! © ABM 2012.

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Williams and attend the opening of the firstAnglican hospital in the South Pacific.

The Revd Deane said, “It’s been a mostinspiring experience to be in PNG and witnessArchbishop Williams officially open the new

St Margaret’s. There is still some work to bedone to make the hospital fully operationaland sustainable but most of the hard work isnow over and all should be proud of what hasbeen achieved.”

“The people of PNG need this hospital toprovide them with health care in a countrywhere the general health and sexual healthstatistics are quite alarming. ABM is proud tosupport the hospital and work alongside thepeople and Church in PNG,” he said.

The Revd Deane also drew attention to thesubstantial support that AusAID and AsianDevelopment Bank had provided for theproject.

The major remaining work is the provisionof more housing so that good staff may beattracted to work at the facility; improvedcommunications through satellite technologyso that some medical procedures andadministration can be managed from externallocations; and a more adequate (quality andquantity) water supply.

95% of the PNG community identifies asChristian and it’s the third time an Archbishopof Canterbury has visited PNG.

Please pray for the continuingwork of St Margaret’s Hospitalin your daily prayers.

“The people of PNG need this hospital to provide them with health care ina country where the general health and sexual health statistics are quitealarming. ABM is proud to support the hospital and work alongside the

people and Church in PNG.

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Conquering the Education Gap

Today Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderchildren from inner-city suburbs such asRedfern, which has a large Indigenouspopulation, attend a similar school in Sydney.

This project began as a result of a bequest left toABM for the education of Aboriginal SecondarySchool students. Funds raised go directly tosupport a Gawura Secondary School student.

In 2011, 15 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanderstudents were enrolled in the GawuraSecondary Scholarship program. Together withthe 22 students in the Gawura School K-6Program, this represented one of the largestcohorts of Indigenous students at any NSWAnglican school.

The aim of the program is to break theentrenched cycle of disadvantage experiencedby Indigenous children, and to see themachieve educational outcomes equal to (orbetter than) their non-Indigenous peers.

Gawura says its recipe for success is simple.“Take one happy cohort of enthusiasticlearners, add three dedicated teachers, ahandful of volunteers, an engaged family groupand a supportive community. Add oneprogramme of intensive numeracy and literacytraining, laced with a rich tradition ofIndigenous culture. Fold all ingredientstogether and let percolate in a welcomingenvironment, where social inclusion isseamless, and aspirations are unlimited.Nurture carefully for thirteen years, and turnout when ready for the world!”

St Andrew’s vision for Gawura is “to providea quality education for Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander children in a caring, Christianenvironment emphasising standards of literacy,numeracy and social skills that are foundationsfor life.”

Gawura focuses on identity, cultural under-standing and the development and implemen-

tation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderunits of work and integrated perspectives.

For example, in 2012, years 3 to 6 studiedsome famous Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander personalities in an attempt to betterunderstand how seemingly ordinary peoplecan achieve great things.

The Olympics were focused on, studentsachieved success in sport and celebratedReconciliation Week.

The student body is multi-cultural and it givesstudents the opportunity to learn more aboutdifferent cultures. In Gawura, children comefrom tribes such as Gadigal and Kamileroi.

“If we each continue to keep up the greatwork and commitment, together we canchange outcomes and conquer the educationgap within the Gawura community andbeyond! With your support we can continue tolead by example and become a role model forother school communities across Australia”,Gawura said.

ABM hopes to continue funding the educationof students in the Gawura Campus at StAndrew’s to help them reach their full potential.You can donate at www.abmission.org

Gawura campus is a “school within a school” at St Andrew’sCathedral School in Sydney. It was founded in 2007, after the thenprincipal was inspired by a visit to South Africa. He saw a smallgroup of people setting up classes in more affluent Johannesburgsuburbs for the children of Soweto.

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A Prayer for the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderministries and ABM’s partners

We give you thanks for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry Program and thegreat gifts which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people offer to us all. Bless the clergyretreats and the Bishop’s Award Project in the Diocese of the Northern Territory; guide thework of Gloria Shipp in the Diocese of Bathurst; and empower the work of Nungalinya andWontulp-Bi-Buya Colleges, that your name may be glorified by everything done in these

areas. This we ask in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gawura students enjoy learning about different cultures. © Gawura, 2012.

