STORIES
Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh // photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance
A Letter From Our Executive Director2/18/2021  Dear Friends,
In the coming weeks, many of our churches will receive the Special Offering to support Week of Compassion. I am grateful for your tremendous generosity that provides relief and offers hope to so many. We just completed assessment of 2020 financial distributions for relief, refugee, and sustainable development programs. This gives us a sense of where the greatest needs arose, and how your gifts helped communities in the midst of a pandemic and other disasters. Because of your generosity, 2020 was our highest program distribution in over a decade. As the world was affected by the pandemic-- and the economic toll impacted our partners-- Week of Compassion stepped up and increased our resource support for disaster relief, refugee, food security and sanitation. Let Love Grow in Nicaragua2/16/2021  René Bermúdez and his son René Camilo. photo credit: CWS, Sean Hawkey Nobody hungry, nobody thirsty,
shade from the sun, shelter from the wind, For the Compassionate One guides them, takes them to the best springs. ~Isaiah 49:10 Food insecurity. Political unrest. Climate change threatening the viability of crops... Imagine all of these things, happening at once. And then, back to back hurricanes arrive. In November of 2020 two consecutive hurricanes--Eta and Iota-- impacted the same regions of Central America, with Nicaragua experiencing some of the most severe impact. Flooding destroyed the bean crops, contaminated water wells, destroyed latrines, and left thousands of families homeless. People moved to emergency shelters in schools and churches, but thousands didn´t have time to evacuate or preferred not to leave their homes for security reasons or fear of COVID-19.  René Bermúdez e hijo Photo: CWS, Sean Hawkey Isaías 49:10 No tendrán hambre ni sed, ni el calor ni el sol los afligirá; porque el que tiene de ellos misericordia los guiará, y los conducirá a fuentes de aguas vivas.
Inseguridad de tener comida. Disturbios políticos. Los cambios del clima amenazando la viabilidad de las cosechas… Imagínense todas esas cosas, pasando a la vez. Y entonces, dos huracanes consecutivos llegan.  On a cold morning, a group of women sit sharing coffee and conversation together. Times have been tough, but as the women share their stories and challenges, an idea emerges. Inspired by their shared experience, and their common love of handmade crafts, they begin planning a project that will generate income for their families.
Your Support For Refugees In Jordan1/12/2021  Photo: DPSR, Jordan One of the greatest concerns throughout this pandemic has been for refugee and displaced populations. People in resettlement communities often live in close proximity where distancing is not possible, and safe water and sanitation facilities are not readily available. This makes those in a tenuous situation even more vulnerable.
A Year-End Update From Week of Compassion12/15/2020 Dear Friends, In our own communities and around the world, this year has been filled with loss and heartache. But as we respond to the needs of a global pandemic, historic natural disasters, and ongoing development projects, this year has also brought countless opportunities to love our neighbors and to show compassion. Your continued faithful support for Week of Compassion has been a light of hope for many, and continues to embody the love of Christ made known in the world. Here are the ways and places in which your compassion has shared light and life, responding to the needs of 2020. Peace, Rev. Vy Nguyen, Executive Director  Week of Compassion Responses in 2020
