Latest news with #NewTestament
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The Church of Jesus Christ increases international relief to 12 ‘high-need' countries with $63.4 million donation
At a gathering of representatives from global humanitarian organizations in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson announced The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be donating another $63.4 million to expand the Global Initiative to Improve the Well-being of Women and Children — a uniquely collaborative effort across multiple organizations to lift women and children in especially poor parts of the world. The expanded funding aims to 'continue this great work to improve the well-being of women and children in the world,' President Johnson said. 'Together, we look forward to brighter futures for these women and children as we collaborate collectively in lifting and serving and blessing their lives.' This adds to a $55.8 million donation in 2024 to a collaboration of eight globally recognized nonprofits. Those organizations include CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, Helen Keller International, International Development Enterprises, MAP International (Medicine For All People), Save the Children, The Hunger Project and Vitamin Angels. 'There are only some things that a church can do,' said Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services, Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. 'And we need other partners to be able to bring their expertise — working with governments, helping in cultures where we don't have experience.' Blaine Maxfield, managing director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, said there is 'an unprecedented need now, more than ever, to provide relief to those that are in need all over the world.' He suggested this united effort could represent 'a model that can be transferred to other groups in this time of need.' The additional funding will allow the church and the eight organizations to continue working together in 12 especially 'high-need' countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia. The primary target within each of those countries is women and children, who are so often at most risk of malnourishment, disease and other dangers. This initiative combines efforts to improve child nutrition, maternal and newborn care, health care access including immunization that seeks to prevent deadly infectious diseases, mobility and disability support, and life-long learning and family education. 'Any student of the New Testament knows that Jesus broke a lot of cultural traditions and reached out to women in a way that they haven't been reached out to before,' said Eubank during a panel discussion. 'Women are the cornerstones of society,' said Abena Amedormey, Ghana country representative for Catholic Relief Services. But along with children, she noted that women are 'the most vulnerable in the communities,' who also 'hold the highest potential for growth and development of the society.' 'Therefore every support that there is that can be given to women, we know there will be rippling effects across the society ... when you support a woman, you support a nation.' Lizz Welch, CEO of iDE, said 'we have seen through our work time and time again, when you can help women to increase their incomes and the production of food for their families, they reinvest at much higher rates within their community.' She said iDE is working to expand 'local production of food and diverse, nutritious foods that families can consume within their household.' When gardening improvements go well, families can then sell extra food in the market and bring that income back to reinvest in their families and communities. Starting with this small investment in local gardens, Welch described the 'ecosystems of opportunities' that can result, allowing 'families to thrive in ways that they couldn't before.' The church has membership in 170 countries and does humanitarian work in almost 200 countries every year, Eubank said. 'Politics in lots of those nations are going to go up and down,' she noted. 'But the church's mission doesn't really change very much. ... We're going to take care of people that are vulnerable.' President Johnson told the Deseret News, 'I'm so grateful to be part of a church that, in a season of bounty and prosperity, is willing to commit its resources to the most vulnerable.' That includes donations in places where the church has few members, she explained — such as a significant investment in Nepal, with only 200 members in the country. 'Why?' she asked. 