Young Methodists to travel to Nicaragua in fight against street child poverty

Three young people have been chosen to represent Methodist Children & Youth on a trip to Nicaragua inNovember.

During the visit, Roxanne Bainbridge, Andrew Topping and MiriamGarnett will meet the girls and boys' teams from Nicaragua who willbe travelling to Rio next year to take part in the Street Child World Cup.  They will also visit localprojects through Methodist World Church partners, and share thestories they hear with young people back in Britain. 

Miriam Garnett, 19, a One Programme Participant at Trinity ChurchAbingdon in Oxfordshire, said: "The Street Child World Cup projectis fantastic as it offers these children an alternative to theirlives on the streets, and I am excited by the opportunity tocontribute to it. My experience with working with young people hasshown me what a difference it can make if someone invests theirtime in them and shows them that they can trust in themselves."

Street Child World Cup is a global movement for street childrento receive the protection and opportunities that all children areentitled to. Ahead of each FIFA World Cup, the Street Child WorldCup unites street children from across five continents to playfootball. The Methodist Church is supporting the event inpartnership with the Amos Trust.

Andrew Topping, 18, is a member of Hucclecote Methodist Churchin Gloucester. He said: "The issues that Nicaraguan street childrenface are disturbing; I have learned that one in every three issuffering from malnutrition. As a Christian I feel called torespond to this suffering in practical ways and also to challengeperceptions that we may have of street children."

Methodist children and young people are encouraging localchurches across the Connexion to help raise £30,000 by organisingfundraising events of their own. Roxanne Bainbridge, 17, said she would encourage her college tosupport the Street Child World Cup, run a session about the eventat the Wales Synod and engage with social media to raise awarenessabout the issues.  

Ends.

1. Methodist children and young people are encouraging localchurches across the Connexion to help reach the £30,000 target byorganising fundraising events of their own. A Methodist ChurchYouth fundraising pack is available here.
2. The Methodist church in Britain has developed a strongrelationship with the Methodist Church in Nicaragua, supportingthem through the World Mission Fund. To find out more about theWorld Mission Fund, see here.