In 1982 St Andrew’s, with Wycliffe, sent the Hoyles to Pakistan. They worked with the Parkari people to start literacy and Bible translation. In 1996 the Parkari New Testament was published. Mr Poonam Paschal, one of the translators, founded the Parkari Community Development Programme (PCDP) promoting literacy, health, skills and human rights.
Parkaris are Hindu outcastes, poor, despised and oppressed. Mostly illiterate labourers, slaves to feudal landowners. Climate change and increased mechanization threaten their existence.

Training in Motorcycle Repair
Teerath says: “I completed the three-month course and received a toolkit. I started my own motorcycle repair business, and it’s steadily growing. With the profits I also opened a shop selling spare parts. I am training an apprentice and I am delighted to pass on my skills to him.” £75 can change one young man’s future.

Empowerment
PCDP’s work has lasting results. 17 community-run Primary schools and 1 Secondary. Good hygiene passed on to the next generation. Trained midwives, healthcare workers and vets supporting villages. Trained tailors opening shops and training apprentices. Parkaris now saving for emergencies and small businesses, and claiming their human rights. £250 pm enables ongoing village visits and development.

PCDP is a UK Registered Charity (1147345)

Link/Champion: Richard Hoyle

Gift Day target: £4,300

Lighthouse Safe Harbour is a SEN specific Lighthouse for children who are unable to access another Lighthouse due to their needs. Our motto is ‘Jesus meeting children where they’re at’ and so each child is specifically planned for. This means that children who may never come to church due to their disabilities have the opportunity to meet Jesus and we have learned that Jesus is desperate to meet them! However, due to the needs of the children, the volunteers who run the scheme need significant amounts of training which changes yearly and is very costly.

For example, without receiving hoist training, we would be unable to offer a place to a child who uses a wheelchair and requires hoisting between different seats; or, without specific training on challenging behaviour, we would not be able to offer a place to anyone who can get overwhelmed.

Our costs last year for training alone were £1000, and as we grow this cost is likely to increase. We are looking for people to stand with us to ensure no child misses out on encountering Jesus, especially those with additional needs. Any money given would be spent ensuring that we can offer places to as many children as possible.

Link/Champion: Hannah Lindley

Gift Day target: £1,000

Rutaka Health Centre is a cottage hospital serving a widespread rural community. It is run by the Muhabura Diocese who also oversee Potter’s Village, Kisoro – supported by St Andrew’s over many years.

Following recent major development work, financed by local charity HealthTree Uganda, there is a need for some essential medical equipment. They would like to purchase 3 professional pulse oximeters for monitoring oxygen concentration in the blood of patients, particularly babies and children at the Centre.

These monitors would be used alongside a machine to give oxygen to patients who need it. They would also like a stock of reagents for the centrifuge so that they can test for serious diseases such as typhoid. This equipment will save lives and avoid the time and expense of travelling miles to another hospital.

Link/Champion: Andrew Ede

Gift Day target: £1,100

The main objective of this project is to empower the local church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to initiate healing of communities traumatized by civil war and ongoing conflict. This is a huge need in Ethiopia after the 2-year conflict came to an end. This gift would supply training, mentoring and follow-up for approximately 50 pastors, leaders and facilitators from Northern Ethiopia for a 1-year period to enable them to become effective change agents in their communities. The program builds on traditional conflict resolution methods with a firm Scriptural foundation in the local languages which communicate best.

Lasting change and peace can only be built from the grassroots level by local people. The strength of this programme is that it multiplies effort into many communities, is Church- and Scripture-based, and builds toward sustainable outcomes. Our prayer is to address trauma and enable restoration to life in the most deeply affected areas.

Link/Champion: Marc Secchia

Gift Day target: £2,000

Growing Hope is a National Charity founded by Dr Naomi Graham CEO, who grew up at St Andrew’s church. The charity provides free therapy for children with additional needs and aims to grow Hope for children, Hope for families and Hope in Jesus.

Growing Hope High Wycombe operates a clinic from St James’ Church Downley in partnership with other local churches in High Wycombe, offering Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy and from September 2023 started to provide Art Therapy, all from qualified therapists. During interactions with parents, the therapists are able to share their hope in Jesus and offer to pray for all families who come along to the clinic. They also support families to come along to church if that is something they would like to do.

It has been amazing to witness the impact the therapies have had on children and their families, many of whom have faced long waiting lists with statutory services.

Art Therapy supports children who struggle to express their feelings, giving them a voice through their own creativity. Having an Art Therapist has provided local families in High Wycombe with more therapy options and has already provided vital help for families. In order to keep this provision, we require further funding. £5000 would fund a therapist, one day a week for half a year.

Link/Champion: Joe Cook

Gift Day target: £2,000