This year’s Christian Aid Week features stories from Malawi.
Malawi is a beautiful country of cooler mountains in the north, the shimmering waters of Lake Malawi in the east, and sun-drenched lowlands to the south.
But in Malawi, the costs of everyday essentials, such as food and fuel, are going up and up, just as they are here. In addition, the climate crisis means it is increasingly difficult to grow many of the foods that families used to eat and sell. Often crops are lost to cyclones or droughts, or seeds are too old to grow well. Many farmers are exploited by big companies and don’t receive a fair price for their crops.
However, Christian Aid partners in Malawi are helping farmers transform their livelihoods using the humble but mighty pigeon pea: a drought-resistant, soil-revitalising, high-protein, low-cost, delicious crop. Farmers and communities are working with Christian Aid to form cooperatives to secure a fairer price, boost the quality of the seeds they use, adding value by baking and selling bread made from pea flour, and building warehouses to keep peas safe from weather events.
London Freedom Walk 2023
As a curtain-raiser to Christian Aid Week 2023, you are invited to take part in a new initiative, inspired by Christian Aid’s Circle the City event, to raise money for Christian Aid. Taking place on Saturday 13 May 2023, 11am-5pm, it will follow a 10k route (or a shorter route) around the capital, allowing walkers to discover the history of some of the city’s churches and the stories behind the work they do to free people from poverty, illness and injustice. It starts at St James’ Piccadilly, with a short send-off service at 11.30am from Revd Dr Ayla Lepine, and ends at St Paul’s Cathedral, in time for the 5pm Evensong.
For more information and to register, please see Eventbrite.
Big Pea Challenge
Inspired by the transformational pigeon pea, The Big Pea Challenge invites you to hold your own pea-themed fundraiser this May. You’ll find resources to help, whether you’re a gardener, a cook, or just up for a bit of fun.
Find out more and sign up on the Christian Aid website.
Resources
Resources are available to order or download (many in English or Welsh) including collection and donation envelopes, posters, a number of films, a devotional with 7 days of prayers and reflections, an order of service, sermon notes, prayer sheet, recipe prayer and activities, resources for a Big Brekkie, quiz questions and answers (including for Scotland), and school resources.
More information
Please see the Christian Aid website.
