Disaster Relief
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
– Psalm 34
As heartbreaking natural disasters continue to devastate communities in the U.S. and abroad, we’ve been touched by how many of you have expressed a desire to help. We greatly appreciate your interest in bringing hope and relief to those impacted. When you give to Christ Church, your generosity makes it possible for us to respond immediately with disaster relief funding, providing shelter, food, water and hope to people in crisis. What's more, teams of people from the Christ Church family frequently join Disaster Relief Teams to provide hands-on care wherever disaster strikes.
Responding to Natural Disasters in 2024
Hurricane Helene | September 2024
We are heartbroken to see the devastation our neighbors to the east are experiencing in the wake of Hurricane Helene. As Relieving Suffering is one of our missional passions, Christ Church is eager to support our brothers and sisters in North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. To respond to the great need, our missions team is currently working to disburse funds earmarked for disaster relief to an array of organizations and churches serving the areas affected.
Disaster Relief Team In Progress
Additionally, we are assembling a team of Christ Church volunteers to head east and assist in the disaster relief efforts on the ground. If you would like to receive information about this trip when it becomes available, or potentially join the team, please register HERE.
Responding to Natural Disasters in 2023
Maui, Hawaii | Wildfires | August 2023
In early August 2023, wildfires swept through Maui causing destruction and taking the lives of over 100 residents. Christ Church has mobilized $15,000 to Samaritan's Purse to help provide relief to the area. Staff members are on the ground in Maui assessing the hardest hit areas and working with local emergency management personnel to mount a strategic response.
Specific items for prayer:
- For all the families affected by this disaster—especially those that have lost loved ones and are experiencing trauma.
- That God will direct Samaritan's Purse to the right host church for volunteer teams.
- For the challenge in moving supplies and equipment to Maui and throughout the island to affected areas.
- For volunteers as they travel to Maui and work long days to help homeowners.
Mission India | Violence in Manipur | June 2023
In May 2023, tribal groups in the hilly, rural areas of Manipur, India clashed with a non-tribal group, the ethnic majority Meitei, over economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes. Members of the Kuki and Naga tribes – some of India’s most disadvantaged groups – launched a protest against the extension of their benefits to the dominant Meiteis. Extending these benefits to the Meiteis would mean they would get a share in education and government jobs previously reserved for Kukis and Nagas. In response to the protests, violence broke out as the Meitei community raided homes and churches, burning them as they left. Many of these homes and churches belonged to Christians in Manipur, displacing them to the jungle and then to army and state government shelters. To date, over 140 people have been killed and more than 50,000 have been displaced.
In June, Christ Church mobilized $10,000 to mission partner Mission India for the purchase of Relief Kits, filled with basic necessities like blankets, rice and more.
Villages in Partnership | Cyclone Freddy in Malawi | March 2023
After being hit twice by Cyclone Freddy, Malawi experienced extreme flooding and widespread devastation throughout the Southern region — including the impact area of Villages in Partnership, a Christ Church mission partner. In addition to extensive damage to infrastructure, communities suffered the destruction of homes, crops, and safety. People were left stranded with no place to go while the entire country lost electricity. The floods and mudslides came as Malawi was already in the midst of a cholera outbreak. Experts estimate a death toll into the 1,400’s throughout the country.
Christ Church mobilized $10,000 to Villages in Partnership for use in their rebuilding efforts.
World Relief | Turkey and Syria Earthquakes | February 2023
In February 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southeast Turkey and the northwest region of war-torn Syria, leaving more than 55,000 dead and millions in urgent need of necessities like shelter, clean water, food and sanitation.
In response, Christ Church mobilized $10,000 to World Relief for their rescue efforts, including:
- Search and rescue for survivors
- Excavation and street clearing
- Food and clean water
- Emergency Medical Assistance
- Safe, Reliable Shelter
- Sanitation and Hygiene
- Psychosocial Support
Responding to Natural Disasters in 2022
In 2022 Christ Church mobilized more than $47,000 in disaster relief funding to support the following initiatives:
- Turkey/Syria | Partnered with the Turkish embassy to collect materials needed to provide shelter
- Kentucky | Rescued victims and provided them with relief in the wake of flash flooding
- Florida | Served families impacted by Hurricane Ian in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs
- Puerto Rico | Rescued victims and provided them with relief in the wake of Hurricane Fiona
- Pakistan | Provided food, medicine and shelter after monsoon flooding killed over 1,500 people and displaced more than 33 million
Disaster Relief Teams
In addition to our financial response, we also send disaster relief teams through Samaritan's Purse to respond to some domestic natural disasters. In the past year we sent:
- A team to respond to hurricane destruction in Florida in January 2023
- A team to help respond to flooding in Kentucky in October 2022
If you are interested in joining future disaster relief teams, please register HERE.
Thank you for being a church that seeks to love and serve those in crisis.