'Because those are Heavenly Father's children that need care and attention.' Ana Céspedes, CEO of Vitamin Angels, described how a simple increase for children in vitamin A — even just a 'drop in their mouth twice a year' — can reduce premature death by 25%, while also preventing 'night blindness.' After noting that 45% of deaths in kids are due to malnutrition and 1.2 billion women in the world today 'don't have the access to the right nutrients,' Céspedes emphasized the importance of finding ways to 'catch child malnutrition early.' Starting with the first 1000 days of life (0 to 3 years old), she expressed hope these combined efforts can make a significant difference on both 'child's nutrition rates and ultimately, child survival.' Since the project launched, it has exceeded the expectations initially set. For instance, while project leaders originally aimed for 12 million children and mothers receiving vitamins, they reported this week being able to reach 21.2 million children and mothers with vitamin supplementation. In addition: Screenings for malnutrition were conducted with 1.87 million children, with treatment provided if necessary. To track clinical cases of malnutrition and provide treatment, 125 health facilities were also trained. Training in nutrition best practices was provided for 1.6 million mothers. More than 141,000 families also received seeds and training, many of whom now have home gardens with more nutrient-dense foods. Training in improved hygiene behaviors was given to 41,000 people — with an estimated 6,800 benefiting from improved water and sanitation facilities. Training in maternal and newborn care, child nutrition, breastfeeding and vitamin administration was provided for 17,000 government health workers. And 159 newborns were resuscitated at birth, while 219,000 pregnant mothers received prenatal care. Over and over, leaders emphasized the collaborative nature of the project itself as the secret behind its success. For instance, Sarah Bouchie, CEO of Helen Keller International, highlighted the 'opportunity to be able to learn from each other's skill sets, improve consistently in the way that we approach our work, and continue that ripple effect by sharing the things that we know.' This kind of collaborative learning together, Amedormey said, 'has been a wonderful approach to reach a lot more women and children.' Welch likewise called this approach an 'incredible multiplier effect' to improve the well-being of families wherever they were working. Once families increase the food they're producing and associated income (through the efforts of one organization), she explained, that benefit is then paired with partner efforts to improve the micronutrients the families are getting, along with improved education about breastfeeding and many other ways to strengthen families. 'We're really seeing one plus one equal three or five or eight,' President Johnson told Deseret News. 'Those dollars are going further with the collaboration, because people are bringing their strengths, they're bringing their resources, they're bringing their best contacts, they're bringing their experiences, both good and bad, to the table and saying, 'What can we do to improve upon what we've learned?'' Bishop L. Todd Budge, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acknowledged that no one anticipated the current funding challenges in the world when the project was envisioned. At a time when organizations everywhere are having to be more cost-effective, he shared a sense among nonprofit leaders that 'we have to do more with less because of the situation.' Bishop Budge reflected, 'This is perhaps a framework that can be applied with other organizations to really get the synergies from collaboration.' At a time of greater estrangement across societies, Bouchie went on to describe the added benefit of 'shared values' that all members of the collaboration bring — 'a vision for a future together where every child, every woman, should have the right to a proper nutrition to live a healthy life.' 'Obviously the church is doing this out of a faith mission,' Eubank told Deseret News. 'We're trying we care for God and we care for his children all over the world.' But whether people have 'any kind of a faith or no faith at all,' she added, people can come together and 'still get behind women and children' — especially the crucial needs that happen early on in a child's life. 'It's pretty galvanizing to look at the first five years of a child's life,' Eubank said, 'and know that if they don't get enough nutrition, their cognitive ability is forever stunted, and I can get behind that anytime.' To outside observers, Bouchie acknowledged that the solution to all these problems can appear deceptively simple. 'It seems like something easy, right? You have a child who doesn't have enough nutrition, give them nutrition. It doesn't seem that complicated.' But the problem, she went on to explain, is that 'if you only treat those things, you're constantly treating the symptom.' How do we really get at the underlying factors contributing to hunger, she emphasized — finding better ways to increase self-reliance and sustainability? 'If you don't build the whole ecosystem, you don't really get at these complex factors that lead to malnutrition itself,' said Bouchie. 'It isn't an easy fix,' Eubank agreed. 'Because you can make sure that that baby has all the nutrition in the world, and then they die of diarrhea or something.' There are 'so many factors that add up to that child living and thriving when they're 5 years old,' she added. That explains why 'the only way we thought we could do that is through this new way of collaborating.' 