As the situation in South Sudan deteriorates, with recent eruption of renewed armed conflict and United Nations reports that 4.8 million people face food shortages, the Church of the Brethren has donated a vehicle to aid staff in food distribution and other relief work.
Brethren Disaster Ministries
CDS Deployments to California, W. Virginia, Mark Record Number So Far This Year
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) volunteers recently returned from deployments in the areas of Kernville, Calif., and White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. CDS has had a record number of 9 responses so far in 2016, in addition to the Nigeria Healing Hearts response.
CDS Sends Third Team to Houston, Orlando Team Completes Service
“We have another team headed out to Houston, Texas, this week, third one this summer,” reports Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) associate director Kathleen Fry-Miller. “I know the people there are getting very weary of all the flooding and water. I’m so grateful that we have volunteers willing to go.”
CDS Team Cares for Children, Offers a Supportive Presence in Orlando
Our Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) Orlando team has reported that they feel they are at the right place to offer support. The team is serving in the Family Assistance Center (FAC) that was set up starting Wednesday for families of those who were killed early Sunday morning and for survivors and their families.
CDS Team to Work in Orlando Following Gun Massacre
In response to the horrific shooting in Orlando, Fla., the American Red Cross has asked Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) to send a team of caregivers. Since 1980, CDS has been meeting the needs of children by setting up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers across the nation. Specially trained to respond to traumatized children, volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos created by natural and human-caused disasters. CDS is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren and is part of Brethren Disaster Ministries.
Northern Indiana Congregations Sponsor Project to Share Nigeria T-Shirts
Sometimes the Spirit moves in mysterious ways–even with turquoise tie-dyed t-shirts! As a pastor of Creekside Church of the Brethren in Northern Indiana District, I attended a Pastor’s Sabbath at Camp Alexander Mack in April. It was led by Carl and Roxane Hill, co-directors of the Nigeria Crisis Response. My congregation, and others in the district, had raised money for crisis relief in Nigeria through a benefit auction in June 2015, and have been considering ways to continue to generate spiritual and financial support for our brothers and sisters of EYN.
CDS Deploys to Houston, Again, Following Flooding
“The Houston team is in a shelter where people are taken to after being rescued,” reported Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) associate director Kathy Fry-Miller. CDS has deployed a team of volunteers to Houston, Texas, for the second time since April in response to severe flooding.
Nigeria Crisis Response Continues to Meet Needs in the Face of Devastating Trauma
The response to the Nigeria crisis from the Church of the Brethren has been nothing short of spectacular. Over the last 16 months we have been able to provide support for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and five NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations).
BDM Begins Work at New Rebuilding Project Site in Detroit
“There has been a lot going on at the BDM office over the past few weeks,” said a recent report from Brethren Disaster Ministries director Jenn Dorsch. A major new effort of Brethren Disaster Ministries is a rebuilding project in Detroit, Mich., in an area affected by flooding in August 2014.
CDS Presents New Training Program in Nigeria
Along with Paul Fry-Miller, John Kinsel, and Josh Kinsel (John’s son), I returned this week from a trip to Nigeria. While John Kinsel and I presented a new training program on trauma healing for children, on behalf of Children’s Disaster Services, Paul Fry-Miller and Norm Waggy presented medical training to 16 community health workers.