In this episode of Active Generosity we hear from Anne Reitsema, CEO of Medair, an international humanitarian organisation that has provided emergency relief to over 53 million people in 43 crisis-affected countries.
Anne shares her remarkable journey from growing up in South Africa as the child of missionaries to leading life-saving programmes in some of the world’s most challenging contexts.
This episode explores:
- how generosity transcends cultural boundaries and brings hope
- the impact of childhood experiences on Anne’s calling to humanitarian work
- Medair’s mandate to provide healthcare, nutrition, water and shelter in crisis zones
- what it means to live with a generous spirit - even in times of scarcity
- powerful stories of faith, including the feeding of the 5,000 and an eight-year-old donor’s inspiring gift
- the role of biblical stewardship and why generosity is central to thriving communities
“If I see scarcity, I struggle to be generous. But if I know His abundance, I can in faith lean into the generosity that He has called us to.”
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Anne's favourite Bible verses on generosity:
Anne highlighted Isaiah 58 as her go-to passage. It speaks about true fasting, caring for the hungry, the poor and those in need of shelter. It promises that when we ‘spend ourselves’ for others, we will be like a well-watered garden, repairers of broken walls and communities will flourish. She also noted the importance of Sabbath rest in that passage - giving from a place of fullness, not emptiness.
See our note on Bible usage: https://www.stewardship.org.uk/bible-usage
How you can pray for Anne:
Anne asked for:
• protection and wisdom for Medair’s teams working in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected areas
• provision and resources to continue life-saving work
• courage to operate from a spirit of abundance, not fear
• flourishing and joy as they live out generosity in challenging times
Download the transcript for episode 13
Related links:
Medair: https://www.medair.org
The Interagency Standing Committee (IASC): https://interagencystandingcommittee.org
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Podcast presenter: Ruth Jackson Podcast producer: Vimbai Chigwangwa
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Ruth Jackson
Ruth is leading the PR and Communications for Stewardship, which she joined in April 2022.
She has over 25 years’ marketing communications experience across a range of sectors, including higher education, technology and the arts, both business- and customer-facing.
Ruth worships and serves at C3 Church in Cambridge where she lives with her husband, two teenage daughters, a dog and a cat. When she’s not at her desk, you might find her rowing on the River Cam, in a ballet class or out for a walk.
She supports causes that are focused on alleviating global poverty and injustice, with a particular interest in supporting vulnerable children.