• Give thanks that the Gawura campus isgiving Indigenous children opportunities tolearn and grow, as well as to embrace theirculture within a supportive environment

• Give thanks for the generosity of thosewho are supporting the scholarshipsat St Andrew’s

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A Visit with our Partner in China

Last November, the Revd JohnDeane, ABM’s Executive Director,was invited by the AmityFoundation in China to attend aPartner Roundtable which is heldevery three years with all itsfunding partners.It was a significant occasion as Amity was alsocelebrating the printing of the 100 millionthBible by Amity Press, the world’s largest Bibleprinting press. ABM was privileged to havebeen presented with a special edition Bible tocommemorate the event.

The Roundtable went for two days in Nanjingwhere Amity presented a reflection on whatthey had been doing, and also talked abouttheir vision for the future. They talked aboutthe growth in China; the growth of the Churchin China; the growth of the desire by thegovernment and sections of society for there tobe greater social service and greater outreach.

Revd Deane had the opportunity to meetAmity’s other partners and to meet peoplefrom the Bible Society who use the AmityPrinting Press to produce the Bibles that now

go out around the world. Amity also askedRevd Deane to run training workshops on howto create and maintain a healthy NGO. Thisgave him a chance to meet with smallfledgling NGOs and civil society organisationsto get a sense of what they were doing. Theseorganisations were very diverse ranging fromsporting associations to caring for people withdisabilities.

Amity has assisted the Chinese government in

terms of assessing what are the features of agood, transparent, accountable NGO, how toprovide funding and on a whole range ofthings that it has experience with from its ownengagement with partners.

Revd Deane said, “ABM might be able to helpthat conversation because Australia iscertainly one of the more regulated nations interms of NGOs and charitable organisations,and so there’s a lot to learn about what to do

The production of Bibles at Amity press. © ABM, 2012.

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and what not to do that comes out of theAustralian experience.”

What he found impressive about Amity was itsgrowth, having grown from a fairly smallnumber of staff, about the size of ABM’s, injust over three years to more than seventy.

This is partially to do with the need to do morework with emergency relief. A lot of it islargely due to its involvement with local NGOsand civil society organisations, which is part ofthe program that they have been running forthe government. They are working to try andbuild up the capacities of society to provideservices to the community.

Revd Deane travelled with Amity, meetingstaff and became aware of the high level ofcapacity there is amongst them. As NGO anddevelopment work is relatively new to China,many of them have skills but not a lot ofpractical experience. Their mode of working asa funding partner for other local NGOs thatmay exist within a community or a region is abit like the way ABM works with its partners.

During his visit, Revd Deane was reminded ofhow the Anglican Church, certainly in the UK,has been in its past as an established churchwhich has strong links with government.

“There have been both people who have beenadvocates of that model and those opposed tothat model of working, but it is clearly a modelthat the Church has been familiar with. Itdoesn’t surprise me that this has re-emergedin the China context.” he said.

“I’m amazed at the scale of how thingshappen in China; so many people and so manybuildings and how rapidly it’s expanding.Christianity is also growing at a rapid ratewith people saying it has hit more than the200 millionth mark, which is a phenomenalnumber of Christians and the impact on globalChristianity in years to come is going to besignificant.”

“As Christianity awakens again in China andgrows, there is a real sense of trying tounderstand what it means to be the ChristianChurch in China. Questions of how does theGospel acculturates China and what doesChinese culture actually have to say toChristianity become quite important in someof the conversations that are going on.”

Revd Deane was pleased to have made such afascinating visit and looks forward to the nextPartner Roundtable. Meanwhile ABM andAmity will discuss the possibility of developingmore partnering between the two organisa-tions, such as short staff placements and jointlearning opportunities.

ABM works with Amity to improve women’s health, particularly ruralChina. You can donate to this project at www.abmission.org and you arenot only benefiting women but whole communities in south-west China.

Women have better awareness of their health and become moreconfident as they participate in the project’s different activities. Thecommunities where these women live also benefit as the women takebetter care of themselves and have an understanding of health issues so

they can look after their family’s health in a more informed way.

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Pictured overleaf: Women studying. © ABM/Stephen Daughtry 2006.

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• Witness to Christ’s saving, forgiving and reconciling love for all people• Build welcoming, transforming communities of faith• Stand in solidarity with the poor and needy• Challenge violence, injustice and oppression, and work for peaceand reconciliation

• Protect, care for and renew life on our planetAdapted from the Anglican Consultative Council

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