During their spring break 88 students from the ELCA college of St. Olaf, located in Northfield, MN (also home to Malt-O-Meal factory), spent time in Clay, AL to help with clean up efforts following a January 23 tornado which ripped through the area. It reminded me of an old Lutheran Disaster Response ad that showed a woman cleaning a floor with the words: “Sexy? No. Faithful? Yes.” It’s great to see that a part of a full education at an ELCA college is activities like this that tie students into the larger work of the church and their lives in the world.

To learn more:

• read the article from the Birmingham News, “St. Olaf College students spend spring break cleaning up storm debris in Clay”
• watch a video of St. Olaf work on Clay (short ad at beginning), St. Olaf Students in Clay, AL
  

The following video shows the affects of the July-August 2011 flooding in the Sindh province of Pakistan and Church World Service’s (CWS-PA) response. The ELCA, through its Disaster Response program, helped fund this response. It’s a good video describing how this work changes lives and how relief transitions into development.

 

http://youtu.be/iaGbcbBw1o0

One of the roles of the ACT (Action by Churches Together), of which the ELCA is a member, is to focus on issues of climate change. Since the changing climate affects the frequency and severity of disasters, it it important to keep a keen eye on how the climate is change as well as the impacts of that change.

Within this conversation an important point is making sure all voices are heard. A recent article posted by the ACT Alliance shares how climate change is viewed in Central America. The article also takes a sobering look at the interaction of ‘green economics’ and human rights.

I’d recommend giving Climate justice: People want real alternatives not false solutions a read. It’s short, powerful piece sharing a perspective we don’t always get to hear.

The following is a great update from the ACT Alliance of ongoing responses in Kenya to the drought which has been affecting the area since early last summer. Read how a feeding program has improved the lives of students and is in the transition to a sustainable community gardening project. Also, see how a traditional pastoralist is learning to become a farmer and read of education is the hope for the future.

ACT Alliance members transform lives in Kenya
By George Arende

Welcome to Emukutan primary school, which besides molding and educating future leaders also provides the one and only meal to 160 children living in a drought affected area of Kajiado County.

Started in 2006 as a community school, it is located close to the main road, making it accessible and the best alternative for many people. Previously they were forced to walk several kilometers in order to attend public schools supported by the government of Kenya.

The dry-spell and lack of rains in 2009, which led to severe drought and loss of animals, has affected the school’s attendance. This trend changed in Sept 2011 following food distribution of maize, beans, cooking oil and ujimix by ACT Alliance member, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) – Kajiado Diocese.
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Today marks one year since a massive earthquake and tsunami struck Japan strewing devastation across the northeastern seashore. Though the time which has past has been filled with much pain and sadness, it has also seen an outpouring of support, with neighbor serving neighbor, at home and from abroad. It has seen resilience and patience in the midst of destruction and chaos. In the language of faith, it has seen Christ borne and revealed in suffering.

As we remember our brothers and sisters in Japan, those who lost lives, those who grieve and those who serve, let us pray that Christ continue to hold them in his grace-filled embrace. We also pray that we be granted strength and patience as we continue to walk with the churches of Japan in prayer and service.

Also, as we pause in the moment of commemoration, I recommend to you the One Year Anniversary piece put together by our international partner, Church World Service. Take a moment to read Japan Tsunami Anniversary Dispatch and see how the ELCA continues to engage in God’s Work with our hands.

Twelve million people across five West African countries teeter on the brink of famine. Drought, crop failure, inadequate recovery from previous crises, and rising food prices have propelled the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger to declare states of emergency and call for international assistance.

This is the opening paragraph to an ACT Alliance story from Feb 20th. The story is an interview with Paul Valentin, director of Christian Aid, who was in Burkina Faso. Over all it is an solid piece, giving an overview of the growing crisis in the region and for this reason alone it is worth a listen.

Beyond this though, Paul has some important things towards the middle of the interview of the connection between response and media portrayal of need. Boiled down it’s a look at how we must learn better how to communicate need before pictures of starving people and animals are on the news. This is the heart of disaster risk reduction and prevention, a growing component of ELCA Disaster Response work.

The interview is just over 16 minutes long and I would highly recommend giving it a listen.

Listen to ACT eyewitness account in Sahel.