lives restored! – summer 2015

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“They keep asking me what happened… and I tell them that it is not me, it is God! God has sent an angel in the form of a person to come to our assistance!” – Eveline, Sikeh’s mum. See inside: Sikeh’s angel, a miracle operation and a pair of glasses Together we’re making a difference CBM UPDATE • SUMMER 2015

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CBM’s vision is for an inclusive world in which all people with disabilities are given the opportunity to enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential. This is an update of our recent work and ministry of building strong foundations… and setting people free!

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Page 1: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

“They keep asking me what happened… and I tell them that it is not me, it is God!

God has sent an angel in the form of a person to come to our assistance!”

– Eveline, Sikeh’s mum.

See inside:

Sikeh’s angel, a miracle operation and a pair of glasses

Together we’re making a difference

CBM UPDATE • SUMMER 2015

Page 2: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

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CBM Australia is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct and a trusted recipient of funding from the Australian Government.

We welcome any feedback on this magazine by email to [email protected]. All material in this magazine is subject to copyright; however, articles and photographs may be reproduced with permission from CBM Australia.

Printed on environmentally accredited, acid free and elemental chlorine free paper.

PO Box 348 Box Hill VIC 3128 1800 678 069 cbm.org.au

© 2015 CBM Australia Donations to CBM Australia Overseas Development Fund of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Supported by the Australian Government, DFAT

Contents

02

03 THE DIFFERENCE YOU MADE Responding to Ebola Miracles Day 2014

04 FAMILY STORY Sikeh’s angel, a miracle operation and a pair of Glasses

06 CBM NEWS Together making a difference

07 LOVE IN ACTION Remember CBM in your Will Make your gifts go further...

08 A CHILD’S WISH CAME TRUE You can help a child like Sikeh see clearly in school…

Cover image: Your support is bringing sight-restoring help to children like Sikeh. Thank you!

LIVES RESTORED

Dear Friends,

Sometimes big numbers mean great sadness in our world. The statistics on Ebola are tragic – and at the time of writing this, they’re still growing in places not yet reached. The figures on Trachoma present an enormous challenge for CBM’s teams too, as you’ll see on the next page.

Yet sometimes, a big number comes across my desk and it’s wonderful news.

CBM’s annual Miracles campaign broke all the records this year when four radio stations flew all the way to Tanzania for a live broadcast. And as wonderful Australians like you tuned in to listen, you also donated.

And thanks to your overwhelming generosity, we raised enough money to perform 18,517 ‘miracle’ cataract operations!

That’s 18,517 people who’ll soon open their eyes after surgery to see the smiling faces of their loved ones.

What a wonderful gift of life for their families, who are among the poorest in the world.

Thank you for being part of a ministry that makes ‘miracles’ like these happen every day. I hope you enjoy reading more about the lives you’ve touched in this edition of LivesRestored magazine.

God bless you,

John Jeffries CBM National Director

Page 3: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

Miracles Day 2014This year on CBM’s annual Miracles Day, our friends at 89.9 Light FM, 96.5 Family FM, 98.5 Sonshine FM and Vision Radio Network broadcast their programs LIVE from our partner project in Tanzania.

They watched as a ‘miracle’ cataract operation restored someone’s sight in just twelve amazing minutes. And saw first-hand how your gift of $32 transformed the life of someone living in poverty with cataract blindness.

Their nation-wide radio appeal also helped us raise enough money for another 18,517 cataract operations. What a miracle! Thank you Australia!

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THANK YOU for bringing help and hope to the world’s poorest people.

HOW YOU’RE MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Ebola CrisisThe deadly Ebola virus has spread across West Africa, taking thousands of lives and devastating communities. While Ebola cases are declining in some areas, they are still on the increase in some parts of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. CBM is working alongside global NGOs and the World Health Organisation to combat the epidemic. Because CBM is trusted by local people, we’re able to provide vital education about how families can protect themselves from the virus.

Donate now to help stop the spread of diseases like Ebola, online at cbm.org.au or 1800 678 069.

