Superstorm Sandy Response

Having done significant damage last week in the Caribbean, Hurricane Sandy is crossing the Eastern North American coast. The combination of the hurricane, a large low-pressure system coming across the Mid-Atlantic States and a cold front from the north have converged to produce a massive storm that will continue to affect the northeast US and Canada for the next several days.

Effects of the storm include: tidal storm surge from Virginia to Maine; tropical storm winds from the coast to as far west as Ohio; heavy rains from North Carolina to Maine and up into Nova Scotia, Canada; and heavy snow fall (as much as 24 inches) in the northern Appalachian Mountains, in West Virginia in particular; and serious flooding in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Early predicted damage estimates are in the tens of millions.

Hurricane Sandy is already a killer, having caused at least 69 deaths in the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, at least 16 U.S. deaths, and one Canadian fatality. Across North America, more than 7 million are without electricity, and more than 15,000 flights have been canceled.

Hope just appeared over Manhattan @jodikantor 10/30/12Week of Compassion stands ready to respond. We are in touch with Regional Ministers in affected areas, all of whom are busy collecting information from congregations concerning the effects of Sandy on their members or communities.

Our partners at Church World Service will provide material resources in affected areas, including blankets, hygiene kits and clean-up buckets, as needed. CWS also will assist communities in developing long-term recovery plans and provide technical and financial support, as possible.

We are also coordinating with our partners, including the Latin American Caribbean Area Office of Global Ministries, Church World Service, and the ACT Alliance, all of whom are currently assessing needs.   Tropical storm conditions and severe rain and wind affected Haiti from October 23 to October 27, covering all departments of the country.

In Haiti, severe flooding damaged and blocked infrastructure/roads, damaged/destroyed houses, caused loss of livestock and severe damage to agricultural fields. Evacuations have taken place in risk-prone zones and certain Internally Displaced Persons camps. New outbreaks of cholera have been reported and more are expected in the coming days. The Cuban Council of Churches, a long-time CWS partner, is conducting damage assessments in affected areas. A shipment of material goods from CWS to Cuba departed on Oct. 27.

How You Can Respond:

  • Remember, the best response in the midst of a humanitarian crisis is to donate from your financial resources. Week of Compassion will help you respond in a way that is efficient, flexible, and impactful. Click here to donate.
  • Donations to the Church World Service Blankets+ program and supporting their clean-up bucket, hygiene kit, and other material resource efforts are also incredibly helpful.
  • Of course, continue to keep those affected by the storm in your prayers. The clean-up effort will not happen overnight, and will take the efforts of many people. By teaming up with our great partners, we can contribute in effective, important ways.

The God of the rainbow, the God of healing, the God of hope calls us to respond. Thank you for your concern for all of those affected. Thank you for your prayers, and as always, for the generous, Courageous Compassion that moves each of you in word and deed. 

Mark Wolfe

Rachel asks for our prayers for her son, Mark. She writes, "I will fly to California tomorrow to be there as my son, Mark, undergoes a biopsy.  (In 2010 he was treated for cancer of the super-glottis-throat cancer but the site was not in the throat!) We feel calm about this because the pulmonary specialist said that what they are seeing on the scans could be cancer but also could be an infection in the lung area. We pray for good news from the biopsy and I would appreciate the prayers of our church family as we face this newest development."

 

 

Dr. Denis Mukwege

An assassination attempt on Dr. Denis Mukwege raises fears for aid workers in Congo (see article at Christian Science Monitor). Amy Gopp of Week of Compassion commented, "I had the honor of meeting Dr. Mukwege in Bukavu, Congo last year when I visited Panzi Hospital. He is truly one of the GREATEST men I have ever met. Please keep him, his family, his hospital, all of the women he has healed, and all of Congo in your prayers."

Monday Update

Todd and Maggie are friends of the Moseleys and the Trabues. Maggie gave birth to a baby boy on Friday and he has been in the NICU since with breathing difficulties. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Jim Zamata's brother, Glen was diagnosed with lung cancer last year and given a prognosis of 18 months of life. After a series of treatments, recent scans show no signs of cancer. We celebrate and give thanks with Glen and his family!

Al Smith begins today a short series (five days are scheduled) of very intense radiation treatments for lung cancer. Please remember him in your prayers.

Our friends, Mark and Dana West ask for our prayers. They just moved Dana's parents in with them, both of whom have Alzheimer's. They trust God to give them grace and peace through the turmoil this illness tends to bring.

Virginia Grimm still doesn't have the energy she remembers having just a few weeks ago, but she is feeling much better and expects to be in church on Sunday.

Carolyn Binkley is at West Meade Place.

Please continue to hold Laura Brinton and her family, especially Gloria, in your prayers.

A Thank You Note

Dear, dear Friends,

There could never have been a lovelier, more uplifting tribute than the one you offered Bob last Friday Night. Someone said to me,"I've never felt so much love in one place." That's how I felt, too. I know Julia and T.J. put the touching musical aspects together. The Choir and the Madrigal Singers took my breath away. As my son said, Thomas was incredible the way he wove the tapestry of Bob's life with humor and poignancy. And what a magnificent reception that only Sharalena and Evelyn could commandeer. Our friends and family who were not "Vine Street-ers" were very impressed by the way the church pulled together to make the evening happen.

Thank you for the support you have given us for the last three and a half years.  I am very proud of the way Bob lived through those painful days and your cards, letters, thoughts and prayers kept him going.

With our love and gratitude,
Phoebe and Carolyn

4101 Harding PIKE, Nashville, TN 37205 | (615) 269-5614

Sundays: Traditional Worship at 10:00 a.m. in person & ONLINE

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