Believers Church initiates to help widows in India on 'International Widows Day'

In an effort to help below poverty line (BPL) widows of the country, Believers Church started a drive to make these women financially self sufficient.

The drive was started on International Widows' Day will reach out to 8000 women across 20 states of India by end of July.

These widows were selected by the volunteers of Believers Church in several dioceses across the country. The widows were gifted income generating things like sewing machines, cooking equipment, livestock etc.

The widows received the gifts happily, while some even shed tears of joy and expressed their gratitude to the church for the humanitarian work.

The list of states include, AndhraPradesh, ArunachalPradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Several ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly and other dignitaries are part of this drive on their respective constituencies.

"In our country widows still have to struggle to fit into a patriarchal society which has no place for them. Our sisters & mothers face discrimination in the society. The initiative is to facilitate poor widows, who are living under risk of starving in the rural areas. Through this drive we are just trying to help them earn their livelihood in order to lead a healthy and respectful life," said Dr. K.P Yohannan.

The United Nations first acknowledged June 23 as International Widows' Day in 2011 to raise awareness about the poverty, alienation, violence, homelessness, health problems and human rights issues faced by widows around the world.

Since then, Believers Church regularly marks the day by carrying out these drives to empower and enable widows across the country.

Bridge of Hope concludes plantation drive to mark 'World Environment Day'

With an aim to make earth a better planet, believers Church's child care project Bridge of Hope concluded 15 Day sapling plantation drive across India.
The drive was started on June 5th 2016, on the occasion of World Environment Day. More than 3 lakh saplings were planted across 29 states and seven Union Territories of India

by 80,000 children and 5000 staff members of the organization.

As a part of the drive, children and staff conducted various rallies, skits, street plays and distributed one sapling a home and asked them to take care of it. The children also motivated and urged the citizens of the country to purchase one tree for their home and nurture it to give a better future to the coming generations.
Under this project the team also planted saplings in local government offices and identified various road side medians and planted saplings in the area.
The first sapling of the drive was planted by Rajnath Singh (SHO) of Towari Pur Police station, Gorakhpur, UP in the presence of Gorakhpur Diocesan staff and other members of the organization.
"It is a great move by Believers Church. I really laud them for taking these measures to protect environment as well as combat global warming. I will extend full support to them whenever they carry out such socially significant activities," said Rajnath Singh.
"We at Bridge of Hope are committed to improve the environment which is currently depleting at a very rapid pace due to global warming, felling of trees, setting up of various industries and multiple other reasons. It is no more a choice but a necessity to save our environment so that this planet is livable for our future generations," said Director Bridge of Hope, Prince Josiah.
"I really thank children, countrymen and our staff for making the 15 day drive successful. We believe in making our mother earth a great place to live in and this is one such step in that direction. Preserving and protecting the environment for a better future of our country men is top most priority. I request our citizens to help us in the drive and each family to plant a tree to maintain the ecosystem for our coming generation," said Metropolitan of Believers Church' Dr. K P Yohannan.
Last year, in a similar drive Bridge of Hope planted one lakh saplings across India.

Speaker to open YMCA meet at Adoor

The South-West India region meet of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) will be held at the Mar Thoma Youth Centre, Adoor, on July 9.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, YMCA national president Leby Philip Mathew said the theme of the meet would be ‘Youth for change and peace’.

Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan will inaugurate the meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Minister for Forests and Environment of Mizoram Lal Rinn Mavia Ralte, who is also the YMCA North-East India regional chairman, will be the guest of honour.

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Geevarghese Mar Coorilos Metropolitan will deliver the keynote address and Chittayam Gopakumar, MLA, will deliver the national integration message.

Bishop K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan of the Believers Church, will inaugurate an ecumenical meet to be held later.

Gabriel Mar Gregorios Metropolitan, president of Kerala Council of Churches, will deliver the benedictory speech.

Dr. K. P. Yohannan, Metropolitan Bishop, Believers Church, Kerala calls on PM

Dr. K. P. Yohannan, Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church, Kerala along with a delegation called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today. Dr. Yohannan donated Rs. 1 crore towards Ganga cleanliness campaign. Prof. P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha was also present on the occasion.

To read more: 

http://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/dr-k-p-yohannan-metropolitan-bishop-believers-church-kerala-calls-on-pm/

Kollam fire tragedy: Church to provide aid

Believers Church is collecting medicines and food items from its centres across the country and the national capital to help the victims of the Kollam temple tragedy. It has ensured speedy delivery of these relief items to the tragedy-hit area. More than 5,000 packets of food and medicines will be delivered within the next two to three days.

Bishop Simon John of the Delhi centre of Believers Church said, “Our priority at the moment is to ensure that food and medicines are made available to all those in need. We are pooling resources from Delhi and other places such as Kolkata, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Udaipur, to ensure that items of need are delivered at the earliest. We pray to Jesus to give strength to all those who have been deeply affected by the incident.”

Believers Church is also mobilising its medical team of specialised doctors from its Thiruvilla hospital, 35 km away from Kollam, to aid in relief operations.

A number of volunteers on behalf of the Believers Church are also assisting the local administration in rescue and relief operations.

“Doctors for the counselling of the tragedy-hit victims, mentally and medically, have been also sent,” said bishop John.

Dr K.P. Yohannan, Metropolitan of Believers Church, said, “We will do everything in our power to help the bereaved families and provide timely medical assistance to those who have been injured.”

To read more:

http://www.asianage.com/delhi/kollam-fire-tragedy-church-provide-aid-607

Church collects aid for Kerala temple tragedy victims

In solidarity with the victims of the Kerala temple tragedy, Delhi-headquartered Believer's Church, a Christian denomination with congregations and parishes worldwide, is collecting medicines, food packets and clothing to provide relief to the affected people in Kollam.

K P Yohannan, Metropolitan of Believers Church said, "We will do everything in our power to help the bereaved families and provide timely medical assistance to those who have been injured."

The Church said it is also mobilising its medical team with specialised doctors from its Tiruvalla Hospital to aid in relief operations. A number of volunteers on behalf of the Believers Church are also assisting the local administration in relief operations, it said.

The Church said it is willing to provide free of cost treatment to the sufferers at its state-of-the-art multi-specialty hospital in Tiruvalla which is about 35 kms from Kollam.  "Believers Church Medical College Hospital, Tiruvalla, is offering free treatment to all victims of the Kollam tragedy," added Yohannan.  The Church said it is pooling resources, including collecting donations, for carrying out relief work in Kollam and assisting in rebuilding works.  "We have collected 5,000 mosquito nets and as many packets of medicines, food and clothes to be sent to Kollam. We have a team of doctors which is monitoring the verification of medicines that are to be sent," Bishop Simon John of the Delhi Centre of Believers Church said.  The Bishop said the Church has asked all its members in cities like Lucknow, Udaipur, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Delhi, Amritsar to contribute for the cause.  "Use of firecrackers is a part of the festival. People should be more careful while using them. And as a Church we have taken an initiative and asked our members not to use firecrackers. We are trying to communicate to people and raise awareness that firecrackers may cause harm," he said.
To read more: http://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/church-reaches-out-to-kerala-temple-tragedy-victims/936650
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/church-collects-aid-for-kerala-temple-tragedy-victims-116041300650_1.html
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/church-collects-aid-for-kerala-temple-tragedy-victims/1/641765.html