1. The Caritas Bishops’ Lent Appeal 2013
Walk faithfully the Way
Speak courageously the Truth
Live joyfully the Life
Kia pono te whai atu ...
Kia māia te whakapuaki ...
Kia harikoa te manawa ...
Lent is traditionally a time of prayer, fasting and donating money.
The Bishops’ Lent Appeal supports the work of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand in different ways. The three main areas supported are: international aid and development; advocacy for social justice within New Zealand; and education resources and activities for Catholic schools in New Zealand.
The theme this year – to follow faithfully, speak courageously, and live joyfully the life of Jesus Christ – is from the apostolic letter Ecclesia in Oceania 2001.
Our poster highlights the Caritas support in Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

2. Making good choices through learning.
Papua New Guinea
The families of Kapo, a village in Kimbe, Papua New Guinea, had seen neighbouring villages lose lands and a sense of community as government palm oil plantations expanded. The lure of easy short-term money produced disastrous consequences. This was not the future Kapo wanted so they asked for help.
In response a pilot income-generating project was set up in Kapo supported by Caritas Papua New Guinea and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. From an initial planting of 20,000 cocoa and coconut seedlings combined with taro, cassava, sweet potato and vegetables; the Kapo community can generate enough income to survive and thrive. Their success has inspired a wider scheme across three Papua New Guinea provinces to provide food and income to communities as an alternative to palm oil exploitation.
Making good choices through learning.

3. Educating for change in Aotearoa New Zealand
Taking the time to listen to God.
Caritas’ education programme recognises the energy and dynamism of young learners. We support them as they encounter new experiences in social settings and in times of solitude. Encouraged to remain still in the presence of God, students can tune in to ‘My
Son, the Chosen One’, who reveals to them the meaning of ‘charity in truth’.
The Church’s ministry of charity is made real today through the work of Caritas and its partners. Through resources, justice leadership days, and school visits; we aim to support teachers as they promote ethical living for their students to grow in Christian values, and make better sense of the world as members of one human family. To come to a deeper understanding of the Church in action, students need to take the time to be still in the presence of God.

4. Speaking out for others in places of power.
Advocacy for justice
Speaking out for others in places of power.
Caritas’ advocacy work involves speaking out on the truth of poverty and oppression on both New Zealand and international issues.
At home, this includes submissions to Select Committees and letters to Parliamentarians. Caritas staff bring ethical arguments and real life situations to ask Members of Parliament to look closely at how laws and regulations will impact the most poor and vulnerable members of society. 
Our international advocacy work involves support for justice and peace in places such as West Papua, Sudan and the Holy Land. This work includes solidarity visits, prayer, writing letters to those with power, and educative work within New Zealand to raise people’s awareness.
This photo show our Chief Executive Officer Julianne Hickey and Research and Advocacy Coordinator Lisa Beech with visitors from Australia who were speaking to a submission on refugee policy.

5. Loving those who live on the other side of the world
The Sahel, West Africa
Loving those who live on the other side of the world
Through an international network working in more than 200 countries and territories, Caritas is there before, during and after emergencies – including the ones that don’t make it to the headlines.
In 2012, a severe food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa threatened the lives of almost 20 million people. Despite suffering severe drought itself, Niger opened its borders to refugees fleeing drought and conflict from neighbouring Mali. Many lived in the open air under plastic sheeting. Host communities already weakened by food shortages brought on by erratic rains and a poor harvest, needed support as well. Caritas partners provided emergency water, hygiene and sanitation facilities for both refugees and host communities. Longer-term programmes were also set up to improve crop strength and retain rainwater for longer.

6. Educating girls to read and write
Afghanistan
Education programmes based in the community are vital to provide for a community’s ongoing development in accordance with their needs.
In remote villages in Bamyan, Afghanistan, access to education isn’t easy. Children face long treks on often dangerous paths through the mountains. This has resulted in extremely low numbers of children, especially girls, receiving formal education. Through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) (a US-based Caritas member), we are working in partnership with communities to make education more accessible for all.
These community-based schools are managed by village councils, meaning children can attend school where they live. This has had a tremendous impact on attendance – girls make up 75 percent of students at these schools. These children and their communities are creating a brighter, more stable future for Bamyan and Afghanistan.
Educating girls to read and write

7. Working together to stay strong as a community
Tonga
Women in Houma work together to glue pieces of tapa together to make one large cloth.
These are sold to Tongans living overseas as well as tourists from USA, Australia and New Zealand.
The income earned gets divided into thirds – the bank account of the group; individual accounts; Caritas Tonga.
Working together to stay strong as a community

8. Rising sea levels in Oceania
Can we adapt our
way of life to save those who will lose their homes?
A house in Ha’apai, a northern group of islands of Tonga. The villagers are reporting significant changes to the sea levels which are now affecting many gardens and homes close to the sea.

9. Seina Kara (17) Apifo’ou College,
Partnerships in Tonga
“I worry about climate change. We are noticing big changes. We all need to do something about the way we live.”
Seina Kara (17) Apifo’ou College,
Maufanga, Nuku’alofa.
“People are moving from Ha’apai to Tonga and then overseas and that doesn’t help Tonga.” – Seina.

10. Partnership in Papua New Guinea
Caritas Papua New Guinea in partnership with Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand are assisting in a livelihoods programme to help the people in Kimbe to grow cocoa for income.
This will enable them to stay on their own lands and build sustainable lifestyles.
“We need 35,000 more cocoa seedlings.”

11. Resources to help you during Lent
Booklet for teachers
Worksheets online
Powerpoints online
Prayers booklet
Stations of the Cross
Lent calendar
Koha boxes
Lent envelope
SINGout4Justice
The Teacher’s pack includes all these materials to help with the work in schools.

12. Here are some ideas you can put into practice this Lent.
Keep it Simple for Lent. 2013
You can become a better person by making simple changes to your lifestyle.
Here are some ideas you can put into practice this Lent.
This year, schools were sent a Keep it Simple Calendar. Supporting resources are focused on helping New Zealanders change their lifestyle and move to low-carbon living. With global warming no longer in question, we in the developed world must take some responsibility for adapting and mitigating the effects of a warming planet.
At Caritas we are already seeing the impact through the experience by many of our overseas partners of increased severity and number of droughts, floods or cyclones.
The aim of a resource like this calendar is to move people from beyond wishing that somebody somewhere will do something, to recognising that the change begins with us. While our steps may seem insignificant on a global scale, it is very important that we take those small steps.

13. Ideas on the calendar to help you
Each week focus on one theme.
Week 1. Focus on not shopping
Week 2. Focus on sharing
Week 3. Focus on environment
Week 4. Focus on community
Week 5. Focus on noticing
Week 6. Focus on prayer
There are plenty more ideas on the calendar. Check it out!

14. Walk faithfully the Way Speak courageously the Truth
Live joyfully the Life.
Kia pono te whai atu ...
Kia māia te whakapuaki ...
Kia harikoa te manawa ...
Caritas faces a number of challenges in this changing environment and we need your help. Support from our Catholic community is more important than ever.
Thanks for your concern and action.
The Catholic Agency for Justice, Peace and Development

15. Ngā mihi Thank you
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