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.
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.
Brethren Disaster Ministries is directing the latest grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to a relief response to the Russia-Ukraine war, and to support a National Youth Conference (NYC) service project making School Kits.
The Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to support the work of Church World Service (CWS) responding to the Ukraine refugee crisis; to support long-term programing and a new house construction phase of the 2021 Haiti earthquake response; and to finance the opening and initial phase of a new Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding project site doing flood recovery in Waverly, Tenn.; among other recent grants.
Responding to this crisis will be a massive, multi-year effort. Brethren Disaster Ministries is working with partners to determine the best avenues of support, including immediate assistance as well as a longer-term response. An initial Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) grant of $10,000 has been given to CORUS International.
All believers are called to continue praying for the people of Ukraine and all impacted by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Please also pray for world leaders and Russian leadership that a miracle will happen, and a road to peace and justice will be found. Brethren Disaster Ministries is monitoring the needs of response partners and mapping out the Church of the Brethren response.
The Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF), Global Food Initiative Fund (GFI), and Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) announced final grants for the year 2021. Included were an EDF grant to a humanitarian partner organization in Burundi, a GFI grant to a pig project in Rwanda, and BFIA grants to a church in Maryland and a camp in Colorado.
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 staff have directed an additional grant of $25,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to support repair or rebuilding of 54 homes damaged in the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo. The volcano erupted near the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on May 22.