About Conflict: An important message from Tearfund’s CEO
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Tearfund Australia CEO Matthew Maury shares an important message about conflict:
Over the past 30 years, when I have had the chance to spend time meeting families directly affected by conflict, I have heard stories of deep pain and loss. In the midst of that I have also heard people crying out for a different future - a future where the cycle of violence is ended and true restoration and reconciliation can take root.
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You can make peace possible for people living in conflict.
By giving to Tearfund’s End of Financial Year Appeal, you can help make peace possible for people living in conflict and poverty. Will you support this critical work at a time of great humanitarian crisis?
You can read the full message below:
For many of the world’s most vulnerable people today, one of the greatest barriers to overcoming poverty is conflict.
Two billion people, or a quarter of the world's population, now live in conflict-affected areas, according to the United Nations.
In Myanmar, for example, a violent military coup 18 months ago sparked a humanitarian emergency, with 14 million people now in need of aid. After years of improvement, poverty in Myanmar has surged back to levels not recorded since 2005.
In recent months all of us have seen images of people fleeing the violence of war. With displacement comes a loss of community, livelihood and education. The risk of exploitation increases, as do negative impacts on mental and physical health. As always, the most vulnerable - the young and the old - bear the highest cost.
Tearfund’ mission calls us to prioritise our work towards the places where poverty and injustice are at their worst. Many of these are conflict affected communities. Tragically, most of these conflicts seem to be forgotten since they no longer make our news headlines: places like Mozambique, Afghanistan, Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia. In these communities, Tearfund’s partners are present and responding - being the hands and feet of Jesus to a suffering world.
Over the past 30 years, when I have had the chance to spend time meeting families directly affected by conflict, I have heard stories of deep pain and loss. In the midst of that I have also heard people crying out for a different future - a future where the cycle of violence is ended and true restoration and reconciliation can take root.
And because of this, I know just how important the work of Tearfund’s local partners is - work that brings relief and plants seeds for hope and future reconciliation. Tearfund’s project partners are able to be bearers of God’s love and light in response to deep injustices.
By giving to Tearfund’s End of Financial Year Appeal, you’ll be supporting this vital work, serving the urgent needs of people facing poverty and conflict in some of the world’s most challenging places.
As I close, let me remind all of us of the words from 1 Corinthians 13:7 which says that love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
May we all strive to make that love a reality.
Please give what you can today, and please pray for hope and peace to flow through Tearfund’s partners in places of conflict and injustice.
Thank you.