As a young person she was involved in dragon boat racing overseas, and through her visits over some years, to Uganda, having missionary family involved there, was told clearly by the Lord to move to Uganda. She was obedient to the Lord’s calling. Gave up her future in a teaching career in Australia, and moved permanently to Uganda. This resulted in the founding of the 100% Hope charity and the wonderful work of helping many vulnerable orphaned children, enabling them to have hope, be given love, and a good education. Not to mention the wonderful opportunity they can all aspire to in being part of the Ugandan 100% Hope Children’s Choir.

Merle Sullivan,

Tamworth

What people should realise in Australia and other First World countries in Australasia, North America, Europe, South Africa and Japan is that their economies are advanced and their governments provide welfare for the poor in those nations.

There are kind-hearted, good-natured charities like World Vision, Plan International, Care Australia and The Fred Hollows Foundation.

Over one million people in the Third World have had their sight restored by The Foundation. For each $25 you give to The Foundation it restores the sight of one blind person.

Have a heart all people and donate at least $25 to The Fred Hollows Foundation every one of you.

David Sidney Harris,

Heathcote

I admire Mark Rodda’s letter in The Leader of 7th October. Like most of our Councillors, Mark was a supporter of the National Party, but I hope he is not the only one who is concerned about the debacle the Nationals have led us into. Not only have they sold off all the electricity infrastructure, leaving us with power bills that are said to be the highest in the world, but many local people have lost their jobs.

Australia agreed to the Paris Accord, which was a commitment to taking strong domestic and international action on climate change.  And what has the government done since then? Absolutely nothing. A few privately financed wind and solar ventures are on the way, but not one government investment has even been suggested; well one, Turnbull’s new Snowy Mountain scheme, which already seems to be dead in the water.

Our governments, both state and federal, have not the will to genuinely support the Paris Accord, and that includes Labor as well as Coalition. South Australia is probably making the most effort, but has only been criticised because of one power failure that was really exasperated by a freak storm.

Now the word is “baseline”. We have to keep using coal and gas fired power stations to "maintain the baseline”. This buzzword is just polly talk for “we aren’t going to do anything except keep on using coal and gas”.

If it is to be at all credible, the Government must commit to building renewable energy power supplies now. Don’t waffle on about what will be done in the future. There is wind and sunshine aplenty going to waste right now.

And, right now, we have to be thinking about who we are going to vote for next time round. All we have at the moment are two parties whose most creative thinking seems to be spent on running each other down. How about a bit of nation building?

Jan Morris, West Tamworth