Christian relief organizations are joining the rush to provide food, shelter, and medical care to millions of Afghanistan's border-crossing refugees and people who are displaced within the country. International agencies rushed to provide emergency aid when American and British forces began attacking the Taliban regime after the terrorist strikes of September 11.
Andrew Natsios, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, says more than 3 million Afghans are living as refugees, and another 1 million are internally displaced. Natsios says 1.5 million Afghans may starve by winter's end and 5 to 7 million are dependent on outside food aid. Afghanistan has a population of 26 million.
"We're all trying to figure out where people are going, where they're staying, and ways we can help," says Dale Hanson Bourke of World Relief, the assistance arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. The agency has resettled 230 Afghan refugees in the United States this year. It is distributing food, medical supplies, and shelters— purchased with funds from international donors—to refugees through a small number of churches in Iran.
In other Christian relief activity: World Vision has sent more than 80 tons of tents, cooking utensils, blankets, and other supplies to Central Asia. Greater Europe Mission, Food for the Hungry, and World Concern are raising funds to buy 10,000 blankets for Afghan refugees.
On the World Vision site, the group's relief advisor in Pakistan participated in a Web chat on the refugee situation. The site has more on World Vision's work with refugees.
With corporate consolidation in worship music, more entities are invested in the songs sung on Sunday mornings. How will their financial incentives shape the church?
The late pastor theologian gave strong counsel to me and so many others in ministry.
With corporate consolidation in worship music, more entities are invested in the songs sung on Sunday mornings. How will their financial incentives shape the church?español
Latest report on Christian persecution finds 3 in 4 martyrs are in Nigeria, ranked among 10 worst persecutors for first time.españolPortuguêsالعربيةFrançais简体中文한국어DeutschIndonesian繁體中文русскийcatalàGalego
Manifesting isn’t the answer. Consenting to holiness is.
