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Viva Review 2010

“When you hear of all the problems in the world do you sometimes feel that it’s just too hard to make a difference, and that whatever you do to help would hardly be noticed anyway? Well, I used to think like that, but since I’ve been involved with Viva both my mindset and my heart have been completely changed.

Through Viva I clearly see that it is not just down to me or you or somebody else, individually, but that it takes all of us working together to give a child a secure future. Some people give their time, some their skills, some their money. And it is when all those things are combined that real lasting differences are made in children’s lives.

What I love most about giving to Viva is that I am not only playing my part, but helping others to play theirs – my support is community-focused, helping to build up the very people who can together make sure that lots of children never have to go without food or education or healthcare in the first place.

I’m so thankful to see what my giving has helped to do this year, and I look forward to playing my part in the lives of children at risk in the year to come.”

“It is all too easy for churches in the west to feel far removed from the pain of children at risk, both geographically and culturally. But developing our church’s relationship with Viva has changed that, and has tangibly enriched our community life.

A real highlight was this year’s World Weekend of Prayer, marked by an amazing ‘hands on’ service to help us interact with the prayer themes – everything from planting seeds and praying for the safe nurturing and growth of children to an African drumming workshop helping people learn (very loudly!) how to work and pray together.

My wife and I also recently spent a challenging and life-changing two months in Costa Rica helping to develop the Viva Equip Leaders programme. Our church partly funded that trip, and continues to give to the programme, ensuring that the local people heading up projects and churches get the support and training they deserve and need to see their communities changed for children.

God has really used Viva to strengthen our church to serve him, to serve our local community and to serve and learn from some of the world’s most vulnerable children. I know we will be glad to stand together with Viva in this great mission for many years to come!”

“As a Trustee you look mostly at the ‘big picture’. And the sheer number of children reached through Viva’s networks, the thousands of people and projects benefiting from Viva Equip training and the many more involved in the World Weekend of Prayer make for some impressive headline figures.

But the great thing about working with Viva is knowing that those numbers are not just there to fill spreadsheets or to satisfy stakeholders – those numbers represent real lives changed and improved, real children with a new hope for the future. That has made being a Trustee both a privilege and a pleasure.”

“I’ve just spent one of the most incredible years of my life working with Viva in Latin America. Some of the situations I found broke my heart like I never expected. But actually the things that Viva is doing to respond made me excited in a way I hadn’t expected either.

In particular I remember our World Weekend of Prayer event in Bolivia - we had 2,000 kids praying in a huge stadium, and there were television cameras everywhere interviewing project leaders and children about Viva and Toybox’s Early Encounter programme. This brilliant work to help street kids and their families has been attracting not only local but national interest, with even politicians and other big charities recognising how great it is. It’s been incredible to see first-hand that there actually are ways of tackling these seemingly enormous problems, especially when people get connected and work together.

It’s been hard being away from family, friends, a drum kit, Match of the Day, my Granny’s roasts etc, but I have absolutely loved my time as a volunteer, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

God has really used Viva to strengthen our church

I’m so thankful to see what my giving has helped to do

Stuart Pascall, Banbury Community Church

Adrian Cooper, Viva Trustee

Jonnie Welford, Student

Being a Trustee is both a privilege and a pleasure

I have absolutely loved my time as a volunteer

How

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Rebecca Davies, Personal Assistant