2023/24 Annual Report

A Mixture of Celebration and Sadness

Reviewing the past year has been a mixture of celebration and sadness. We have been saddened by the ongoing conflict faced by our partner, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, both in the West Bank and especially in Gaza. At the same time, we are extremely heartened by the continuing work of the Ahli Hospital in responding to the tragedy by tending to the wounded despite unbelievable challenges.

In Myanmar, our partner, the Church of the Province of Myanmar (CPM), continues to deal with the impacts of immense and ongoing political conflict and economic crisis. Other partners face huge economic challenges as inflation soars, taxes rise, government debts are repaid, and the burden falls upon ordinary people.

On the positive side, our partnerships are thriving, and ABM and AID have been enriched both to learn from and continue to support our partners this past year in our Reconciliation, Sustainable Communities, and Church to Church programs.

In 2024, ABM began preparations for the 175th anniversary of our founding in 1850. It is humbling and a privilege to work for an organisation that has been operating uninterruptedly for so long, and we have much to celebrate and be thankful for.

We plan to use the year leading up to the anniversary on October 29, 2025, to reflect on what we have achieved over those years. We shall also celebrate the work we are now undertaking with our partners as we respond together to God’s call into mission. In the year following the anniversary, we shall focus on our vision for the next 25 years and begin to implement it.

I was delighted to attend part of AID’s annual Partner Conference, held online this year, which brings together our partners from Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to share ideas and development practices, engage in robust discussion, and learn more about how each is working for God’s love, hope and justice in the world. We greatly appreciated the keynote speaker, Aunty Dr Rose Elu, who spoke movingly about rising seawaters on her home island of Sabai in the Torres Strait. Aunty Rose is a Sabai Elder and member of NATSIAC. ABM was grateful to be able to fund a visit to Sabai in May by the Archbishop of Brisbane, with Aunty Rose, to learn more about the realities of climate change in the Torres Strait.

Climate and environment formed an increasing part of the work of ABM AID this year. I especially note that in 2024, as part of our programming with partners, over 4,000 people participated in sessions on climate-related hazards and disasters, including climate change mitigation, adaptation, preparedness, resilience, and early warning. Many others in partner communities also developed local disaster risk reduction strategies and/or climate change plans.

Another key focus of our work was our education program. In 2024 this included support for a new school building in rural Philippines, educational interventions for vulnerable children in Sri Lanka, and continued support of Gawura School in Sydney. We continue to develop our programming in this vital area.

Following on from our very successful Lent study, God’s Own Country, written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anglicans following last year’s Voice referendum, I would like to commend ABM’s newest Advent study, Caravan.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your generous support of our work towards the Five Marks of Mission during the year and I would ask you to continue to pray for us and all our partners.

Yours in Christ

The Rev’d Dr John Deane
Executive Director,
Anglican Board of Mission and Anglicans in Development