End Trachoma: Stop children suffering Right now, Australian gifts have been multiplied by health care company Pfizer™ to save 23 times as many children from the agony of Trachoma. In Nigeria, 800,000 children are infected with this disease which causes blindness. Antibiotics are urgently needed to kill the bacteria, so we’re deeply thankful for the support of generous donors like you. Your donation can help us reach these children and keep them safe from the pain and blindness of Trachoma.

A Mighty Miracle!

Our special thanks to CBM supporters Ray and Delphine Archer at the Archer Foundation, Dr Phil Greer, and George P and an anonymous donor (both from Perth). These generous supporters matched your donations – enabling an extra 3,000 miracle surgeries to be performed!

Page 4: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

04 SIKEH’S STORY

Sikeh was born with congenital cataracts. The older he got, the darker the world grew for him. By the time he was in school, he could barely see the paper in front of him – let alone his friends in the school yard.

You can imagine the torment of a young boy who just wants to keep up with his friends. Sadly, the loneliness and isolation can be harder to bear than the disability itself.

Eveline worried daily for her son: “I had to be begging somebody to come and watch out for Sikeh [when I had to work] because if I left him alone with food he would not eat.”

Thankfully, with support from CBM’s wonderful donors like you, our outreach teams in Cameroon found Sikeh. He was given cataract surgery to remove the cataracts from his eyes – yet that wasn’t the end of his story...

CBM’s doctors realised that because his eyes had been blurry for so long, his brain hadn’t learned to interpret images. Sikeh would need vision stimulation, and a pair of glasses, to be able to see clearly again.

One of the most wonderful things about your support for CBM is that it enables us to see the full picture when we restore someone’s sight. The ‘miracle’ operation might be over in less than fifteen minutes, but our care of a patient continues until we know their lives are truly restored!

So after surgery at a CBM-partner hospital, their community-based rehabilitation supervisor, Mr Kenchi, kept a close watch on Sikeh. He even worked with his mum,

his village and his teachers to make sure Sikeh would have a full life.

The results speak for themselves. Eveline is beside herself with joy as she exclaims:

“People are amazed that Sikeh went back to school, and they keep asking me what happened… and I tell them that it is not me, it is God! God has sent an angel in the form of a person to come to our assistance!

“Now he carries out so many household activities and chores: he washes dishes, he plays with his friends, he splits firewood, he prepares food…” And best of all, this mother’s worry for her son’s future is eased. “Now he’s okay, his self-esteem has improved. He doesn’t believe as if he’s not part of the community and he can live his life as if he had no disability.”

Sikeh agrees, telling us himself, “I like to study hard and become somebody important in future… When I complete school I would like to work in a hospital or in a government. It is because of [CBM-funded programs] that supported me and I’ve had surgery, help in school, and I have improved in my studies to go further.”

His mother adds, “I am very, very happy and grateful.”

And so are we. After a childhood in darkness, Sikeh’s future is bright thanks to the generosity of someone like you! Thank you!

Sikeh’s angel, a miracle operation

and a pair of Glasses

Page 5: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

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“While Sikeh was growing he wasn’t seeing well,” his mum, Eveline, says.

“I was very sad.”

Sikeh’s angel, a miracle operation

and a pair of Glasses

Page 6: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

CBM NEWS0606

TOGETHER MAKING A DIFFERENCEAround the globe, our supporters, staff and volunteers help CBM reach out in so many ways...

CBM supporters Julian and Joan Hodges, recently participated in CBM’s Field Engagement Program, visiting our partners in Tanzania and seeing the work they’ve made possible, first-hand!

CBM’s Briana Wilson and Tamara Jolly join Ipul Powaseu, (PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons) and Belinda Bayak-Bush (Disability Focal Point for the Australian Aid Program in Papua New Guinea) at a workshop in PNG.“Our time in Tanzania with CBM at CCBRT Hospital was

remarkable and beyond anything we could have imagined. We thank... the entire CBM team for creating the Program and enabling us to participate. It was truly inspirational. We had no concept of just how valuable even the smallest contribution is and how hard everyone is working for the betterment of others. We especially admired the courage of the Tanzanians, their parents and their children and their trust in the CCBRT. We would love to be in their presence again.” – JULIAN AND JOAN HODGES

Volunteers from a Melbourne-based tollway management company, ConnectEast, are making a difference!