Alabama, COVID-19 Relief Alabama, Hurricane Sally Relief Alaska, Wildfire Long-term Recovery Arizona, COVID-19 Relief Arizona, Emergency Response Arkansas, Emergency Relief Australia, Fire Recovery Bangladesh, COVID-19 Relief Beirut, Emergency Relief Burkina Faso, COVID-19 Relief California, COVID-19 Relief California, Fire Relief California, Keeping Families Together Cambodia, COVID-19 Relief China, Health Emergency Relief Colorado, COVID-19 Response Florida, Hurricane Irma Recovery Cuba, COVID-19 Relief DR Congo, COVID-19 Relief Dominican Republic, COVID-19 Relief Egypt, COVID-19 Relief Egypt, Emergency Flood Relief Florida, COVID-19 Relief Florida, Emergency Response Florida, Hurricane Irma Recovery Florida, Hurricane Michael Recovery Florida, Hurricanes Sally & Eta Georgia, COVID-19 Relief Ghana, Women’s Empowerment Greece, COVID-19 Relief Guatemala, Hurricane Eta Response Haiti, COVID-19 Relief Iraq, COVID-19 Honduras, Hurricane Eta Response Honduras, Women’s Empowerment Hungary, Refugee Support Idaho, COVID-19 Relief Illinois, COVID-19 Relief India, COVID-19 Relief Indiana, COVID-19 Relief Iowa, Storm Relief Istanbul, COVID-19 Refugee Support Jerusalem, Humanitarian Relief Jordan, COVID-19 Refugee Support Jordan, COVID-19 Relief Jordan, Syrian Refugee Support Kentucky, COVID-19 Relief Kentucky, Emergency Response Kenya, COVID-19 Relief Lebanon, COVID-19 Refugee Support Liberia, COVID-19 Relief Louisiana, COVID-19 Relief Louisiana, Hurricane Delta Relief Louisiana, Hurricane Laura Relief Louisiana, Hurricane Zeta Maryland, COVID-19 Relief Mexico, COVID-19 Relief Mississippi, COVID-19 Relief Missouri, COVID-19 Relief Missouri, Storm Relief Nebraska, COVID-19 Relief Nebraska, Flood Long-term Recovery Nevada, COVID-19 Relief New York, COVID-19 Relief Nicaragua, Hurricane Eta Response N. Carolina, COVID-19 Relief N. Carolina, Flood Relief N. Carolina, Hurricane Florence Recovery Ohio, COVID-19 Relief Ohio, Flood and Storm Relief Ohio, Tornado Long-term Recovery Oklahoma, COVID-19 Relief Oklahoma, Emergency Relief Oklahoma, Flood Relief Oklahoma, Storm Relief Oregon, COVID-19 Relief Oregon, Fire and Storm Relief Oregon, Flood Relief Pacific SW Region, Wildfire Relief Palestine, COVID-19 Relief Palestine, Women’s Empowerment Pennsylvania, Hurricane Isaias Relief Pennsylvania, Storm Relief Philippines, Disaster Response Philippines, Women’s Empowerment Puerto Rico, COVID-19 Relief Puerto Rico, Earthquake Relief Puerto Rico, Hurricane Irma Recovery Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria Recovery Serbia, COVID-19 Relief Sierra Leone, COVID-19 Relief Somalia, COVID-19 Relief S. Carolina, COVID-19 Relief S. Carolina, Severe Storm Relief South Sudan, COVID-19 Relief Syria, COVID-19 Refugee Support Syria, COVID-19 Relief Tanzania, COVID-19 Relief Tennessee, COVID-19 Relief Tennessee, Tornado Relief Texas, COVID-19 Relief Texas, Hurricane Hanna Relief Texas, Hurricane Harvey Recovery Texas, Hurricane Laura Relief Texas, Storm Relief Ukraine, COVID-19 Relief United States, Keeping Families Together Utah, COVID-19 Relief Virginia, COVID-19 Relief Virginia, Flood Relief Washington, COVID-19 Relief West Bank, COVID-19 Refugee Support West Virginia, COVID-19 Relief West Virginia, Flood Relief Wisconsin, COVID-19 Relief Zimbabwe, Food Security Download PDF  Photo: AMC; Prinzapolka, Nicaragua Several communities in Central America were among those impacted by Hurricane Eta, which reached Nicaragua as a Category 4 storm on November 3. Over the coming days, the storm--one of the most significant to hit the area in decades-- extended reach to other parts of the region as well. In Guatemala, at least 50 people have died--though that total could reach up to 150 people as assessments and rescue efforts continue. In Honduras, days of rain devastated crops and damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges and water sources. Hundreds of thousands of people across Central America have been displaced from their homes. Of these, about 5,500 are in emergency shelters where our partners are working.
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