Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to respond to multiple crises in Haiti, support continued Brethren Disaster Ministries work following 2022’s summer flooding in the central United States, aid displaced Ukrainians with disabilities, provide school kits for displaced children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, provide flood relief in Rwanda, and support a summer program for migrant children in Washington, D.C.
Eglise des Freres Haitiens Miami members traveled to Haiti in July. Twenty-eight people made decisions to follow Christ, 7 couples were married, 12 people were baptized, and 13 children were dedicated.
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.
When we at Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami, Fla., decided to ship a container to Haiti, we had no idea how it would play out. We didn’t know how much it would cost and whether we would have enough money to ship. We didn’t know whether we would have enough supplies to fill a 40-foot container. We didn’t know anyone in Haiti who knows the custom system, with the connections to help us. But we didn’t give in to the fear and concerns that we have felt. We stepped out in faith and God made it all possible.
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.
currently facing the compounding crises of political unrest following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the effects of a destructive 7.2 magnitude earthquake, and the aftermath of Tropical Storm Grace. These events, as terrible as they are individually, also exacerbate existing problems like gang violence and food insecurity throughout the region.
of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI). Recently, allocations have been made in support of an agricultural initiative of L’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti), a pig project of Eglise des Freres au Congo (the Church of the Brethren in the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC), an urban poultry and vegetable garden project in Honduras, and a goat herd at Capstone 118 in New Orleans.
Ilexene Alphonse, pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens, a Haitian Brethren congregation in Miami, Fla.; Jenn Dorsch-Messler, director of Brethren Disaster Ministries; and Eric Miller, co-executive director for Global Mission traveled to Saut Mathurine in southwest Haiti in the second week of September.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed $125,000 in grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to relief efforts following the earthquake that hit southern Haiti on Aug. 14.
reres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) this week met and traveled to the area of southern Haiti most affected by the recent earthquake. The trip was to identify emergency needs and possible response by the church.
