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Aid Sent to Lebanon
Wednesday, August 9, A.D. 2006
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah enters its second month, there seem to be few signs of any impending ceasefire. Nearly one-fourth of Lebanon's population has been displaced - perhaps as many as 900,000 people - with more than 100,000 taking shelter in churches and church-related properties. Action by Churches Together (ACT) partners, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), continue to bring relief supplies to thousands of people, many of whom are caught in some of the most dangerous areas. The ongoing fighting is making it inceasingly difficult for church partners and other aid agencies to get aid into the country and into the hands of displaced persons. MECC now reports it only has enough relief supplies to last another three days.
Week of Compassion has sent $20,000 for the CWS southern Lebanon emergency appeal - toward a goal recently set by the WOC Committee of $60,000. CWS, in turn, is supporting both the efforts of MECC and IOCC. Designated gifts are needed and can be made online at www.weekofcompassion.org or sent to WOC, attn: Elaine Cleveland, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206.
Click here for the latest stories from the field.
Heavy Rains Add to Misery in Pakistan
Seasonal monsoon rains are bringing added misery to earthquake-stricken regions of northern Pakistan. Last October a very strong quake killed nearly 80,000 people and left millions more homeless. The quake also left mountainsides unstable, and heavy rains are now causing huge landslides and significant flooding throughout the area.
On behalf of the ACT network, CWS Pakistan has increased its ongoing relief and recovery work to assist hundreds of families affected by the slides and floods by providing, blankets, plastic sheeting, other emergency assistance and psycho-social care. Disciples through WOC have now provided $333,000 for quake relief and recovery in Pakistan and India, making Disciples one of the largest supporters of the CWS appeal.
Severe Weather Affects Disciples Congregations - WOC Responds
Week of Compassion continues to respond to numerous disasters across the U.S., especially in supporting the efforts of Disciples congregations that are reaching out to affected people in their communities. Recent responses include grants to two congregations in St. Louis (Northside CC and Compton Heights CC) in the aftermath of severe weather and two in El Paso, TX (First CC and Northgate CC) following flooding from the Rio Grande River.
Suffering Continues in Darfur
With the news dominated by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and the prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, little media attention is giving to the ongoing violence in Darfur,Sudan. But the human suffering there grows, and amidst the violence and insecurity, the ACT/Caritas "Darfur Emergency Response Operation" continues to bring clean water, emergency shelter, medical care, food rations, psycho-social care and other assistance to tens of thousands of displaced Darfurians. WOC has set a goal of $50,000 toward the '06 Darfur appeal and thus far has provided $15,000. Designated gifts are needed and appreciated.
Click here to read the latest story from Darfur.
Appreciation for Gifts to WOC
And speaking of designated contributions, Week of Compassion is deeply appreciative of the many, many gifts received in recent weeks simply marked "where most needed", "disaster relief" or "response gifts." Such designations enable us to respond to the Lebanon crisis, Darfur and other major appeals, but also less publicized emergencies where human suffering and need is equally pressing.
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