International Disaster Response6/10/2025 expanding partnerships & nurturing young leaders
In November 2024, the Philippines was struck by a relentless series of six cyclones – including Tropical Cyclone Trami (Kristine) and Super Typhoon Man-yi (Pepito) – that left a trail of destruction across the country. Repeated flooding and violent winds damaged homes, wiped out farms, and displaced entire communities. Local government units were left overwhelmed and under-resourced, with states of calamity declared in 59 cities and municipalities. According to the National Disaster Reduction and Management Council, 359,583 families were affected in Cagayan Valley alone. The repeated disasters exacerbated existing vulnerabilities in food security, agriculture, livelihoods, and protection. In the immediate aftermath, Week of Compassion responded by supporting emergency relief efforts led by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). The NCCP is a bilateral partner of Week of Compassion through Global Ministries and ACT Alliance. As their disaster response transitioned from emergency relief to long-term recovery – especially the rebuilding of livelihoods – our partnership deepened. Over the past year, Week of Compassion and NCCP have developed a new opportunity: placing Disciples seminarians alongside their recovery team in summer 2025. This placement will allow seminarians to learn directly from NCCP’s work and accompany communities as they rebuild. This emerging collaboration marks a new phase in our shared work, grounded in both accompaniment and mutual learning. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, communities have been severely impacted by a prolonged drought and deadly heatwaves throughout 2024. These climate-induced disasters have devastated crops and water sources, threatening the health and livelihoods of vulnerable populations. Week of Compassion is responding through long-standing partner Community World Service Asia, supporting local initiatives focused on sustainable recovery and climate resilience. In a parallel effort to the Philippines program, a Disciples seminarian will serve with Community World Service Asia in summer 2025 to engage in this recovery work firsthand. This placement provides another vital opportunity for contextual learning, service, and solidarity in the face of the global climate crisis. Week of Compassion continues to collaborate with ecumenical partners and General Ministries to create meaningful opportunities for young adults to engage in the church’s global mission – particularly in the areas of disaster response, sustainable development, and refugee support. While this initiative is still in the early stages of a broader strategy, the goal is to offer immersive, hands-on experience in humanitarian contexts around the world. These experiences are mutually transformative: they support the vocational formation of young leaders in the church while also strengthening the capacity of our global partners through the presence and contributions of committed Disciples seminarians. As part of this broader vision, the Disciples Seminarians Summer Immersion in International Disaster Response is well underway. Three seminarians have been accepted into this pilot program, developed in partnership with Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM), and will serve in Pakistan and the Philippines during summer 2025: Leigh Larson – Phillips Theological Seminary (expected graduation: December 2025). Leigh will serve with Community World Service Asia in Pakistan, supporting efforts related to drought and climate resilience. “I am attracted to boots-on-the-ground service, witnessing, and advocating for communities that are traditionally stigmatized and misunderstood. I aim to contribute humble, hard-working service and flexibility in the face of great need and adapting circumstances.” Grace Dearhamer – Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago (expected graduation: May 2028). Grace will serve with NCCP in the Philippines, engaging in long-term recovery and resilience efforts. “I am eager to engage with communities on the front lines of environmental and social justice, learning firsthand from their experiences and resilience. This immersion experience will be instrumental in shaping my vocational path.” Katie Varon – Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago (expected graduation: May 2028). Katie will also serve with NCCP in the Philippines, learning from local partners in post-disaster recovery and accompaniment. “I am attracted to the specificity of this program because it showcases an intentional goal of equipping emerging Disciples leaders to connect our faith and our actions by learning from people who are already doing so.” Week of Compassion will remain in close contact with the seminarians throughout their internships; we look forward to sharing their stories, reflections, and impact along the way. In a world where the frequency and intensity of disasters continue to rise, the need for faithful, courageous leaders has never been more urgent. Through these partnerships, we are not only responding to immediate needs – we are helping shape a future rooted in justice, resilience, and hope. This is the work of compassion made real: when young leaders rise, global partnerships deepen, and together, we transform suffering into hope.  Leigh Larson with colleagues from Community World Service Asia (photo courtesy Leigh Larson)  Comments are closed.
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