Brethren Disaster Ministries staff and the Atlantic Southeast District leadership are continuing to reach out to affected churches and communities to learn of the impact of the storm and the needs that have developed. So far there are no reports of injury among church members, but there is news of minor damage in two churches.
Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) staff have directed Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) grants to support grants in Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the U.S., to respond to flooding and provide assistance to asylum seekers.
These past few weeks have provided several opportunities for CDS volunteers to put their compassion, training, and servant leadership into practice.
During the week of July 25, a single storm system moved across multiple states causing flash flooding from Missouri to parts of Virginia and West Virginia. The flooding resulted in damaged homes and buildings, loss of life, and whole towns left underwater, especially in the greater St. Louis, Mo., area and a large area of southeastern Kentucky. Brethren Disaster Ministries and the Material Resources program have been responding as possible and requested.
Nigerian troops have found two of the former schoolgirls abducted from Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists eight years ago, Mary Dauda and Hauwa Joseph. In a related development, EYN leadership celebrate the return of Mary Iliya, who was abducted in 2020 by jihadists from Bolakile. Also recently freed is Rebecca Irmiya.
Brethren Disaster Ministries is monitoring the deadly earthquake that struck in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, June 22. Staff are monitoring an expanding crisis in the horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya) where an extreme drought, soaring food prices, and high fuel costs are adding to a massive humanitarian crisis.
Coming this October, Brethren Disaster Ministries will be offering a short-term rebuilding response to the 2021 Kentucky winter storms event. This three-week response will be in partnership with Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to various needs in recent weeks. A main focus has been the needs of Ukrainian refugees, with major grants going to Church World Service (CWS) relief focused on Ukrainian refugees sheltering in Moldova, to aid displaced Ukrainians with disabilities through L’Arche International, and to Child Life Disaster Relief programming for an orphanage in Ukraine.
Material Resource staff Scott Senseney and Jeffrey Brown loaded three 40-foot containers with a total of 1,120 bales of Lutheran World Relief Quilts, shipping them to the Republic of Georgia. The two men are on the staff of the Material Resources program based at warehouse facilities at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
Six CRC-trained CDS volunteers have been in Uvalde for the past week and to date have had 157 child contacts during their time in the Family Assistance Center.
