A hurricane slammed into the Dominican Republic, destroying mud huts and rice paddies and nearly wiping out the small, remote town of Pimentel. Three months later and nearly 1,500 miles away in the Baltimore region, dozens of volunteers will collect food, supplies and furniture to help the residents rebuild on higher ground.

Every secondary school in the UK is being challenged to bring hope to their local communities by carrying out good deeds as part of the nationwide initiative Hope08. More than a year in the planning, Hope08 finally got underway this month, uniting Christian leaders and churches across the country in a year of worship, social action, evangelism and prayer.