Brethren Disaster Ministries has received a report of another violent attack affecting Nigerian Brethren in northeastern Nigeria, reported by Zakariya Musa, head of Media for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed a grant of $15,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to help Church World Service (CWS) distribute relief kits and blankets and give support for unaccompanied minors following the December 2021 tornados.
A devastating outbreak of 59 confirmed tornados occurred overnight on Dec. 10 to 11 in the central US, followed by powerful storms on Dec. 15. District Disaster Response Coordinators (DDCs) from the affected Church of the Brethren districts–Illinois and Wisconsin, Missouri and Arkansas, Northern Plains, Southern Ohio and Kentucky, and Western Plains–report little to no damage in the communities with Church of the Brethren congregations.
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed grants from the Church of the Brethren Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to a rebuilding project site in Pamlico County, N.C.; Syrians displaced by civil war; and people displaced by the war in Yemen. To support these grants financially, give online at https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/bdm.
The Nigeria Crisis Response budget for 2022 has been set at $183,000 after careful deliberation. Five years ago, we expected the Nigerian government would restore order in northeast Nigeria and families could return to their homes while the response supported their recovery. This led to planning to end the crisis response in 2021, but these plans had to be revised due to ongoing violence.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has received an additional grant from the Greater Dayton Disaster Relief Fund of The Dayton Foundation. This $10,000 award will cover a portion of the final expenses of the Brethren Disaster Ministries tornado rebuilding site in Dayton that will be completely closed by Thanksgiving. Supported expenses include various volunteer housing and meal support; tools, equipment, construction materials and supplies; and vehicle-related expenses and fuel.
After Hurricane Matthew in 2016 caused widespread destruction in the same area of Haiti affected by the recent earthquake, a joint project of Brethren Disaster Ministries and L’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Haitian Church of the Brethren) brought relief and recovery to the town of Saut Mathurine.
Kim Gingerich has been hired as program assistant for the rebuilding program of Brethren Disaster Ministries, based out of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. She will begin in this position on Oct. 25.
In two new efforts related to Church World Service (CWS) work for refugees, immigrants, migrants, and most recently Afghan evacuees, the ecumenical humanitarian organization has announced “Together We Welcome: A National Faith Gathering to Strengthen Support for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants” and a new “Welcome Backpack” kit.
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed a grant of $7,500 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to fund a two-week response in King’s Lake, Neb., following spring flooding in 2019.
