The “Light the World” Christmas initiative theme for 16 December was “Jesus showed compassion and so can you."
Latter-day Saints in Sydney gathered rice to donate to new residents fleeing from war and terror. Donations were received by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Jesuit Refugee Service, and the House of Welcome, who offer support to families in the area.
“These generous practical donations serve to demonstrate to the asylum seekers that come to our centre that there are people in the local community who care about their well-being,” Asylum Seeker Resource Centre chief executive Frances Rush said.
Joanne Millington from House of Welcome said the organisation has so many families coming every week that their food bank is always running low.
“This donation makes a big impact for so many people in need,” she said.
In Tonga, Tevita Sanft and his family use their farm vehicle to load up and deliver coconut husks to widows on the island of Tongatapu.
Many islanders make umu, a traditional food, which is wrapped in banana leaves and soaked in coconut milk before being placed in an earth oven.
The coconut husks are positioned in the oven on top of rocks. Once the rocks are hot, the food is placed on the rocks, then covered with banana leaves and old mats and left for a few hours to slowly cook.
The umu is a very important part of life for the Tongan people, and the compassion members of the Sanft family have for the widows is a great blessing for both the widows and the family as they develop the Christ-like attribute of compassion.
Newsroom contributors: Nancy Merrill and Tessa Dewsbury.