“There is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ We are one community.”
First there was the pandemic.
Then Russia invaded Ukraine, causing a global energy crisis and worldwide food shortages. These in turn worsened an already precarious food security situation for many communities.
According to UN OCHA, “the largest global food crisis in modern history is unfolding.”*
At a time when it feels like there’s a new crisis confronting us each and every day, it’s reassuring to know that Mission & Service partners provide real-time relief around the world on a daily basis.
Program Coordinator for Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response at The United Church of Canada, Thivan Hoang, reminds us, “There is no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ We are one community.”
The United Church is an integral part of a multinational network of partners and ecumenical relationships in over 120 countries. That means whenever there’s an emergency, Mission & Service is there to help.
In 2020, a major explosion ripped through Beirut, killing 200 people and injuring 7,000 more.**
Thanks to generous gifts to Mission & Service, we were able to support partners to respond quickly, providing critically important tools that helped to free people who were trapped under the rubble. And as the city recovers, Mission & Service partners continue to assist in rebuilding schools, homes, and other infrastructure.
Although Mission & Service has recently focused on COVID-19 relief, there’s another looming catastrophe that requires our immediate attention. “Without a doubt, climate change worries me the most,” Hoang says. “We’re seeing increases of droughts, floods, and severe storms that have destroyed crops and agricultural land.”
The more we support Mission & Service, the better we can respond to climate calamities. “People who contribute the least to greenhouse gases are often the most impacted by climate change,” Hoang explains.
Your gifts have made―and will continue to make―huge differences around the world. Wherever an emergency strikes, thanks to you, Mission & Service is there to help.
A more detailed video, A Deeper Look: Real-Time Relief Really Makes a World of Difference, is available on YouTube.
*“At a Glance,” in Global Humanitarian Overview 2023 (29 Nov. 2022).
**UN OHCHR, “UN experts call for international investigation into 2020 Beirut explosion,” (3 August 2022).