“We see you [CBM] as a very important partner, because you have the technical know-how of how development projects work. We want to know how to pave the way, and make development more inclusive of people with disabilities.” – IPUL POWASEU, CO-CHAIR OF PNG ASSEMBLY OF DISABLED PERSONS.

“Volunteering at CBM was my first time as a volunteer ever. I have to say it was a humbling experience being of use to an organisation that does so much to help those less fortunate than ourselves.” – SUE

“…I came away feeling I had ‘done a good thing’… and would volunteer in-a-minute to help them out again. Thanks for the opportunity to feel good about helping others.”– PHYLL

“It was a great experience for me. The ‘little’ that we did means a whole lot of help and it just feels so rewarding. Thank you for having us.” – J BI

“The opportunity to assist CBM… was very rewarding. The money being raised assists many people across the globe and it was a pleasure to be a small part of that operation.” – TODD

CBM supporters: Julian and Joan Hodges in TanzaniaLeft to right: Briana Wilson, Ipul Powaseu, Tamara Jolly, Belinda BayakBush

Page 7: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

LOVE IN ACTION 0707

REMEMBERING CBM IN YOUR WILL

MAKE YOUR GIFTS GO FURTHER…

The people we serve are the poorest and most vulnerable in the world. They are made poor by disability and their poverty leads to increased risk of disability.

To stop this cycle, and set families free from suffering, we rely on the special commitment of our monthly supporters.

A REGULAR MONTHLY DONATION OF $30 WILL:

1. Help CBM reach those most in need.2. Bring urgent medical care to save lives.3. Help communities become self-reliant.4. Speak out to ensure people with disabilities are not forgotten.

To become a monthly supporter, FREE Call 1800 678 069 or visit cbm.org.au.

Imagine a gift you leave today that can bring joy for future generations of children who will be able to see, hear, walk or learn thanks to you. When you leave a gift to CBM in your Will, no matter how big or small, you can make this possible.

Order your FREE Will information DVD

by calling 1800 678 069or ticking the box on the attached coupon.

Page 8: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

CBM Australia PO Box 348 Box Hill VIC 3128 FREE Call 1800 678 069 cbm.org.au

ABN 23 005 326 849

Gifts of $2 or more to CBM Australia Overseas Development Fund are tax deductible.

Every dollar from every donation made to CBM Australia will go towards fulfilling our vision for an inclusive world for

persons with disabilities. Your gifts will be invested prudently in what you’ve given to, or where they’re needed most.

✁LRM

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YES! I will transform a life

HERE’S MY GIFT OF: $15 $30 $60

$

OR

HERE’S MY MONTHLY COMMITMENT OF: $15/month ($0.50 a day)

$30/month ($1 a day)

$60/month ($2 a day)

$ / month

First monthly payment date: / /

Please send me information on how I can leave a gift in my Will to CBM

Name

Address

P/code

Phone

Email

Date of birth / /

PLEASE DEBIT MY

Expiry / Signature

Name on card

Page 9: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

Thank you!Your gifts and prayers are vital

to supporting the life-changing work of CBM and making a difference

in the lives of the world’s poorest people with disabilities.

Thanks to your generosity, you’re helping us break

the cycle of poverty and disability, and giving children like Sikeh

new hope and a better quality of life.

Page 10: Lives Restored! – Summer 2015

ABN 23 005 326 849The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)

cbm.org.au

Follow CBM:or FREE Call 1800 678 069

FREE Call 1800 678 069 or go to cbm.org.au

Your gift for children like Sikeh will give them so much more than clear vision. When you give Glasses, you give a child an education,

and a chance to play with friends and have a happy childhood. And best of all, you’ll give them hope for the future.

YOU CAN RESTORE CHILDREN’S SIGHT SO THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOL.

PLEASE GIVE TODAY!

…and have hope for the future!

You can help a child like Sikeh

see clearly in school…