wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Amity Foundation celebrating 20th birthday

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Note #9005 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05593
Nov. 1, 2005

Amity Foundation celebrates 20th birthday

Group has spread good will and the gospel message in rural villages in China

by Toya Richards Hill

LOUISVILLE - Education, social services, health and rural development - all
hallmarks of the Amity Foundation's work in China over the past two decades -
are more important than ever, officials said recently.

	In 20 years, "Amity has carried out millions of dollars worth of
projects all over China," said Don Snow, a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
mission worker in China. "The Amity Printing Company has become China's
largest printer of Bibles - approximately 40 million to date - and
hymnbooks."

"My sense is that Amity will increasingly become a source of expertise for
the growing number of other organizations which carry out social service work
in China," said Snow, who teaches English at Nanjing University. "It seems
likely that Amity will continue to be a pioneer in various ways."

	Amity, created in 1985 by Chinese Christians, this year celebrates
its 20th anniversary. A birthday celebration set for Nov. 1-9 will feature
visits to Amity projects including Anshun Teachers College and the Houchang
Rural Development Project, as well as an international consultation on social
development in Nanjing.

	In 1985, Chinese Christians acted on their belief  "that the church
ought to participate in nation-building," said the Rev. Insik Kim,
coordinator for East Asia and the Pacific in the PC(USA)'s Worldwide
Ministries Division (WMD). 

	Men and women trained by the Amity Foundation teach English in rural
China, "barefoot doctors" trained by Amity work in Chinese villages, and
Amity volunteers work in HIV/AIDS education, Kim said. "This is Amity's
work."

	The organization's blindness-prevention division promotes cataract
surgery and publishes education materials on eye care and trains
special-education teachers to help "mainstream" disabled students.

	Those are just a few of the projects sponsored by Amity. For more
information, visit its Web site at www.amityfoundation.org.

	Snow said the foundation's pioneering work includes the creation of a
new model for foreign participation in social work in China. The PC(USA) is
an official partner of the foundation.

	A long list of other organizations also partner with Amity, including
the American Baptist Church USA, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in Canada and the US, and Church World Service.

	"Working with overseas partners has always been one of Amity's main
strengths," Qiu Zhonghui, the Amity Foundation's general secretary, said in
its annual report. "In a shrinking world, where conflict and violence is
increasing, the ecumenical sharing of human and other resources constitute
important building blocks for communities of peace."

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