 Many have said that Week of Compassion is there after the cameras leave, and that is true. Committed to long-term recovery, Week of Compassion walks alongside communities through every stage of disaster recovery. Weeks, months, even years after a major disaster has faded from the headlines, we are still working with our partners to rebuild communities. But sometimes, through your support and the presence of local congregations, we are there before the cameras arrive-- or even when there are no cameras at all. Here are a few events from last month that you may not have heard about on the news, but where our Disciples presence has been felt and is making a difference.
 In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey (Aug. 2017), West Street Recovery emerged as a community based disaster recovery organization. Over the past four years, it has grown into an adaptable, rapid response organization, helping communities deal not only with the impacts of Harvey, but also Tropical Storm Imelda, COVID-19, and the February 2021 Winter Storm. Each disaster has amplified race- and class-based injustice; widened the financial gap between BIPOC and white households; and negatively impacted the health of economically and racially marginalized communities. In response, WSR has developed a community organizing program that seeks to empower communities by helping them prepare for future disasters and by building networks of mutual care in Northeast Houston. This combination of service provision and organizing allows WSR to meet immediate needs while addressing persistent, underlying issues of poverty, low-quality housing, and environmental risk factors.
 ACT Alliance, EECMY/LWF Ethiopia In Ethiopia, a long-standing political disagreement between the federal government and the northern state of Tigray’s regional government led to an outbreak of hostilities in November of 2020. Related military action resulted in general insecurity, internal and external displacements, and disruption of livelihoods. An estimated 5.2 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance; and as of January, approximately 495,000 people had been internally displaced in the region.
 Reunited at the airport, the Nsanzimfura family is joined by friends and extended family members. On the evening of August 15, 2019, Rutigerera Nsanzimfura landed at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. It was the 5th and final airport of a long journey--he had departed Kigali, Rwanda, 48 hours earlier. At age 27, the young man had spent 23 years of his life in a refugee camp there, having fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo with his family when he was just a boy.
 Photo: Miami Valley Long-Term Recovery Operations Group The nineteen tornadoes that struck Ohio on Memorial Day 2019 devastated thousands of lives, homes, and businesses. Over 7,000 homes were damaged and of these, over 1,500 had major damage or were destroyed. Over 1500 multifamily housing units were affected, dramatically limiting the availability of affordable rental housing, which was already scarce before the storms. Many of the tornado-impacted renters have had to relocate multiple times since the tornadoes due to substandard housing conditions or inflated rent.
 Photo: B'Tselem, Gaza “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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