HOTLINE - week of September 17, 2007

A Church World Service-Indonesia team is now in the Bengkulu, Sumatra, area assessing damage and needs and delivering an initial supply of tarpaulins for shelter to those affected by a series of major earthquakes and continuing aftershocks that have rocked southern Sumatra since September 12. The quakes also triggered a small tsunami that did some damage.

"Our partner Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) reports that many of the injured and affected survivors are staying outdoors because of damage to their homes and due to fear of more quakes," says Maurice Bloem, CWS-Indonesia country director.

"From earlier Sumatran quake damage CWS-Indonesia has assisted in rebuilding homes that were well-built and intended to be earthquake resistant," says Bloem. "We are encouraged so far to see that those homes have held."

Support this recovery effort.

"I've seen damage for 20 years, but I was really taken aback by the oil," says Church World Service emergency response specialist Joann Hale. "It's just unreal."

When midsummer rains swelled the Verdigris River, floodwaters overtook the Coffeyville Resources refinery, sending 72,000 gallons of oil floating through a whole neighborhood.

"In such large doses as found here, oil can cause plenty of health problems," says Hale, who specializes in technological disasters. "Even minimal exposure can cause rashes and dizziness. It's toxic, it's a carcinogen, and it's just too messy to be totally cleaned."

CWS and the United Church of Christ joined to provide protective suits, gloves, antiseptic hand wipes, and respirators throughout Montgomery County, along with a flyer on the dangers of working in mold-ridden spaces to hundreds of families returning to survey and repair their homes.

Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director of Church World Service, was named Religious Leader of the Year by the Malaria Foundation International in its Malaria Awards 2007, on September 12.

McCullough was cited for his 2006 commentary "In the Fight to End Malaria, Broken Promises Create Suffering Children."

As part of its multi-year Africa Initiative, CWS focuses on key health, food security, poverty, and sustainable development issues. Malaria is one of the key health challenges facing families and communities in sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing world. It kills at least 3,000 people each day worldwide, mostly children.

"We can't ignore malaria," says McCullough. “Malaria is one of those world problems that is so solvable and, once solved, can make profound differences not only in lives saved but in the positive impacts to quality of life, productivity, and community well-being overall."

September 21 is the International Day of Peace.

Church World Service works with many partners around the world to promote peace and conflict resolution. In parts of Africa, for example, the Church World Service Africa Initiative is supporting Africa's own initiatives toward peace and conflict resolution. Church World Service concentrates its efforts in five areas: addressing the root causes of conflict and threats to security; supporting the work of the Eminent Persons Ecumenical Program for Peace in Africa as it works on peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts; helping schools to be free of conflict and violence in the School Safe Zones project; providing Seminars on Trauma Awareness and Recovery trainings; and providing education, literacy, and vocational trainings for conflict-affected people.

118 young people began after-work classes this past week in Port-au-Prince. The youngsters--mostly girls ages 10-17--have been working as domestic workers, with few rights and little hope. Now, by participating in the Church World Service-supported "House of Hope" program of partner the Ecumenical Foundation for Peace and Justice, they are gaining basic education, medical care, and skills training. FOPJ also provides the youngsters with hot meals, school supplies, and training on human rights and conflict resolution.

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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