Urgent need for clean-up buckets

March 2008

A storm system boasting heavy rains and some snow has swelled creeks and rivers across much of the central United States — especially affected are Missouri and Arkansas. Rivers in Missouri have been cresting well above flood level, and in many areas have exceeded the severe floods of 1993.  Arkansas is expecting its worst flooding in 25 years.

As floodwaters recede, families will face the daunting task of clean up and debris removal from the muddy waters.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has provided  $10,000 from One Great Hour of Sharing funds to the help families in their clean up efforts.  Materials to fill clean-up buckets are being purchased, and the Ferncliff Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, will coordinate volunteers to assemble the buckets. Clean-up buckets are one of the Gift of the Heart kits distributed through the

Ferncliff Church World Service warehouse.

Please prayerfully consider involving your congregation in helping with this effort by:

1. Putting together clean-up buckets and shipping them to Ferncliff, or

2. Making a gift of $50.00 (the suggested donation to purchase a bucket and its contents) designated for DR000151.

Information on making and shipping the buckets can be found on the PDA's web site:   <http://www.pcusa.org/pda/help/goh.htm>

U. S. Fooding

March 20, 2008

09-00020000015

In response to the recent tornadoes in Georgia and South Carolina, PDA has sent members of the National Response Team and stands ready to assist with One Great Hour of Sharing and designated funds.

A series of strong thunderstorms moved across northern Georgia and South Carolina March 15, creating a number of EF-2 tornadoes that raked downtown Atlanta and surrounding areas.  At least 17 tornadoes in South Carolina damaged more than 300 houses.

At least three presbyteries have been affected by these storms — the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Cherokee Presbytery and the Presbytery of New Harmony.

There are reports of damage to student housing at the Interdenominational Theological Center in downtown Atlanta, and one church in the Presbytery of New Harmony sustained damage.

PDA National Response Team (NRT) member and Synod Disaster Coordinator the Rev. Ken McKenzie has been in touch with the Presbyteries of Greater Atlanta and Cherokee, and he visited the affected areas in Cherokee Presbytery. NRT members, the Rev. Alonza Washington and Rick Turner, have been in contact with Cassandra Morrow, Associate Executive for Mission in Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, and Judd Shaw, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of New Harmony, to offer support to the presbyteries in assessing the damage and developing a response to these storms.

Tabasco, Mexico Flooding

November 2007

09-0002000014

Your prayers and support are urgently needed for response to the massive flooding in Tabasco, Mexico. The official estimate of the population directly affected by the flooding exceeds 1.3 million people. There has been major damage to the water and sanitation infrastructure, loss of crops and small farm animals.

"The magnitude of this catastrophe...could be compared to the dimension of what happened in New Orleans," said Jose Morales, President of the Mexican Insurers Association, referring to Hurricane Katrina, which flooded the Louisiana city in 2005.

Six different presbyteries of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico are sheltering thousands of people. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has already sent $30,000 to support the shelter work.

PDA has a team of disaster specialists from partners in Central America ready to go and assist with assessment and response planning. However, nothing can happen until the waters recede.

The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (INPM) is considering canceling its General Assembly in order to divert the savings for humanitarian response in Tabasco.

The church in Mexico urgently asks for our prayers at this time as they seek to be faithful and accompany those who will have a long road to recovery. May God be glorified as they reach out faithfully to serve in Christ’s name.

Please consider using the Mexico Flooding Bulletin Insert < http://staging.pcusa.org/pda/tools/bi-mexicofld.pdf> to alert others of this crisis.

California Wildfires

October 2007

09-0002000165

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is responding to the string of wildfires raging out of control in Southern California. Beth Goss and Mark White, members of the PDA National Response Team, are on their way to Los Angeles to offer spiritual and emotional care giving to staff of the Pacific Presbytery and the Malibu Presbyterian Church that burned Sunday night, October 21. One Great Hour of Sharing funds are also being made available to help the Malibu congregation continue their ministry and to help provide a humanitarian response to the community. 

California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has declared a state of emergency in seven California counties, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Orange and Ventura counties. PDA continues to watch the fires and has been in contact with other affected presbyteries and stands ready to response as needed.

Please continue to pray for all those living under threat of fire, the courageous firefighters, the care givers, and for Presbyterian congregations in the disaster area.

PDA defines a disaster as an extraordinary event that causes destruction to people, property and structures to such an extent that it exceeds the capacity of the affected community to cope with the situation relying solely on its own resources. It requires external action which is immediate, appropriate, and limited in time, and which will enable the affected community to cope with the emergency and begin to return to normal life.