INCREASE - Part of our vision is to reach and help more children around the world.
This month, our partners, The Shepherd Society in the Holy Land, have launched an appeal to purchase handmade dolls for children in Gaza. For many years, they have worked with women there who create toys and dolls, as part of a micro-finance initiative to support their livelihoods. We want to help our partners by trying to get at least 50 dolls sponsored. This initiative is an additional, one-off measure that complements our ongoing humanitarian medical support for destitute children in the West Bank.
In the midst of the immense suffering of so many children in Gaza and the West Bank, we long to offer a small measure of comfort. A simple doll to play with can bring moments of joy and reassurance in the midst of trauma.
Shireen, our project partner on the ground, said:
"Children in Gaza are in desperate need to be embraced and to embrace. The doll will serve as a tangible way to demonstrate care and love to them. These dolls will be distributed to children in the hospitals, children's homes, and other known areas where children gather."
Furthermore, we have just renewed our commitment to helping cover medical costs for children in the West Bank for another year, ensuring they receive the care they desperately need.
This August, we are inviting you to give a one-off £20. Your donation will be used as follows:
£10 will purchase a handmade doll for a child in Gaza. More than ever, children in Gaza need the chance to play and to find small moments of comfort wherever they can. A doll would be far more than just a toy—it would be a ray of hope and light in the midst of deep darkness.
£10will support our ongoing humanitarian efforts covering medical costs for children in the West Bank. The need is greater than ever. Requests for medical support—surgeries, medicines, health insurance, and essential tests—have risen from 166 a year to over 1,000. Costs are now five times higher, and heartbreakingly, up to 65% of the population has no health insurance because they cannot afford it. That remaining £10 can help us continue providing vital medical care through to August 2026.
Here is an example of some of the dolls, held by a lady who helped make them in Gaza.
And here, a family receiving medical support—made possible in part by CRY—in Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Prince of Peace.
PRAY | We seek to ensure that everything we do is firmly rooted in prayer.
Our friends at 24-7 Prayer have launched an initiative inviting all Christians to unite in prayer during the Global Week of Prayer - taking place from 1–7 September. The vision is to see every nation on earth joining together in continuous prayer for our world. At CRY, we and many of our partners aim to join them.
While our partners may not be able to host a prayer room or sustain continuous 24-hour prayer throughout the week, we have warmly encouraged them to engage in prayer in whatever way they are able during this special time. In the same spirit, we invite you to set aside moments during the week to pray for our world. As we pray together, we seek to encounter God’s presence and carry His heart for transformation into our towns, cities, and nations.
SHAPE | We believe God is calling us to equip and shape the next generation of charity workers.
Our very first year of the CRY Leadership Academy has now drawn to a close – and what a year it has been. Both of our interns are heading off to university this September, and we couldn’t be prouder of all they’ve achieved.
From volunteering in several of our shops, lending a hand in the office, and supporting events, to serving some of our overseas partners in Peru, Bolivia, and Liberia – they’ve truly thrown themselves into every opportunity. Their commitment, enthusiasm, and willingness to serve have made a real difference, both here at home and across the world.
We are so thankful for the way they’ve invested their time and energy into CRY’s mission. As they step into this exciting new chapter, we’re praying for God’s blessing over all that lies ahead for them.
Verse of the month: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." - Isaiah 1:17
As always, everything we achieve is made possible by the generosity of our supporters and charity shop customers. You can visit one of our shops or donate to our work by visiting www.cry.org.uk/donate
