Author: CEDAR Fund

Practising spirituality, rediscovering the goodwill of the Lord

Written by: Ken Wong (Communications Officer) We previously launched the ‘Lenten Prayer Guide’ (Chinese only) to help everyone cultivate a heart for creation care during this period. Our colleagues have also engaged in various practices during Lent. Some have abstained from eating beef to reduce carbon emissions, while others have chosen walking instead of short-distance transportation. As for myself, I chose to abstain from coffee and organised an outing with fellow brothers and sisters to clean up litter in the countryside. I hope to share some insights from my experience of abstaining from coffee here. The initial reason for choosing to give up coffee as part of the practice was the realisation of the environmental impact of coffee cultivation.

LETTER FROM CEDAR | APR 2024

Dear CEDAR friends and supporters, Someone once speaks of the difference between charity and justice: ‘Charity makes people happy but keeps them in an unjust system, while justice frees people from that system.’ At CEDAR, we believe both charity and justice are what God has called us to fight for, as together, they pertain to a vision of human flourishing that is part of God’s will for His creation. We are most grateful for each of you who is partnering with us in this Kingdom work. We believe in the power of partnership, networks and collaboration. We are delighted to partner with 58 churches and schools this year in our annual Red Packet Campaign to raise funds to

Care for the Impoverished Body Parts

Written by Tony Chan (Senior Communications Officer) Scriptures reading: 哥林多前書十二12-26 12就如身子是一個，卻有許多肢體；而且肢體雖多，仍是一個身子；基督也是這樣。13我們不拘是猶太人，是希臘人，是為奴的，是自主的，都從一位聖靈受洗，成了一個身體，飲於一位聖靈。14身子原不是一個肢體，乃是許多肢體。15設若腳說：「我不是手，所以不屬乎身子，」它不能因此就不屬乎身子。16設若耳說：「我不是眼，所以不屬乎身子，」它也不能因此就不屬乎身子。17若全身是眼，從哪裏聽聲呢？若全身是耳，從哪裏聞味呢？18但如今，上帝隨自己的意思把肢體俱各安排在身上了。19若都是一個肢體，身子在哪裏呢？20但如今肢體是多的，身子卻是一個。 21眼不能對手說：「我用不著你。」頭也不能對腳說：「我用不著你。」22不但如此，身上肢體人以為軟弱的，更是不可少的。23身上肢體，我們看為不體面的，越發給它加上體面；不俊美的，越發得著俊美。24我們俊美的肢體，自然用不著裝飾；但上帝配搭這身子，把加倍的體面給那有缺欠的肢體，25免得身上分門別類，總要肢體彼此相顧。26若一個肢體受苦，所有的肢體就一同受苦；若一個肢體得榮耀，所有的肢體就一同快樂。 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because

The Lord Rules over All

Written by: Clara Chiu (Head of Partnership Development) I recently heard a story about timelines in my church: A farmer prayed to the Lord for rain; otherwise, his rice harvest would fail due to a lack of water. At the same time, another person was repairing a barn’s roof, and he prayed to the Lord not to rain until the repair was completed. These two people prayed on different timelines of their lives. Man does not know all, but the Lord does. Eventually, it rained that night after the roof was repaired. The rain did not interfere with the work but irrigated the rice in time. The Lord merged the two timelines to best respond to His children’s

India Cyclone Michaung Relief

Last December, Cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc in India, causing widespread rainfall-induced disasters in the southern regions. The floods resulted in at least 25 deaths and extensive collapse and inundation of homes. A significant number of affected families had to be urgently evacuated from low-lying areas to safer locations, leaving their lives in disarray. In the severely affected Tamil Nadu state, torrential rain flooded multiple buildings, including government hospitals, railway stations, and residential homes. Numerous roads were damaged due to the floods. The strong winds caused many makeshift houses to collapse, forcing the residents to seek temporary shelter in tents. There is an urgent need for food support for these displaced individuals. Additionally, the floods submerged extensive farmlands, and

LETTER FROM CEDAR | JAN 2024

Dear CEDAR friends and supporters, Happy New Year 2024! The beginning of a new year is always full of anticipation and unknowns. What do we ‘see’? What is God doing in us and through us this coming year? How do we respond? While the word ‘new’ connotates freshness and hope, it can also take on a darker meaning. New violence and conflicts. New ways of human exploitation. Washington Post warns, ‘A historic rise in global conflict deaths suggests a violent new era.’ Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, Ethiopia, India, Myanmar ── some conflicts caught the world’s attention, while others remain protracted and unseen, with people suffering and dying in neglect. Even human trafficking is taking on a new face. The organised