ACT News Update

USA 01/05

ACT members in the United States offer help at home

Geneva, September 2, 2005—As the areas along the Gulf of Mexico in the southeastern United States struggle to deal with the massive destruction from Hurricane Katrina, one of the largest and most destructive natural disasters to strike the country, churches and their agencies are at the forefront of offering assistance to survivors.

Many of the members of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International in the United States – churches and agencies - that offer support through the global ecumenical alliance to people caught in life-threatening crises in places like Darfur, the Caribbean and tsunami-affected areas are assisting residents at home whose neighborhoods and homes were devastated by the hurricane.

It is the nature of the ACT alliance, that it is made up of churches and agencies that have a presence in local communities in places all over the world, that enable it as a church-based humanitarian-aid organization to be there in times of crisis. It is the congregations, offices, staff and networks that allow members to respond quickly and effectively and often to the most vulnerable in their area.

Although the ACT alliance is not supporting U.S. members in their response to Hurricane Katrina through its usual appeal mechanism, there is solidarity and understanding from ACT members, many of which know well the vital importance of churches and agencies offering assistance from their own experiences in big and small disasters.

“Our hearts are heavy as we watch the scenes of devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,” says the Rev. White Rakuba, director of the ACT Coordinating Office in Geneva. “We know that you are all under incredible pressure to respond to the needs of the one million homeless people, and we hope that you feel the solidarity and support of ACT members around the world. You have responded so many times in solidarity with victims of disasters in other regions and we want to assure you that you are in our hearts and prayers today and in the months ahead.”

The domestic-disaster response programs of many of ACT’s members in the United States are stretched in responding in the states that were hit. One member, Church World Service (CWS), is responding by sending 5,000 health kits and 5,000 blankets for use by people rescued and evacuated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. CWS staff are in contact with its local faith partners and networks, as well as government officials, to determine needs that CWS can address.

Donna Derr, a CWS staff member who relates to ACT and works with CWS’s response to disasters internationally, says, “This disaster has reminded us here in the U.S. that, no matter what technology and resources a country has, the destructive power of natural disasters remains immense and always exposes the great fragility of our communities.”

Other denominations, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA), through its disaster-response agency, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), is using its grassroots networks of pastors, church leaders, staff and volunteers to organize responses in communities across the region. “I can tell you right now, it will be the biggest thing we’ve responded to domestically, in terms of the scope of the damage and the number of people involved,” says PDA coordinator Susan Ryan, who is active in ACT and its worldwide emergency responses.

Staff of ACT member Protestant Church in the Netherlands/Kerkinactie-Global Ministries report receiving telephone calls from their constituency, asking how they can help and how churches in the United States are responding, as well as from the media in the Netherlands. Rommie Groeten, head of the Latin and North America department, says, “Our thoughts are especially with all those people who were unable to defend themselves, their loved ones and their possessions. Much more than just material support will be asked of the community, including the churches, to be able to heal the wounds and restore the lives of the victims.” Other ACT members report receiving similar inquiries.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a founding member of ACT, offered the compassion and solidarity of the member churches of the WCC with all the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. “The whole fellowship of the World Council of Churches unites in prayer for the people, leaders and churches of the United States as you come to grips with the tragedy brought to your shores by hurricane Katrina,” Kobia says. “And we pledge our solidarity with those who have begun the task of rebuilding broken walls and restoring stricken lives. In particular, we hold in our prayers all the church relief agencies, workers and volunteers who are struggling to assist those in need,” he adds.