 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
~Psalm 24:1-2 From Rev. Vy Nguyen, Executive Director All of Creation is hurting. Our climate is inarguably shifting. And people of faith are among those calling for urgent action. This week, I am among a group of global leaders gathered for the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. The 2020 gathering was cancelled due to COVID-19, and the two years since the last conference have seen one devastating disaster after another: from wildfires and severe drought to tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons, all made more complicated by the pandemic. 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. 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 Week of Compassion is responding both locally and globally to the effects of COVID-19 and its impact on communities. To donate to this response, please designate your gifts "COVID-19 Response."   Executive Director Rev. Vy Nguyen has been traveling the past few weeks, visiting our ministry partners in the Middle East--partners who are working to meet the needs of refugees in temporary settlements. This is his reflection on yesterday's announcement that the U.S. will reduce its refugee admissions cap to an all-time low in the coming year.
In 1990, I was one of 125,000 refugees who were lucky enough to be resettled in the United States. My time in those refugee camps throughout Southeast Asia lasted only four years. As I woke up this morning to leave Morocco for home, I heard the news that the administration set refugee admissions for 2020 at a devastating 18,000--reducing entries to an unprecedented low and further decimating the refugee resettlement program. I am heartbroken. This policy will have a ripple effect all over the world and impact millions of lives. Disciples At The Border6/27/2019  ...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.
Dear Church, I am currently traveling, visiting partners in South America, and I heard the most recent news of cruelty and abuse at the U.S./Mexico border. I was surrounded by our local partners when I saw the heartbreaking image of Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his young daughter, Angie Valeria. The two of them drowned trying to swim across the Rio Grande and cross into the United States.  Dear Friends,
When people hear “Week of Compassion,” many immediately think of the phrase “around the world, around the year.” As you know, Week of Compassion is more than a week. As the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Week of Compassion works with partners to alleviate suffering throughout the world. Any time we respond to disaster, welcome a refugee, or empower a community to provide for its needs, we fulfill our mission--which is a mission of the wider church. This is an exciting time for the Church, and for Week of Compassion. |
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