Each week during the war up to 163,000 parcels, packed by volunteers, were distributed via the Joint War Organisation, which had eight ships under permanent charter, with others standing by, to transport the parcels on the first stages of their journey to the prison camps. The majority of these ships operated a shuttle service between Lisbon in neutral Portugal and Marseilles in the south of France. At Marseilles the parcels were transferred to railway vans under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Through the French and Swiss postal services, the parcels finally reached Geneva for further distribution to prison camps in Germany and elsewhere.Many of our brothers and sisters around the world are prisoners, not of war but of poverty, destitution, lack of opportunity and lack of resources. When we think of reaching out to them, we tend to think of more immediate aid: food, water, clothing and so on. However, what we have discovered over the years is that they also have spiritual needs and these needs are best met with the kind of Christian resources we can provide.
These Holy Cross Faith Parcels provide food for the soul and strength for the spirit and will be valued and treasured in a way many of us would find truly humbling.
International Faith Outreach has a very simple goal – to support missionaries, catechists and parish workers anywhere in the world in their faith. We do so in a spirit of friendship, fellowship and support. One of the best ways we have found to do this is by encouraging our very generous readers to send us funding so that we in turn can provide them with resources. Through the generosity of our readers we have offered this service since 2005. Despite growing demands on the fund we are keen to reach out to more and more missionaries, catechists and parish workers with Christian resources which will help them in their work and mission.
Our new goals for International Faith Outreach are:
• To send subscriptions of Bible Alive and Bibles to faith communities in parts of the world where resources are sparse and in short supply. We believe that it is a basic human right for everyone in the world to have a Bible, if they indeed wish to have one. The Bible is the Word of God, freely given, freely received.
• To send books and resources to missionaries, catechists and parish workers who labour and serve in the third world. We believe that Christian books both change lives and build and encourage people in their faith.
Since the launch of International Faith Outreach the feedback we receive from missionaries, catechists and parish workers is what convinces us of the need to continue and expand our work. Subscriptions to Bible Alive, Bibles and other Christian resources are valued in a way that we (who can often take such things for granted) find difficult to appreciate. We are committed to raising our voice on their behalf and sometimes all that is required is that we provide a platform from which they can share with us something of their outreach and mission and, as they so often do, express their sincere thanks and gratitude to you, our readers, who in your generosity reach out to them.
Here is some of the moving and powerful feedback we receive from those who receive Bible Alive and other resources because of your kindness and generosity.
Fr Ramond Samarakoon, Colombo, Sri Lanka: ‘I appreciate very much your sending me through the requested books through International Faith Outreach. They are of immense help both to me and my friends who read them.’
Sr Judith Chakabreyo, Zimbabwe: ‘Receiving Bible Alive means deepening my spirituality and learning…It means getting in touch with the self and God and offering my services to the suffering Christ in the HIV/AIDS clients…If you can supply us with material pointing to the importance of HOPE in times of suffering.’
Sr Kay O‘Neill FMDM, Zambia: ‘We receive Bible Alive in our community. We appreciate the reflections which we use in our liturgical and private prayer.’
David Munhamo, Zimbabwe: ‘I am a seminarian…currently doing my third year. I would appreciate if possible if I could receive literature which is being published especially to do with reflections of the Pope on this Pauline year.’
Mafanise Simbarashe, Zimbabwe: ‘I was moved by your pamphlets of Bible Alive since it helps me to prepare for my morning meditations through its reflections.’
Max Mabvuure, Zimbabwe: ‘I am a seminarian…I have been reading your editions [of Bible Alive] from friends…It has uplifted my spiritual graph. I hope my application will reach your instant and positive response.’
Fr Spencer Nyendwa, Zambia: ‘Receiving Bible Alive is truly a way of carrying and letting the Word of God shine through the day.’
Br Evans, Nigeria: ‘I am a student…and I got to know about Bible Alive a few weeks ago…I humbly request that you make me one of your free beneficiaries of the monthly supply of this educative and spiritual daily companion.’
Fr Spencer Nyendwa: ‘I do wish to receive Bible Alive again because it is truly a companion in my life and work. I would be most grateful to receive a copy of the 2009 Bible Alive diary too.’
Sr Marguerite, South Africa: ‘What a lovely surprise to see the Bible Alive again. Very many thanks for putting us on your mailing list.’
Sr S. Nalumassa MMM, Rwanda: ‘Only recently have I availed myself of your wonderful little magazine, and have found it most helpful in my prayer and reflections.’
Mgr George Nkuo, Cameroon: ‘I am a Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kumbo…I am told I can get a free subscription through you. I will be very blessed if I receive such an offer.’
Sons of Divine Providence, Kenya: ‘I am very happy to receive again [Bible Alive] after about six years. Thanks very much to the sponsors for enabling me and the community to receive it.’
Fr Norbert Khangelani Nyathi, Zimbabwe: I have always found Bible Alive useful and valuable, I use Bible Alive for my reflections, and this magazine does help me when I plan my sermons. I am delighted to hear about the launch of the new initiative-Holy Cross Book parcel, I wish to benefit from the launch. I am a priest (parish priest) based at Holy Cross Parish in Zimbabwe. My work is varied, demanding, lonely and often hard, concerned with preaching, celebrating sacraments, visiting the sick on foot, burying the dead as many are dying due to the Aids scourge, spiritual director, counselor, marriage officer, certification of documents, raising money for the parish in these hard times in Zimbabwe, it is a time when Sunday collections have gone down terribly due to the biting economic situation such that it is very difficult to maintain the Church building.
A Holy Cross Faith Parcel will contain a wide selection of Christian books and resources.
The more you donate, the more we can give!
