Disciples Hurricane Recovery Begins as Anniversary Approaches

Thursday, August 24, A.D. 2006

As the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's deadly and devastating assault on the U.S. Gulf Coast approaches, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the recovery and rehabilitation efforts will take years, even a decade. Nearly 2000 people were killed, and Mississippi and Louisiana alone suffered more than $75 billion in damages. More than 1 million people were initially displaced and tens of thousands of people are living in temporary shelters throughout the country.

To date, Disciples through Week of Compassion have provided nearly $2 million dollars to support relief and initial recovery needs in response to Katrina, Rita and other hurricanes that made 2005 the most disastrous hurricane season in meteorological history. And now, in partnership with other Disciples and ecumenical partners, WOC is preparing to launch a major two-year, $2.5 million hurricane recovery initiative - a significant part of which calls for Disciples to send 750 work groups to the region between September 1, 2006 and August 31, 2008, to five Disciples mission stations and several interfaith recovery organizations across the Gulf South. For more information on the initiative and details on how to register a work group(s) from your congregation, click here. There is an urgent need for work groups for September, October and November.

Church Relief Efforts Continue in Lebanon

Although major fighting between Israeli forces and the militant group Hezbollah has ended and a fragile cease-fire continues to hold, the humanitarian crisis for hundreds of thousands of civilians in southern Lebabon and northern Israel is far from over. Even before international peacekeepers arrive, at least 1/4 million of the more than 1 million people displaced by the fighting have already returned. Their needs are simply enormous, as thousands of homes have been destroyed and basic services for water, sanitation, medical care, education, etc. are in shambles.

Action by Churches Together partners in the region - Middle East Council of Churches and International Orthodox Christian Charities - continue relief efforts to provide food, medicines, hygiene parcels and other emergency aid to thousands of returnees. Disciples through Week of Compassion have now provided $30,000 to support the initial $4.8 million emergency appeal from ACT. That appeal is now being revised and expanded to enable MECC and IOCC to address additional needs - both relief and long-term recovery - of returning residents. Designated gifts to WOC are much needed and will help us reach our initial goal of $60,000. Gifts can be sent to WOC, P.O. Box 1986, Indpls, IN or made online at www.weekofcompassion.org.

Massive Floods Ravage India

Overlooked in much of the mass media is news of the massive and widespread flooding in India that has driven more than 4.5 million people from their homes and caused extensive damage to crops, livestock and general infrastructure. Long-time Disciples church partner, the Church of North India (CNI), and Indian ACT member, the Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), are part of a larger church-coordinated response. Week of Compassion has made emergency grants to CNI and CASA to support their flood relief efforts and continues to monitor the situation closely, as additional requests for assistance are expected.