STORIES
Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance
Daw Aye May is a 56-year-old widow who lives alone in the village of Sar Phyu Su, 40 miles north of Yangon, Myanmar. When she lost her husband in 2019, she thought her future was gone too. But she managed to maintain a living selling herbs in an open-air market. Then came COVID-19, and restrictions curtailed public gatherings at large markets and travel beyond township borders, disrupting an already limited economy by reducing the ability for farmers to sell products in more distant and larger markets. Although Daw Aye May received some additional support from family, she knew she needed to find another way to earn money when selling herbs was no longer a possibility. Soon she learned that Week of Compassion partners through Church World Service were sharing chickens with families in greatest need and training them in animal care and husbandry. Year in Review 20211/6/2022 Your ongoing prayerful and generous support of Week of Compassion has brought hope and healing to so many, embodying the love of Christ in the world. Here you can see how your compassion has shared light and life, responding to needs in 2021. We hope you’ll see what compassion looks like, and join us in a prayer today, on Epiphany, as we renew our commitment to the Light that guides us toward a future filled with hope, peace, joy, and love. Blessings in your New Year. Star of Wonder, Light of Life,
in you we find hope and meaning, and so we fix our gaze on you. Reveal to us the hurts of the world -- great and small, elaborate and simple -- and help us discern where can offer the Life and Wonder your people crave. Star of Night, Light of Wisdom, in you we find grace and direction, and so we fix our gaze on you. Reveal to us the path that needs clearing -- where hate has caused harm, and disaster wreaks havoc -- that we may follow your Wisdom through the Night, to reach the heralded Good News. Star of Beauty, Light of Love, in you we find energy and inspiration, and so we fix our gaze on you. As the star comes to rest, may you see great faithfulness revealed in us that we might shine with the Light of your Love. Amen. 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. Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands-- O prosper the work of our hands! ~Psalm 90:16-17 In South Sudan, a major protracted humanitarian crisis is unfolding, with nearly 70% of the population in need of urgent assistance. Tens of thousands of people are living in famine-like conditions and malnutrition is at critical levels, while more than 7 million are food insecure. On Saturday morning, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the south of Haiti. The earthquake was also felt in other Caribbean islands. This earthquake was stronger than the 2010 quake that devastated the nation's capital of Port-au-Prince, and news outlets are reporting nearly 1300 lives lost so far. Although it is too early to know the full impact of the destruction, casualties, and loss of livelihoods, initial reports from Week of Compassion partners indicate that the impact has been devastating and that hospitals are overwhelmed. Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Communication channels have been affected, as well as infrastructure including roads, which will affect immediate response and create challenges in getting help to those in need. “I’ve lived through three wars in Gaza and I’ve seen nothing like this. The destruction is everywhere. I can’t describe the horror and fear we feel… The innocent in Gaza and Israel are dying. Men, women and children who have done nothing wrong. We ask God to inspire the war decision makers of Hamas and Israel to stop this new tragedy as there will be no winner in this war.” These are the words of Suhaila Tarazi, Director of Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. The hospital is a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) partner through Global Ministries and a front-line responder in the ongoing violence in the region. India Emergency COVID-19 Appeal5/13/2021 Through our partners, Week of Compassion is responding to the urgent situation in India, as well as in other parts of the world where COVID-19 rates are escalating. In many countries, new strains of the virus are causing widespread economic hardship, compounding illness and loss of life.
Joseph Sahayam, from our partner CASA in India, reflects, “It’s time to unite and focus on immediate needs. The situation in India could be a warning for the rest of the world, but also lead the way to more global solidarity.” |
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