'When systems are strengthened' through collaborative efforts, Amedormey said, 'you have not just one impact per family, but also you're able to impact the society.' President Johnson returned this week from Nepal — describing firsthand 'what happens when these groups come together with a common objective … working so beautifully together in rhythm.' First, she described seeing pregnant women getting vitamins needed for prenatal care. Once those children came into this world, these mothers were then supported to prioritize breastfeeding — contrary to cultural practices where children are immediately separated from mothers, missing the early initiation of crucial skin-to-skin contact and nourishment. President Johnson then described seeing parents being taught in community groups about the kinds of food that they could prepare for their children using local resources. (Young children who were malnourished also received immediate care through therapeutic foods and fortified cereals.) President Johnson described meeting a woman who had been assisted to start a small chicken farm. 'Every day those chickens lay eggs, she has a protein source for everyone that lives in her family unit,' she reported, with excess 'stacks of eggs' then taken to the market to sell. 'That gives her an opportunity to raise the standard of living for herself and for her children — that reinvestment that we're hoping for so that we lift not just women and children, but families and communities and nations.' At the close of the event, President Johnson shared her hope with Deseret News that those reading these stories would be inspired, first of all, 'to look around and identify the needs closest to them.' 'Sometimes, I think we believe we have to do something grand that warrants this splash in the news. But I know that there are malnourished children in our community. There are children and mothers who can't read well. ... 'My invitation is look around you first,' she said, referencing the 'mandate from the Savior' in Matthew 25, where Jesus Christ 'describes those that will be on his right hand as those who saw the hungry and those who saw the thirsty and gave them something to drink.' 'I want to be counted amongst those on the right hand,' she said with emotion. 'There's opportunities for all of us.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ground is broken for multimillion-dollar religious garden, 70-foot cross in Northeastern Kentucky
Jerry and Charlotte Lundergan with the Rev. Augustine Aidoo of Saint Patrick Church between them get help from others in breaking ground June 3, 2025, for a six-acre religious garden and 70-foot cross at the church cemetery in Maysville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Jack Brammer) Religious garden, giant cross to rise in Maysville: Jerry Lundergan's vision MAYSVILLE — On a sun-splashed Tuesday morning, former Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Jerry Lundergan, along with his wife, Charlotte, and several others, heaved shovelfuls of dirt heavenward to break ground for a multimillion-dollar religious garden and 70-foot cross at Saint Patrick Cemetery. Lundergan, a well-known Lexington entrepreneur who owns several companies in the food services and hospitality industry and emergency disaster services, wants to turn six acres in the front of the historic cemetery in the village of Washington in his hometown of Maysville into a religious site that he thinks may attract tens of thousands of people each year. The project will feature a replication of the Garden of Gethsemane near Jerusalem where the New Testament says Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion. It will contain life-size bronze statues of Christ and the main characters in the 14 Stations of the Cross. They are representations of events in Jesus' life on his way to his crucifixion. The planned cross will stand seven stories high. Lundergan is aiming at a completion date of early next April for Easter services and envisions tens of thousands of visitors each year. A minimal fee may be charged but nothing like the admission prices at the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky that sometimes go over $100, he said. Lundergan noted that any proceeds would go to maintain the garden and cemetery and support Saint Patrick Church. Lundergan acknowledged Tuesday that the project will cost several million dollars. No tax dollars are to be used, he said, but the state may sell to the church at appraised value 2 ½ acres of surplus land in front of the cemetery — on what is known as old U.S. 68— to be used for parking. The bishop of Covington, the Rev. John Curtis Iffert, has leased land to Lundergan, who plans to give the entire garden to Saint Patrick Church once it is completed. Lundergan unveiled the first Station of the garden at the groundbreaking ceremony that attracted about 120 people. It shows Jesus speaking to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordered his crucifixion. Reto Demetz, an Italian sculptor who designed the statues, was on hand to talk about his work. Other professionals involved in the project are Lexington landscape designer John Carman of the CARMAN firm and Betty Vento of Mentor, Ohio, who is an expert on religious statues. But the day belonged to Lundergan, who thanked his wife and their five daughters for their support and said they were fulfilling a dream. Daughter Alissa Lundergan Tibe moderated the hourlong ceremony. He recalled how he visited the cemetery as a boy with his parents, who attended St. Patrick's Church, and where he was baptized, married and someday will be buried in its cemetery. He spoke of his love for the church and Maysville. His comments received a standing ovation. The Rev. Augustine Aidoo of Saint Patrick Parish prayed that the project becomes 'a beacon of hope' while several public officials touted its potential economic development effects as well as its religious message. Maysville Mayor Debra Cotterill said the project's 'economic implications are enormous' with many visitors. It is to have a welcome center with a gift and snack shop that will be on the site where the groundbreaking was held. Mason County Judge Executive Owen McNeil predicted the project 'will attract visitors from around the globe,' and state Rep. William 'Buddy' Lawrence, R-Maysville, said it will attract national and global attention. David Cartmell, mayor of Maysville for 20 years and now a city commissioner, said the project will become 'iconic' for the region. 