East Africa Emergency Appeal

Many of you would be aware of the dire situation in East Africa right now. More than 11 million people in the Horn of Africa countries, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, are in need of our prayers for relief from one of the worst prolonged droughts in 60 years. Children are especially in need of prayer for nourishing food, opportunities to go back to school to learn, spiritual nurture and safe places to live and play. The crisis is worsening by the day, and is highly complex and urgent. UN and media reports point to a spreading famine across the entirety of southern Somalia. Some 3.6 million people, mostly children, are in increasingly dire need of help, while famine conditions are forecasted to persist to the end of this year.

Overall, some 12.4 million people are currently facing a combined onslaught of drought, hunger, displacement and armed violence. World Vision has created some resources to assist us. A video has been developed that provides basic information and includes specific requests for prayer. This video can be downloaded here (50MB in size).

A Prayer Guide is available for the region as a whole as well as country specific information and prayer points for Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Prayer really can make a difference in situations such as this in our world. If you would like to make a financial contribution to the relief effort, then please don't hestitate to contact World Vision on 13 3240 or visit the donation page on their web site.

I would also commend the work of John Cairns in Africa to you. 

Thanks very much. 

Matt.25:34-40. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ NLT