ELCA Disaster Response

ELCA churchwide response to disasters in the U.S. and around the world; look for sections of this blog related to specific disaster locations. Comments are welcomed and moderated.

South Sudan: Resource Shares South Sudanese Stories of LWF Work

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Matthew Ley

Written by two members of Australian Lutheran World Service on a visit to South Sudan, “Coming Home” is a collection of stories around the work of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as it extends back many years in this newly formed country. It is not meant to be systematic or exhaustive and in this way it is actually quite an easy, and extremely interesting, read.

In these pages you will meet indiviudal South Sudanese citizens and hear their stories. What are the major issues that have affected them? How have LWF projects like boreholes and schools been received? What are the benefits of these programs? Who owns them? How have other LWF projects, like Kakuma refugee camp, played a role in the lives of these citizens of the new South Sudan?

If you find any of these questions intriguing than I would recommend give this resource a good look.

Download and read Coming home. (pdf)

South Sudan: Coordinating a Response in the Midst of Disaster

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Matthew Ley

A new article from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) looks at the violence in South Sudan from the perspective of Michael Mading, the LWF South Sudan Emergency Coordinator. It walks through how he has gone about coordinating and implementing the LWF’s response and gives a good description of what disaster response looks like in the field. It also introduces us to Michael and why he is doing the work he is doing. It’s a good read, giving a perspective we don’t usually have access to. If you have a few minutes, I’d recommend giving it a look.

Read the article: From a Tent in Cattle Country

To learn more about the LWF response in South Sudan: LWF Blog

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

South Sudan: Helping People Heal

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Matthew Ley

Violence continues to plague the new country of South Sudan as tribal cattle raids have become more frequent and intensified. As the situation unfolds, the Lutheran World Federation is building on its strong presence country to bring aid to those in need. One of the many services is looking towards ways to build sustainable and lasting peace for the people of the region. Towards this end they are working with the Church of Sweden to bring in workers to provide psychosocial support for traumatized individuals.

It is a great example of how international organizations are finding greater opportunities to work together through umbrella organizations like the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance. The ELCA is a proud member of both.

To learn more of how these two are working together and to learn how and what their peace-building and psychosocial services are, read the LWF newsletter: Helping People Heal

To better grasp the full extent of the LWF’s work in South Sudan see their webpage: South Sudan

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

South Sudan: Update on LWF Response

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Matthew Ley

Driving home from work yesterday I was listening to National Public Radio and heard a report on the situation developing in the Jonglei state of South Sudan. It was an informative piece describing the deteriorating situation with tribal clashes between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). It was a nice reminder of how this blog can help share how the ELCA and our partners are engaged in disaster response work around the world. For in Jonglei, the LWF is very active and has been on the forefront of the response.

I invite you read the third update from Arie Den Toom, LWF South Sudan Representative, on how the situation and response are developing: South Sudan – 3rd Sitrep on the conflict in Jonglei State

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

South Sudan: ACT Alliance Responding Through LWF in Jonglei

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Matthew Ley

The Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance is mobilizing its funding channels to respond to the situation in Jonglei. The response is being implemented by the Lutheran World Federation. The situation in Jonglei has been declared a “humanitarian disaster area” by the government in Juba. Two local ethnic groups, the Lou Nuer and Murle, have continued escalating violence of the past few months, leading the UN to estimate more then 60,000 people being displaced.

To learn more, read the ACT Update: ACT launches humanitarian response, calls for peace in Jonglei.

Also, you can read an earlier post with situation reports from LWF: South Sudan: Crisis Unfolds in Jonglei State.

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

South Sudan: Crisis Unfolds in Jonglei State

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Matthew Ley

Two recent reports from Arie Den Toom, the LWF South Sudan Country Representative, give an overview of the situation in Jonglei State in South Sudan. The area has been declared by the government as a disaster zone following clashes between two ethnic groups, the Lou-Nuer and the Murle. The two groups have been locked in a feud that involving cattle raids and abductions. According to Arie Den Toom, between 20,000 and 50,000 members of the Murle community have been displaced over the last seven months. There have also been over a 1,000 casualties from the fighting.

This area is also the center of the LWF’s work in the area and so they have been very involved in tracking the situation and formulating a response. Please keep the people of the region in your prayers as hostilities hopefully cease and people begin to move back to normal activities. Also, read more about the situation in the two LWF reports:

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

South Sudan: A New Country Is Born

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Matthew Ley

The referendum ballot that led to the creation of the new nation of South Sudan. Credit: ACT/DCA/Nils Carstensen

The new country of South Sudan was officially brought into being on July 9. In the new capital of Juba thousands came out to celebrate this historic moment and lament the tragedy that has gone before it.

As this new country takes its first steps it is still struggling with the legacy of violence between northern and southern Sudan as well as issues of poverty, health and education. Take a moment to read the ACT Alliance story South Sudan: warm welcome to unsteady nation to learn more about how the ELCA through its partnership in ACT has been and will continue working with the southern Sudanese as they become citizens of their own country.

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.