Title: Week of Compassion Committee goes into the field
Date: June 23, 2000
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
00b-32
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- In its first meeting outside the United States, the Week of Compassion Committee approved grants of more than $85,000 and saw firsthand the work of partner agency, the Christian Commission for Development in Honduras.
The committee met June 1-7 in Tegucigalpa at the invitation of CCD, a longtime partner of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The grants included $15,000 in emergency funds toward a Church World Service appeal for the drought in Afghanistan and Pakistan and 13 priority grants of $70,350. The committee also affirmed an earlier grant of $60,000 for various Action by Churches Together (ACT) appeals for the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa.
The meeting also gave committee members an opportunity to see the impact of Hurricane Mitch on the people and environment of Honduras, according to the Rev. Johnny Wray. Committee members also helped rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane Mitch.
Since the fall 1998 disaster in Central America, Week of Compassion has provided more than a half-million dollars in relief and rehabilitation assistance in the region. WOC also continues to provide partner grants to Disciples work groups involved in reconstruction projects. These include projects coordinated through the CCD/CWS program led Don Tatlock, a Texas Disciple and student at Brite Divinity School (Fort Worth). Tatlock and his wife, Denise, who also works for CCD, have been recognized for their work in Honduras with CCD and Church World Service by being named Global Mission Associates through the Latin America and Caribbean office of the Disciples Division of Overseas Ministries.
The committee heard an update on its special initiative for "hidden and forgotten" emergencies in Africa. In November 1999, the committee authorized an additional $100,000 from the Compassion Response Fund to support numerous appeals for humanitarian needs on the continent.
Since November 1999 WOC provided $198,000 in emergency aid to 17 African countries in response to floods, drought, famine, and civil strife. The funds also assisted with refugee populations and the growing number of children orphaned by the AIDS crisis.
Committee members also heard that the WOC Endowment Program, established in 1997 has grown to more than $700,000. In addition, a family of anonymous donors has agreed to match all gifts to the endowment up to $100,000 as the WOC Committee strives to reach an initial goal of $1 million for the Endowment Program by December 31, 2000.
-- end --