ERD update: Assisting refugees, preventing malaria
An update for August 2013 from Harmon Person, our Diocesan Representative for Episcopal Relief and Development:
Most of us are aware of some of the work that is carried about by Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) such as the recent assistance in the Midwest United States after tornadoes hit. However, are you aware of their ongoing programs in about 40 other countries? I will highlight two of these which may be of interest.
Jordan
For several years, ERD has been working with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem to help deaf, blind or disadvantaged people in Jordan. Disabled people there are frequently stigmatized and are the victims of discrimination. We give support to the Jofeh Rehabilitation Center which provides rehabilitation, education, and vocational training, so participants can learn a trade and become self sufficient.
Recently, because of the massive influx of refugees fleeing from Syria to Jordan, we have set up a similar program at the Zaatari Refugee Center, which is located eight miles south of the Syrian/Jordanian border. Two years ago, this area was strictly a desert, with virtually no inhabitants. Today, it is a city of 165,000, and growing daily.
More than 1 million Syrians have fled to various areas of Jordan, escaping the ravages of their civil war which has caused more than 100,000 causalities. Most of these are young, middle-class Syrians, used to living a good life, but now they are housed in this vast tent-city.The Zaatari Refugee center now has many shops, restaurants, food vendors, taxi cabs, soccer fields, and two hospitals. ERD’s support, similar to that mentioned above which is administered by the Diocese of Jerusalem, currently is helping about 450 deaf or disadvantaged people in the camp. Giving credit where credit is due, you should know that the camp is run by the United Nations, through UNICEF. The United Nations has classified this refugee problem the worst humanitarian crisis since the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Burundi
Burundi, located in eastern Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The population is about 11,000,000, of whom 75% are Christian. 60% of the population is Roman Catholic, about 10% is Anglican and about 5% is Muslim. Their decade-long civil war, which killed over 200,000 people and displaced many more, has been over for about 10 years, but sufficient food and medical care are still in short supply.
ERD, working with the Anglican Church of Burundi, has implemented development programs in all six of the Church’s dioceses. Our programs concentrate on preventing malaria, through the Nets for Life program, supporting people living with, or orphaned by HIV/AIDS, protecting the environment, and increasing the food supply and personal income. These last goals are accomplished by providing resources and training to help people grow more diverse crops and learn modern farming methods that conserve soil and water. It has also provided for the installation and renovation of clean water sources in all six dioceses. These programs in Burundi are typical of what ERD supports in many sub-Sahara African countries. Without our assistance, many of these programs would not exist.
Without the continued financial support of Episcopal Relief & Development by thousands of Episcopalians in the United States, there would be no funds to send to help people in Jordan or Burundi. You can make a difference. Donations may be sent to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield VA 22116-7058. Thank you for helping others in the name of The Episcopal Church. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about ER&D.
Harmon B. Person
Diocesan Representative for ERD
hbpjlp2@bellsouth.net
Most of us are aware of some of the work that is carried about by Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) such as the recent assistance in the Midwest United States after tornadoes hit. However, are you aware of their ongoing programs in about 40 other countries? I will highlight two of these which may be of interest.
Jordan
For several years, ERD has been working with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem to help deaf, blind or disadvantaged people in Jordan. Disabled people there are frequently stigmatized and are the victims of discrimination. We give support to the Jofeh Rehabilitation Center which provides rehabilitation, education, and vocational training, so participants can learn a trade and become self sufficient.
Recently, because of the massive influx of refugees fleeing from Syria to Jordan, we have set up a similar program at the Zaatari Refugee Center, which is located eight miles south of the Syrian/Jordanian border. Two years ago, this area was strictly a desert, with virtually no inhabitants. Today, it is a city of 165,000, and growing daily.
More than 1 million Syrians have fled to various areas of Jordan, escaping the ravages of their civil war which has caused more than 100,000 causalities. Most of these are young, middle-class Syrians, used to living a good life, but now they are housed in this vast tent-city.The Zaatari Refugee center now has many shops, restaurants, food vendors, taxi cabs, soccer fields, and two hospitals. ERD’s support, similar to that mentioned above which is administered by the Diocese of Jerusalem, currently is helping about 450 deaf or disadvantaged people in the camp. Giving credit where credit is due, you should know that the camp is run by the United Nations, through UNICEF. The United Nations has classified this refugee problem the worst humanitarian crisis since the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Burundi
Burundi, located in eastern Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The population is about 11,000,000, of whom 75% are Christian. 60% of the population is Roman Catholic, about 10% is Anglican and about 5% is Muslim. Their decade-long civil war, which killed over 200,000 people and displaced many more, has been over for about 10 years, but sufficient food and medical care are still in short supply.
ERD, working with the Anglican Church of Burundi, has implemented development programs in all six of the Church’s dioceses. Our programs concentrate on preventing malaria, through the Nets for Life program, supporting people living with, or orphaned by HIV/AIDS, protecting the environment, and increasing the food supply and personal income. These last goals are accomplished by providing resources and training to help people grow more diverse crops and learn modern farming methods that conserve soil and water. It has also provided for the installation and renovation of clean water sources in all six dioceses. These programs in Burundi are typical of what ERD supports in many sub-Sahara African countries. Without our assistance, many of these programs would not exist.
Without the continued financial support of Episcopal Relief & Development by thousands of Episcopalians in the United States, there would be no funds to send to help people in Jordan or Burundi. You can make a difference. Donations may be sent to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield VA 22116-7058. Thank you for helping others in the name of The Episcopal Church. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about ER&D.
Harmon B. Person
Diocesan Representative for ERD
hbpjlp2@bellsouth.net