Africa's Worst Drought in a Generation: How Will You Respond?

Dear Friends,

We will soon be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday in our families and our churches. In a year of many challenges and opportunities, we give thanks for the blessings we have received and remember those who are less fortunate.

This year, I ask you to remember our sisters and brothers in the Horn of Africa. The United Nations has declared that southern Somalia is in the midst of a true famine — a situation so bad that more than 3 in 10 children are acutely malnourished and people are dying daily. A severe drought has killed crops and livestock across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, leaving more than 13 million people without enough food.

A crisis this big should be on the front pages of our newspapers. We must not ignore it!

There are several ways that you can help today. Through our partners at Church World Service and in the ACT Alliance, people of faith are providing food and other essential aid in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. While a civil war continues in Somalia, our humanitarian workers are reaching people in the country and in enormous camps along the borders. Please consider making a donation through Week of Compassion for the Horn of Africa response.

Second, please speak out about the need for continued U.S. humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa. Aid that saves a life or creates a more secure future for children is not wasteful spending.

Our leaders need to hear this message now more than ever. Write a letter to your Congressional representative or local newspaper — the links are sample letters you can use.

Finally, pray for those who are hungry in the Horn of Africa and around the world. In our places of worship and at our dinner tables, let us remember those in need as we give thanks for the abundance we have received.

Sincerely, Amy Gopp