Donations of more than $1,061,400 have been posted to the Nigeria Crisis Fund, from October 2014 through part of Feb. 2015, received from individuals, congregations, and other groups.
Nigeria
Nigerian Brethren Leaders Visit Refugees in Cameroon
Leaders of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and the manager of the EYN Disaster Team traveled to Cameroon last week to visit and support Nigerian refugees who have fled across the border into the neighboring country. This camp hosts more than 30,000 refugees mainly from Gwoza Local Government Area.
‘Together for Nigeria’ Event in Michigan Raises Funds, Brings Attention to the Crisis
In the fall last year, Tim Joseph conceived the idea of holding a big event at Onekama (Mich.) Church of the Brethren on Jan. 31 as a fundraiser for the Nigeria Crisis Fund. The struggle that the Nigerian Brethren are undergoing right now may be the biggest crisis the Church of the Brethren movement has ever suffered, particularly considering the sheer number of people involved, the number of churches destroyed, the number of deaths. Of course we should do all we can to send aid.
Nigerian Initiative Declares ‘Education Must Continue’
Paul* and his wife, Becky* have a passion for the education of displaced children in Nigeria. They are members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and have started an organization called “Education Must Continue.” Their main goal is to get displaced children back in school. They know the value of a good education and what it means for the future of these children and the country of Nigeria. *Full names have been omitted for security purposes.
Brethren Mission Worker Involved in Auto Accident in Nigeria
At the end of a busy work week, Church of the Brethren mission worker Cliff Kindy was involved in an auto accident while traveling from Yola to Jos, Nigeria (approximately 200 miles). He and his party appeared unhurt, but the driver of another car suffered a broken leg in the accident.
Co-Directors of Nigeria Crisis Response Praise God for ‘Phenomenal’ Giving
“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise…. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Psalm 145:3a, 9).
Church of the Brethren Funds Give Grants for Work in Africa and Haiti
Grants have gone to several ministries in Africa and Haiti from two funds of the Church of the Brethren, the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) and the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF). The four grants total $49,330.
White Gift Offerings, an Ivester Tradition of Ministry and Outreach
Following the aftermath of World War II, members of Ivester Church of the Brethren in Grundy Center, Iowa, began what has become a long tradition–the White Gift Offering. It began as an offering of clothing, bedding, or other household items for people in need. On a designated Sunday in Advent, members of the congregation were invited to bring a gift, wrapped in white, to place under the church Christmas tree during worship. The gifts were then sent to Church World Service for distribution to needy people.
Reports from EYN Staff, BDM Volunteer Focus on Recent Attack on Maiduguri, Nigeria
Muslims and Christians are fleeing Maiduguri, a large city in northeastern Nigeria, looking for safer places after Boko Haram insurgents attacked the area over the weekend and the Nigerian army responded, reports EYN staff liaison Markus Gamache. In a separate report Cliff Kindy, a short-term volunteer in Nigeria with Brethren Disaster Ministries, writes about efforts of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) to serve the thousands who have fled into Maiduguri to escape continuing violent attacks of Boko Haram insurgents on other communities in northeast Nigeria.
Suffering Under Boko Haram: The Horror of What Everyday Life in Northeast Nigeria Has Become
Last July the small community of Wagga was attacked by the Boko Haram, an extremist Islamist insurgent group. Over 300 of these terrorists came into the village riding on motorbikes and in cars. Most of the Christians fled the village realizing that they would become the primary targets if they stayed.