Families.  God intends the family as a place of refuge and security, standing strong under pressures. It should be a place where members can grow to maturity, sharing good things and fun! There are many examples of this in the Bible – for example, Psalm 128.

by Philippa Miner.

by Arline Poubel e Silva and Suzy da Silva Cyrillo.  In most cultures, people hide the problem of violence within the family. This means that little is known about the level of violence that affects families. Ill-treatment within the family has increasingly come to the attention of health services, but is rarely included in community programmes for health and education. However, the majority of cases are not even reported. This means that those committing the violence are not made ...

Here we gather together interviews with a selection of older people in various countries. They share their thoughts on the differing ways older people are treated today and their hopes and fears for the future.

Parents are one of the most important role models for young people growing up. They have a huge influence on their children. Children will grow up doing what their parents do – rather than what they say.

Tearfund has recently carried out some research into the positive and negative impacts of globalisation on developing countries. Questionnaires were sent out to Tearfund partner organisations all over the world. One of the issues raised in the questionnaire was the impact that globalisation is having on family life.  

How often do you laugh together? every day  5 every week or two 3 not very often  1

by Lyn Lusi.

Parents living with HIV and AIDS often worry about what will happen to their children when they die. If the child is young, or the family is separated in a time of crisis, memories can fade and important information is often lost. The child can grow up confused about their background and identity.

by Esly Regina Carvalho. 

It is very easy to associate risks with places and events outside the home, but every day thousands of people are injured within their home by accidents that could have been avoided. Here are four simple ways of reducing the risk of injury or death to household members.

by Esly Carvalho.  How can the church face up to the problems of domestic violence? Recently an investigation was published by the InterAmerican Development Bank, with some shocking findings… 

This is an adapted exercise from the teaching resource by Dr Carlos Raimundo, The Play of Life, reviewed on page 14. 

Children are a blessing.  The Bible teaches that children are a blessing. Children are to be welcomed into the world and celebrated. People are made in the image of God and are to be given respect and dignity. However, many people today do not experience life as a blessing but as a tragedy. They may live in extreme poverty or as one of millions of ‘street kids’ who are unwanted. They may die from illnesses which are preventable.

Today families are under so many different pressures. However there are many ways in which families can develop good relationships and provide a stable base, not just for family members but for others around them. Here are some ideas for strengthening family life: