In Oecusse, Timor-Leste, communities are transforming their futures through sustainable agriculture and food security programs. One participant, Bernadeta, a 46-year-old leader of a kitchen garden group in her village, shares her experience: 

"I love my kitchen garden!” she says. “Sometimes people come directly to my garden to buy fresh vegetables."  

Bernadeta has been growing vegetables like bitter gourd, string beans, eggplant, water spinach, and lettuce for several years now. Her garden not only provides nutritious food for her family but also generates income through the sale of surplus produce at the local market. 

When the FUSONA* program introduced the kitchen garden initiative, Bernadeta was excited to join. “They provided seeds, so we didn’t need to spend money buying them. I also learned new things, like working together as a group and how to build trust among members.” 

Leading the group wasn't easy at first, but after discussions, they found a way to work based on each person’s strengths. “Those who are stronger can work more, and those who are not can contribute based on their abilities. This way, everyone plays a part, and we produce more vegetables.” 

Bernadeta's group now plans to expand to a larger plot of land to meet the market’s demands, but they face challenges with access to water. “We’re grateful to FUSONA for the seeds and support. We hope for more assistance, especially with equipment and water resources.” 

This initiative is part of a broader effort to build community resilience, ensuring families have the knowledge and tools to thrive, even in the face of climate change and economic challenges. 

Your donation to Lent Event will empower more families like Bernadeta's to combat malnutrition, improve food security, and create sustainable livelihoods, ensuring communities can withstand future challenges. 

*FUSONA is the development agency of the Protestant Church in Timor-Leste (IPTL), a partner of UnitingWorld and the Uniting Church in Australia.

Our partner the Methodist Church in Fiji has taken significant steps to bolster disaster preparedness and inclusivity. In 2024, we helped them design and draft comprehensive Disaster Risk Management and Disability Inclusion policies. MCIF President Rev Dr Semisi Turagavou then championed them at the church’s National Assembly in August, emphasizing the importance of the initiatives, stating that disaster risk management is essential at all levels—from families to national structures—to save lives, alleviate suffering, and minimize losses.  

“The adoption of the Disaster Risk Management policy is a critical step-in saving lives, alleviating suffering and minimising losses.” says MCIF President Rev Dr Semisi Turagavou. “Disaster risk management must be embraced at all levels from the families, churches, circuits, divisions and at national levels.” 

These policies mandate that all new church buildings be engineered to withstand Category 5 cyclones, ensuring safe refuge during disasters. Additionally, the church promotes planting cyclone-resistant crops and encourages families to develop disaster and evacuation plans, emphasising the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in these preparations. By integrating traditional knowledge, such as elders' insights on food preservation during power outages, the church fosters a holistic approach to disaster resilience. 

Your donation to Lent Event will support initiatives like these, enhancing disaster preparedness and fostering inclusive communities in regions vulnerable to natural disasters. 

“Who were the ones to lead the people to higher ground, to show them where to run, and care for them through the night? It was our disaster chaplains.” 

In the darkest moments, when disaster strikes in the Pacific, it’s chaplains who step forward to guide their communities.  

During the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, Rev. Kisina Toetu’u (pictured, above left), trained as part of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s disaster chaplaincy network, became the pillar his people needed.  

“I had been trained for disasters like this,” he recalls. “I led people to higher ground, kept them calm, and we waited for morning.” As the ash fell, the community gathered together on the mountain, praying through the night, with Rev. Kisina offering comfort and strength amidst the chaos below, where the ocean had swallowed their homes and gardens. 

When the sun rose, the true extent of the destruction was clear. Rev. Kisina led a group of young men to recover the body of the town clerk, who had tragically drowned in the wave. "We brought him back to the mountain to be with his people," Rev. Kisina shared. "Together we prayed and mourned, and then we began the recovery."  

Thanks to the leadership of chaplains like him, communities like Mango can find hope and unity in the face of unimaginable loss. 

Rev. Ikani Tolu, General Secretary of the Tonga National Council of Churches, reflects on the vital role these chaplains play: “Who were the ones to lead the people to higher ground, to show them where to run, and care for them through the night? It was our disaster chaplains. The training from the Uniting Church in Australia was incredibly valuable.” 

Disaster chaplains don’t just provide immediate physical safety; they offer spiritual and emotional care, giving people the strength to recover and rebuild their lives.  

Your donation to Lent Event will equip more chaplains like Rev. Kisina to be there when it matters most—leading communities through disaster with faith, hope and practical support. 

In Bali, Indonesia, Pak Sipil’s determination to start a kitchen garden sparked a wave of change in his community. After attending basic agricultural training provided by our partner, the Protestant Christian Church in Bali, and receiving seeds and compost soil, Pak Sipil nurtured his garden with care. "I used goat manure from my neighbour as fertiliser, and soon hundreds of seedlings began to emerge!" he shared. Within just three months, his family of seven was already enjoying fresh eggplants, water spinach, and tomatoes, with chillies still growing. 

Pak Sipil didn’t keep this knowledge to himself. He shared seeds with Komang, the wife of the village head, and taught her how to use goat manure to improve soil fertility. Soon, Komang was growing her own vegetables and passing on chilli seedlings to her cousin, helping him start his own garden. Chilli, a key ingredient in Balinese cuisine, is now growing in more homes throughout the village. 

From a simple training session and a few seeds, sustainable farming practices are spreading, improving food security and livelihoods across the community.  

Your donation to Lent Event will help equip more families like Pak Sipil’s with the tools, knowledge, and resources to build resilient, climate-smart agricultural systems—one garden at a time.