Nov 21

Shatha’s New Vision

Last week Shatha’s older sister’s glasses were stolen.   At just 6 years old, Shatha knew she had to do something. She didn’t chase down the thieves or make ‘lost-and-found’ posters – instead she promised her sister that one day she’d become an eye-doctor so she could help.   This was the latest in a series of traumatic events in the …

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Oct 01

Mia’s Story

Mia has always been community minded and service driven. Having grown up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mia knew about ADRA. And so, within months of moving to Brisbane with her husband and two children, she reached out to the local ADRA Community Centre in Logan and began to volunteer …

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Sep 04

Official opening of Zen-sory Space and Play Area

On a cheerful and sunny afternoon, Mallee Rose Cottage – the ADRA Community Centre in Macquarie Fields – officially opened its new Zen-sory Space and Play Area. For the past six years, Mallee Rose Cottage has been a refuge for families in Macquarie Fields. With services ranging from counselling to …

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Aug 28

First Adventist safe house opened in PNG

This post was originally written for and published by the Adventist Record. In what is believed to be a first for Papua New Guinea Union Mission, the Silva Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church has opened a family violence shelter on their property in June Valley. The refuge will provide temporary accommodation for those …

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Aug 15

The future for They Are Not Alone project

The They Are Not Alone (TANA) project started a few years ago, sparked by a lecture from Avondale’s Dr Brad Watson and spearheaded by one of the students who listened to the lecture, Linda Ciric. The initial campaign had two goals: to raise $100,000 through a partnership with ADRA Australia …

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Aug 06

Jamal’s Story

Jamal* is an eight-year-old girl from Syria. She lives with her parents and three siblings all in a one-room home in the Dekweneh area of Lebanon. Their house is hand built by their father with only blocks of stones. Staying with five members in a confined area distracts Jamal from …

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Jul 16

Blacktown Centre equips next generation of counsellors

The ADRA Community Centre in the heart of Blacktown is supporting Sydney’s most vulnerable people. Run predominantly by volunteers, the Centre offers a range of services from food parcels to social work, but is best-known for its free quality counselling. “Financial stress is common among people who receive counselling from …

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Jun 27

A Life of Service

Maxine Abblott always wanted an active and meaningful retirement. For the last eight years, she has maintained a busy but happy lifestyle by volunteering for ADRA. Maxine started out by helping a few people every week, but now she is helping more than 200 people per week. “I’m an on-the-ground type …

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Apr 02

A sanctuary in the heart of Blacktown

In the heart of Blacktown, perched above the hustle and bustle of commuters pouring out of the train station, lies the ADRA Blacktown Community Centre. For over a decade, a dedicated team of mostly volunteers have been serving their local community by meeting their greatest physical and emotional needs. The …

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Mar 14

Addressing depression after the drought

Depression and anxiety are mental health challenges that have faced many people in communities affected by severe drought. Even once physical relief comes, whether through rain or funding, the effects of depression and anxiety linger. To address this in drought-affected communities, ADRA invested in training 46 people as associate directors …

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