#relieftrip

[partnersrelief]

Feeding the Hungry

I recently went on my first relief trip to some of the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. It was an absolute privilege to witness the camps and some of the work that Partners are doing in places where no one else is helping. It was awesome to see lives being helped, medical assistance being given to people living in pain and schools being provided where the children have no other hope for education. I’ve never seen such hope and despair, joy and suffering, compassion and hatred, all rolled into a huge jumbly blender.

But it was the food distribution that really got to me. It was amazing to be a part of a food distribution to 200 families. A representative from each of the most- needy families in one community lined up in ordered rows, full of eager anticipation. And as each person was given their ration I was struck by enormously conflicting emotions. The first was one of absolute gratitude that Partners was here. That families who would otherwise have nothing were going to have food for the next 15 days. This was seeing Jesus love in action; feeding the hungry. But as I watched, I reflected on the meager size of the half sacks that were being distributed. I reflected on what my weekly shopping trolley looked like to feed my family at home. We would eat ten times that amount in a week and pay 20 times what it cost. The tears welled as I asked myself “how could you possibly feed a family on half a sack of food for 15 days?

I asked myself; “Is it enough?” I still ask myself; “Is it enough?”

What Partners and it’s supporters do, makes a difference. Often it’s a difference between life and death. A difference between hope and despair. A difference between joy and suffering. And it’s truly wonderful to be a part of that. But it’s never enough because we are limited. Limited resources, limited energy, limited bandwidth of interest, limited imagination. But we have a God of no limits, no boundaries, no constraints and no end to His love.

Andrew is from New Zealand and is currently volunteering with Partners for 6 months with his wife Jacqui. He is running management training and helping with strategy and planning in the Chiang Mai office. 

[partnersrelief]

Every Part Matters

A couple of weeks ago I lead my first relief team into Bangladesh. This was a great opportunity and the trip went really well. A big part of these trips is connecting face to face with our local team on the ground and working with them to see what is most needed at the time. This is always changing and its important that we go in with open minds and listen to what our local team recommend. I remember on an earlier trip to another place, I saw some very large buildings with a cement floor, a roof and no walls. They were built by a large international NGO to be used as marketplaces by the local community. They were about 4 years old when I visited and they had not been used for that purpose once in those 4 years. The NGO had come into a place with an idea that worked in another location and applied it to this location without properly discussing it with locals on the ground.

On this trip to Bangladesh I sat with our contact and listened as he told me where funds were most needed. He wanted to have an emergency medical fund, so we approved funds to be spent on that. The next day in the camps we met a young boy with a tumor in his nose. His family did not have the means to get him the medical care he needed, so our contact arranged for that boy to be transported to the nearest appropriate hospital that same day. I then received pictures of that boy being diagnosed and receiving treatment that night. As I sit in my office and think back on that trip, I realize that there are so many cogs that keep the wheel that is Partners turning. This boy wouldn’t have received treatment if we didn’t have money to give. We wouldn’t have had money to give if it wasn’t for our dedicated team of fundraisers around the world. Those fundraisers would have had a tough time raising any money without pictures and videos from the ground. There would be no quality pictures or video without Partners photographers and videographers. I wouldn’t have been available to go to Bangladesh if I wasn’t already serving as Partners staff here in Chiang Mai. I wouldn’t be here without the prayers and financial support of friends and family throughout the world. I also wouldn’t be here without our Thai administration department who take care of our visas and work permits. And Partners wouldn’t have any money to give it wasn’t for the thousands of people across the world who have sacrificially given out of what they have to help people who they have never met. This also represents the body of Christ working together to bring the love of Jesus to those who need it most. There are quite a few cogs in the wheel that I didn’t mention, but you get the idea.

It’s an honor and a privilege to work with this great organization. Thank you to the many, many people throughout the world who make Partners what it is.

Thank you for bringing free, full lives to children and families affected by conflict and oppression.

From a Partners staff member.