Hope Spot 42 – Safer World for All – your Gifts of Grace

Two weeks ago I received a report from the team you support in Ethiopia.

As I said in my HOPE Spot on Monday, it brought me to tears. Let me share just a little, to show you why it’s vital we work together for a Safer World for All:

“It has been a deadly year so far. Last week, we have had the ninth humanitarian worker killed in ⬛ in 2024.

 

It does not seem that the situation will get better any time. We still continue to operate in ⬛, with many temporary suspensions and resumptions of operation adversely affecting programming.

 

It is a moral stand that we are taking to stand in solidarity with the people who are caught up in this senseless war, despite the heightened insecurity. 

 

We feel our presence provides a degree of protection to civilians who seem to have been abandoned by both parties in the pursuit of a military victory, no matter the cost in human lives and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

 

Unfortunately, we do not see any peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict especially when the world is not watching and is preoccupied by what is going on in the Middle East and Ukraine.

 

What we also need to support our humanitarian responses is advocacy and lobbying of your governments though your embassies and Humanitarian Donor Groups to exert pressure and push for peaceful resolution of the raging conflicts in the country.”

You can see in that last paragraph the importance of lobbying our governments to do more to stop the suffering of people who are forgotten.

That’s why I invite you to join the campaign to encourage all of Australia’s political parties to commit 1% of our nation’s budget to overseas aid. Simply go to Safer World for All to quickly and easily send a pre-written email to your local MP.

As you do, I pray you are inspired by these words from Isaiah 2:4:

They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war anymore.

You can bring the words of Isaiah to life through your ALWS Gifts of Grace.

You can provide a $5 hoe for a family in Burundi, or a $30 school uniform (instead of an army uniform) for a child in Somalia. Simple, practical, love come to life!

Thank you for all you do to build a safer world for all – you are a blessing ALWayS!

PS: Don’t forget the FREE children’s book Nathan and the Fluffy Fertiliser Factory you can use to share your values with any children in your life. Thank you!