'This is a big, big day in Maysville,' he said. Lundergan plans to post a website soon keeping interested people informed of the development of the project. He said it could be reached by searching for Gethsemane Garden Maysville. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Scientists find 'proof' Jesus didn't feed 5,000 with bread and fish
The famous Bible story tells how Jesus managed to feed a crowd of 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish - but now scientists have come up with a new theory The biblical miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand with just five loaves and two fishes is well-known, but scientists now reckon it was a natural phenomenon that caused the event. Researchers have been studying Lake Kinneret, also known as the Sea of Galilee in the New Testament, monitoring oxygen levels in the water and wind speed and direction on the surface. These devices enabled them to cross-reference results with historical accounts of fish die-offs, events which see the sudden mass deaths of fish in a particular region. According to their research found short periods of time when winds across the surface of the lake were strong enough to pull oxygen from its depths. This would result in a sudden die-off. To someone on shore or in a boat, it would appear as a mass number of fish slowly rising to the surface of the lake, allowing them to 'be easily collected by a hungry populace' as described in The Bible. They believe when Jesus told his weary disciples, who'd fished all night and caught nothing, to throw their nets on the other side of the lake their success was due to a mass die-off. Matthew 14:13-21 tells the story: 'Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns, reports the Mirror US. 'When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, 'This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves. ' But Jesus said, 'They need not go away; you give them something to eat'. They said to him, 'We have only five loaves here and two fish. "'And he said, 'Bring them here to me'.'Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up 12 baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.' However, Biblical scholars have disputed the research, saying in the scripture there was no mention of the fish being 'easily caught'. And they suggested the scientists needed to re-read the passages discussing the miracle. The Answering Genesis article added: "Jesus simply took the five loaves and two fish, thanked God, broke the loaves, handed everything to his disciples, and the disciples handed the food out. No fish were caught!".
Irish Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Daily Mirror
Bible's biggest miracle 'debunked' by scientists
The Biblical miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand with just five loaves and two fishes is well-known, but scientists now believe a natural phenomenon may have been at play. Researchers studying Lake Kinneret, referred to as the Sea of Galilee in the New Testament, have been monitoring oxygen levels in the water, as well as wind speed and direction on the surface. These devices enabled them to cross-reference results with historical accounts of fish die-offs, events which result in the sudden mass deaths of fish in a specific area. According to their research discovered brief periods when winds across the lake's surface were strong enough to draw up oxygen from its depths. This would trigger a sudden die-off. To an observer on shore or in a boat, it would appear as though a large number of fish were slowly rising to the lake's surface, allowing them to 'be easily collected by a hungry populace' as described in The Bible, reports The Mirror US. They propose that when Jesus instructed his tired disciples, who had fished all night without success, to cast their nets on the other side of the lake, their success was due to a mass die-off. Matthew 14:13-21 recounts the story: 'Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, 'This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves. "But Jesus said, 'They need not go away; you give them something to eat'. They said to him, 'We have only five loaves here and two fish. "'And he said, 'Bring them here to me'.'Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. "Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. "And they took up 12 baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children." However, Biblical scholars have disputed the research, saying in the scripture there was no mention of the fish being 'easily caught'. And they suggested the scientists needed to re-read the passages discussing the miracle. The Answering Genesis article added: "Jesus simply took the five loaves and two fish, thanked God, broke the loaves, handed everything to his disciples, and the disciples handed the food out. No fish were caught!"
