Catharine and her husband Andrew, have taken the very special decision to leave a gift to Cord in their Wills. Catharine first heard about Cord in the late 1960s. After their marriage, Andrew was ordained as a priest in the Church of England and for many years, the couple served as missionaries in Kenya. Later, back in the UK, their daughter Susanna wanted to follow in their footsteps, as Catharine explains:
“Susanna, having completed her nursing and midwifery training, wanted to work in Africa. She didn’t want to go with a big organisation… We remembered Cord and she linked up with them. We loved the smallness, the friendliness, that sort of intimacy of the organisation.”
During the 1990s Susanna worked in refugee camps in Sudan, Tanzania and Burundi. Cord’s values left a lasting impression on Catharine, as she recalls:
“Cord used proper community development methods – not enforcing outside ideas onto refugees but working with them to incorporate their own ideas into the projects. In Burundi, when establishing a refugee camp from scratch, Susanna and her colleague identified leaders among the refugees – people who were competent in various areas – and got them to gather people together and form the different centres within the camp.”
Today Cord continues to work with local partners, strengthening and enabling local organisations and communities. Training, networking and grants, ensure that projects bring about long-term change.
Catharine and Andrew stayed up to date with Cord’s work after Susanna returned to the UK and, as Catharine reflects, their commitment gradually increased:
“I’d get their literature and just be very interested in it. It wasn’t until we were thinking of doing our Wills and then recently updating them that we thought, ‘Well, we must include certain charities,’ and Cord came top of the list. When you leave something in your Will, it can be a significant amount – more than you’d give during your lifetime. It’s a way to ensure your contribution continues long after you’ve gone.”
Catharine is in no doubt that their decision has brought them joy:
“It makes me feel really good! I’ve been on the receiving end of so much blessing in my life. Leaving a gift is a way of saying thank you for a wonderful life. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be part of Cord’s ongoing work. I can get quite emotional about it.”
By leaving gifts in their Wills, Catharine and Andrew’s love and kindness will touch the lives of people who suffer through conflict and violence, for many years to come. And Catharine’s enthusiasm is infectious:
“When I thought what I could say to encourage other supporters to think about leaving a gift, I just wrote down spontaneously: ‘Spread a little happiness!’ If Cord’s work has inspired and challenged you, what better way to give a substantial amount so their work can continue? I think Cord’s approach just creates an emotional response in me – it makes me want to be involved”
If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your Will, click here.
