Christian World Service is putting the spotlight on women like Luisa in this year’s Gifted catalogue. Luisa has cared for her family and the community all her life. However, nothing could have prepared her for the January eruption of Tonga Hunga-Tonga Ha’apai and the tsunami that followed in January.

Luisa had worked hard to build a good garden and a rainwater harvesting system as well as take part in activities organised by her Ama Takiloa women’s group. Like many Tongans, she has had to clear her garden and start over. This time round she wants to be better prepared for future disasters.

Gifted is an opportunity to share your compassion for others with your family and friends. It is as simple as choosing a gift like a Garden of Dreams (for Luisa and other families in Tonga) or the ever-popular Bees to train small farmers in Sri Lanka. Or you could choose a gift to put on your Christmas wish list to share with family.

Each gift acts as a donation to a programme of a CWS partner. CWS will send you a beautiful gift card or e-card in which you can write your message.

“We are focusing on sharing hope with people like Luisa. By purchasing a Gifted card, you will be supporting a programme that works with people to address the needs they have prioritised. Improving their gardens and livelihoods is at the top of their list. They want to see their whole family flourish,” says National Director Murray Overton.

Luisa says her family struggled with food after the eruption. “There was not much in the fridge,” she says. With a much bigger garden and more storage for rainwater, she will be able to take care of her husband and their disabled son who lives with them.

There are 24 gifts supporting work around the world in this year’s catalogue. The four new gifts are Feathered Friends (also in Tonga), A Garden of Dreams, Solar Panels (for MaridiFM run by our partner Mission for Sustainable Advancement in South Sudan) and Village Canteen (training and supporting rural communities in Fiji).

CWS will send a tax-deductible receipt at the end of the year for each gift. Pick up a brochure in your church or check out the website: http://gift.org.nz/ Thank you for your support.