No End in Sight for Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur

Thursday, February 21, A.D. 2008

There continues to be no end in sight to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan, even with the arrival of a strengthened UN force. Recent attacks in West Darfur have displaced more than 25,000 people, worsening a humanitarian disaster that has already killed an estimated 250,000 people and uprooted more than 2.5 million more. More than 2/3rds of Darfur’s 6 million people now depend upon outside humanitarian assistance for survival.

In neighboring Chad fighting between government and rebel forces has caused some 30,000 people to flee to Cameroon. Cameroonian members of Action by Churches Together report that churches, private homes and hospitals are filled beyond capacity with displaced persons.

Week of Compassion continues to respond to the crisis in Darfur on behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples) and hopes to provide at least $100,000 to support the recently issued ACT appeal for 2008 – an appeal of more than $13 million. ACT has rushed a $50,000 grant from its Rapid Response Fund to support the efforts of Cameroonian member, L’Eglise Fraternelle Lutherienne du Cameroun, whose local parishes are serving more than 11,000 of the displaced. The president of the church, Robert Goyek, says the situation is desperate, and the church is responding with its limited resources, but urgently needs outside support. WOC will respond to an upcoming ACT appeal to provide that support.

While the situation in Darfur remains dire, there are glimmers of hope, and indeed, the resources Disciples are sharing with ACT partners on the ground are changing lives. Click here to read one such story.

Churches Respond to Post-Election Crisis in Kenya

Week of Compassion also continues to support a major appeal from Church World Service in response to the humanitarian crisis in Kenya following the violence in the aftermath of the country’s disputed elections. Twelve CWS and ACT partners are working together in response to this latest crisis on the African continent. Click here for a more detailed report of the situation in Kenya and the churches’ response.

Disciples Close In on Hurricane Work Trip Goal

A major goal of the two-year Disciples Hurricane Recovery Initiative (September 1, 2006 – August 31, 2008) is to send 750 work groups to our eight Disciples mission stations strategically placed throughout the Gulf South to support ongoing hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts. We have also added a mission station in Greensburg, KS, for tornado recovery work and have included it in our appeal for 750 groups. We are now less than 100 groups away from reaching that goal.

Click here to read a moving letter from Mike and Barbara Lee, who have served faithfully at our Beaumont/Port Arthur mission station.

WOC Map/Poster

Click here for the latest additions to the WOC interactive map/poster. For a complimentary copy of the map/poster for your congregation, call the office at 317.713.2442 or send an e-mail to ecleveland@woc.disciples.org.