Growing Together 
Additional ideas for worship
STORIES
People in the developing world report changes to their climate – These stories from Tearfund’s partners in developing countries are from Tearfund’s website: [http://www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Climate+change+and+disasters/Impact+on+poverty.htm] 
Africa
Drought in Burkina Faso happens ever more frequently. As a result, in 2005, millions faced food shortages 
“The climate has changed and the rainy season has become unpredictable. The water levels fall year by year and some kinds of animals and vegetation have disappeared. The future is bleak for farmers and cattle-breeders alike.” Mali 
“One of the health impacts as a result of changing weather patterns is that malaria vector mosquitoes are spreading into highland areas that were historically free from malaria. There is also an increase in water-borne diseases.” Tadesse Dadi, Ethiopia
Tearfund partners in Africa report that they are experiencing increasingly long and frequent periods of drought, and more flash floods. Rainfall is decreasing, becoming more unpredictable, and the seasons are less distinct. Drinking water is becoming less readily available, and agricultural cycles are disrupted, causing declining crop yields. Partners report that people are leaving for the cities, in search of work and better living conditions. Certain health problems are increasing, such as malaria and malnutrition, traditional medicines are being lost, and biodiversity is declining. The Sahara Desert is pushing south, further into Mali and Niger. 
Asia
“The poor rush towards the safest places during the flood, toward cities in search of jobs or even for alms. The flood waters damage their crops, houses, local infrastructures...”
Salvation Army, Bangladesh 
“The rain does not come at the right time. People start cultivating and there is no rain. Then it comes after a month, so the seeds die and again we have to plant.” 
Latika Sagar, India
In Asia partners report that floods and droughts are more and more unpredictable, which affects the monsoon in certain areas. The timing of the rains is changing and thus the seasons are altered. The effect of both floods and drought periods is that crops fail and livelihoods are threatened. Water-borne diseases are reported to be increasing, as well as skin, eye and chest problems. Biodiversity is decreasing and sea-levels rise is already forcing some communities to relocate. 
Latin America
Deforestation is a key issue resulting in local-level climate change in Peru.
“We expect the impacts of a changing climate to increase, with a greater area of our country becoming desert, more woods and jungle being lost, torrential rains, hurricanes and greater seasonal instability.” 										 Amextra, Mexico 

In Latin America floods, droughts and storms are all becoming more prevalent; temperatures are rising and dry spells are getting longer. There is less and less water available and as the seasons become more unpredictable: this is having a huge impact on agricultural communities, with productivity declining. In some situations people are abandoning agricultural livelihoods and heading to urban areas in search of alternative sources of income.