Women from the Gunnedah shire are invited to a free drought breakfast on Saturday, April 6 at 8am.
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The breakfast will be held at Gunnedah Anglican Church and will feature a guest speaker from Pakistan, Angela Michael, who will share a story of hope in hard times.
Anglican church's Lisa Newnham said the event would serve as "an encouraging morning where we can support each other as women in the community".
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The event is sponsored by Anglican Aid, which is distributing almost $500,000 throughout the drought-affected dioceses of Armidale, Bathurst and Riverina.
"This is really an opportunity to contribute to the drought in a tangible way by sponsoring the breakfast and offering someone who can hopefully encourage them to see that as difficult as circumstances are, there is hope beyond the immediate circumstances," Anglican Aid operations manager Eddie Ozols said.
Mr Ozols said Ms Michael and her siblings were orphaned in childhood and and at an early age Ms Michael "made a Christian commitment to serve the poor orphan children in Pakistan".
Raised by their grandmother and single aunty, Ms Michael and her siblings lived in Lahore where Christians are a "oppressed" minority "living under the yoke of Islam".
"One of the things Angela will say at the breakfast is the first thing that is noted on a birth certificate is your religion, and if you're Christian, your life has pretty much ended at birth," Mr Ozols said.
After she had completed school and university, Ms Michael, her grandmother and aunt took in 57 street children, providing care and education. Some years later, they also started a school of 200 in an open-air factory where bricks are made. About 650 children now receive schooling in two locations.
"In addition to education, they also provide programs to women in literature, water sanitation and hygiene, sewing and income generation," Mr Ozols said.
To RSVP for the free women's drought breakfast by April 3, phone Julie on 0427 452 600.
For more information, email office@gunnedahanglican.org.au or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/815469962133903