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Religious garden, giant cross to rise in Maysville: Jerry Lundergan's vision
Jerry and Charlotte Lundergan are developing six acres at the entrance of St. Patrick Cemetery in historic Washington into a religious garden with Italian sculptures and a visitors center, May 29, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by David Stephenson) MAYSVILLE — Jerry Lundergan, a well-known Lexington businessman who once was state Democratic Party chairman, envisions days when thousands of visitors from around the world will walk in a six-acre garden in the historic village of Washington in his hometown of Maysville. Lundegan, who will formally unveil the plans June 3, wants to replicate the Garden of Gethsemane near Jerusalem where the New Testament says Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion. Lundergan has commissioned a sculptor in Italy to create life-size bronze statues of Christ and the main characters in the 14 Stations of the Cross, representations of events in the Passion of Jesus Christ, from his condemnation to burial. A 70-foot cross, equivalent to a seven-story building, will tower nearby. It will be positioned to reflect sun rays during the Easter season onto Station 12, depicting Jesus dying on the cross. Excavations are underway for the spectacular religious display in front of the Saint Patrick Cemetery in Washington on U.S. 68 about five miles south of the Ohio River. It will include a visitor's center. Asked how much the project will cost, Lundergan said it is privately funded by the Lundergan family and receives no tax dollars. 'This is a way for my family to do something to show our love for the church and community that mean so much to us.' Lundergan said that the price of admission will be minimal if any — in contrast to other religious attractions — the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter — in Northern Kentucky. Visitors may leave donations, which will be used to maintain the garden and support St. Patrick Church and school in Maysville, Lundergan said. Lundergan grew up, was baptized and married in St. Patrick Church. He attended St. Patrick School. He will be buried someday at St. Patrick Cemetery along with his wife, Charlotte Lundergan. Actress and singer Rosemary Clooney, who was born on Front Street in Maysville in 1928 and died in 2002, is buried there. She was the aunt of international movie star George Clooney. The historic cemetery includes the tombstones of early immigrants from Ireland. The bishop of Covington, the Rev. John Curtis Iffert, has leased land to Lundergan, who will give the entire garden to St. Patrick Church once it is completed. Lundergan, 78, owns several companies in Lexington in the food services and hospitality industry and emergency disaster services. Lundy's Catering provided food services at the Woodstock revival, the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Pope John Paul II's celebration of mass with 350,000 in San Antonio in 1987, and presidential inaugurations for Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The Lundergans are close friends to former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. President Joe Biden pardoned Lundergan earlier this year for his conviction on federal campaign finance charges involving unreported donations to the 2014 U.S. Senate campaign of his daughter, Alison Lundergan Grimes. Lundergan served time in prison and a halfway house. Lundergan emphasizes that the garden project is a family venture. Charlotte and he have five daughters and 10 grandchildren. To launch planning for the garden project, Lundergan contacted Betty Vento of Mentor, Ohio, an expert on religious statues. She and her husband run Mosack's, a Christian gifts and book store. 'I think this is a fabulous project, nothing like it, I believe, in the United States with bronze statues,' said Vento. 'I understand there is a Stations of the Cross garden in Puerto Rico but it is circular. This one will be on a pathway.' She said Lundergan called her almost five years ago to pursue the project. 'We have moved forward with it and are very excited about it.' Lundergan commissioned bronze statues by sculptor Reto Demetz. His family business, the Demetz Art Studio, is one of the world's leaders in producing ecclesiastical art. The studio is located in Ortisei, a small village in Val Gardena, nestled in the Dolomites, the famous mountain range in the heart of the Italian Alps. The studio was founded in 1872. During the last decades, it has reached worldwide fame for its modern religious sculptures as well as its traditional artworks. Lexington landscape architect John Carman, of the firm CARMAN, said that when Lundergan first called he was not sure he would have the time to devote to designing the garden. 'But it is such a wonderful project, quite unique, I am Catholic, so I was all in,' he said. He worked a year on the design. Carman said the garden will be a replica of Gethsemane. 'The real garden is in a different part of the world, with olive trees. Olive trees do not grow well here.' But visitors 'will see a beautiful garden with a lot of flowers and shrubs, some trees, that will capture the spirit of Gethsemane.' A public groundbreaking ceremony for the project is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, at the site. Christian ministers in Mason County have been invited to attend. The target date for completion of the project is Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026. A celebration Mass will be held at the church the Thursday before Easter. A Good Friday program will be held at the stations and an Easter sunrise service will offer praise at the garden. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
