1. The Christmas Bowl’s 60th Year! The Christmas Bowl is a program of act for peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Prayer for the Christmas Bowl

2. The Christmas Bowl’s History The first Christmas Bowl: 1949 1949: ₤1,808 2007: $2.3,Million Rev. Frank Byatt

3. The Christmas Bowl Today The bowl has grown to meet new challenges Funds raised help reduce poverty, protect refugees, prevent conflicts and empower communities

4. The Christmas Bowl Helps Reduce Extreme Poverty in Zimbabwe Woman & children had to walk 7kms for water Locals trained on tank construction, water conservation & hygiene Help build a sense of community

5. “Each day I come to school, I am happy to be able to drink clean water from the tank, and I seem to get less sick”. – local school boy

6. The Christmas Bowl helps Prevent & Resolve Conflicts in Sudan 40 years of ongoing conflict 250,000 people killed, 2.4 million people displaced Poverty-conflict cycle continues as youth become influenced by antisocial behaviour A gift of $25 can provide a professional psychological session for a Sudanese person

7. “We remember visiting a community centre back in 2006 and meeting a woman who was so traumatised by her experiences that she could not speak. It is through support, counselling and companionship that she found the strength to speak again. These are the stories of hope which drive us to continue working with the conflict-affected people in Darfur.” - Katherine Gicuku Ireri, Nyala Field Coordinator

8. The Christmas Bowl helps Protect Refugees The TBBC provides vital services for more than 140,000 Burmese refugees It costs $74 to provide food for a month to a family of four living in a refugee camp.

9. The challenge of feeding Burma’s refugees will continue well into 2009 and food prices are set to increase.

10. The Christmas Bowl Empowers Communities 40% of Timor Leste’s population live below the poverty line act for peace helps provide training to empower these communities $135 can provide training for a group of 40 farming families in one district

11. The income Moses has received from the kiosk has allowed him to pay back his loans, continue his studies in teaching at the National University of East Timor and assist his large family.

12. How Can I Help? Give to the Christmas Bowl each year Become an act for peace Regular Giver & help people year round Visit our website for more information: www.actforpeace.org.au

13. The Christmas Bowl A PRAYER FOR PEACE & UNITY God, you have made us of one blood, your common people, and sent Jesus to restore us by the shedding of his blood; help us, by your Spirit, to recover our common humanity so that your world may be renewed in peace. Bring your peace to this world, a peace we cannot make ourselves. Awaken the consciousness of all peoples and their leaders, raise up those who can speak and act for peace, and show us new ways in which hatred can be left behind, wounds can be healed, and unity restored. We pray in the name of Jesus who is our peace. Amen.