HOTLINE - week of September 10, 2007

As the sixth anniversary of 9/11 is upon us, Church World Service continues its response to unmet needs--particularly health-related--of people affected by the disaster.

"One legacy of Church World Service assistance following the 9/11 attacks," says Bob Arnold, Church World Service Associate for Capacity Building, "was helping to form two organizations--one in New Jersey and the other in New York City--that continue to assist families and communities affected by emergencies. For example, the New York City group helped people displaced by Hurricane Katrina."

Also coming out of the 9/11 attacks was the Church World Service "Care for Caregivers" program, which has provided training for clergy and other faith-based caregivers in how to address the emotional and psychological trauma impact of such events.

Clean-up and recovery begin as Hurricane Felix dissipates over Central America. More than 100 people have died in Nicaragua and Honduras. Providing relief is difficult as roads, especially in the hard-hit rural areas, have been made impassable. Continued heavy rains in Honduras and Guatemala are making hillside villages vulnerable to mudslides.

Poverty abounds in Hurricane Felix's impact zone. Of particular note are around 14,000 Miskito Indians, who were not able to evacuate in advance. Honduran officials estimate at least 5,500 Miskito homes were destroyed.

CWS is working with partners in the region, including CEPAD (the Council of Evangelical Churches for a Denominational Alliance) and AMC (Christian Medical Action), to assist with immediate relief and subsequent recovery.

CWS is providing 15,000 CWS Hygiene Kits for distribution by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and others in Nicaragua. CWS is also providing 20 Interchurch Medical Assistance medicine boxes, each treating as many as 1,000 people for common illnesses for two to three months.

August marked the 60th year of CROP—Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty--and the beginning of the fall CROP Hunger Walks season, in which tens of thousands of people in communities across the U.S. will sacrifice a few hours to raise money and show solidarity with impoverished people around the world and here in the U.S.

In Brazil, for example, contributions to the CROP Hunger Walk help make possible a program to get young people off the streets, out of danger, and on the road to a better life.

For 24 years, young people ages 10-17 who live or work on the streets of Sâo Paulo have found comfort and solidarity with Church World Service partner Meninos e Meninas da Rua (translated "Street Boys and Girls"). They work with hundreds of young people and their families to combat sexual abuse, child exploitation, child work, and violence against children and youth working or living on the streets. And they advocate on behalf of thousands more.

The young people and their families learn to relate to the world in a new way, understand the workings of government, and overcome their exclusion from society.

"The changes in Aceh since my last visit are monumental," says Donna Derr, director of Church World Service emergency response. "The markets are thriving, many thousands of people are now in permanent homes and the beat of life moving on can be felt in the communities that are recovering from the 2004 tsunami. It was a real affirmation of the efforts of the international community and the people of Aceh to see how much has been achieved in these last several years."

Following the tsunami, Church World Service provided thousands of blankets, CWS Hygiene, School, and Baby Kits, medicines, and other hygiene and shelter materials for affected families in Aceh Province. Church World Service also provided teams of doctors and mental health specialists, to respond to ongoing trauma. And, Church World Service has helped many families to rebuild their homes, access potable water, regain their livelihoods.

Your prayers and support - and your participation in CROP WALKS and the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program - make possible these and other life sustaining programs. For information on how to get involved, please call your Church World Service/CROP Regional Office toll-free at 1-888-CWS-CROP, that's 1-888-297-2767.

For information about free loan videos, please call 1-800-297-1516, ext. 338, or e-mail us at: videos@churchworldservice.org.

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