Presbyterian Mission Agency civil war Archives

A tiny island nation faces enormous challenges

Posted June 8th, 2022

Sri Lanka is a tiny island country in South Asia with big challenges. It sits in one of the most poverty-stricken regions in the world where millions deal with hunger issues daily. Sri Lanka itself is a diverse country with many ethnic groups and religions, a failing government system, and staggering debt to the tune of more than $50 billion measured in U.S. dollars — a debt that has little chance of being paid back due in large part to the current government’s instability.

Fulfilling Pittsburgh’s promise

Posted February 17th, 2022

The numbers put up by The Pittsburgh Promise over the last 13 years are astounding: to date, the organization has funded higher education for 10,635 students, helping them attend 142 institutions by raising more than $160 million in scholarships. Students are awarded $5,000 in scholarships annually for their four years of post-secondary education, with a series of support systems in place to make sure they’re grounded even as they study toward securing a credential.

In civil war and economic collapse, Syrian ministers find hope in the Gospel, partnerships

Posted June 23rd, 2021

At the Presbyterian Church of Latakia, Syria, the Rev. Salam Hanna ministers to people who have endured nine years of civil war and, recently, sanctions that have led to the worst economic crisis the nation has faced in a century.

There has been a more challenging July Fourth

Posted June 12th, 2020

Has there ever been a more challenging Fourth of July? With a worldwide pandemic, COVID-19 deaths well above 100,000, and a new realization that our nation remains a flawed and racist society, one can understand why we may not want to celebrate the red, white and blue this year.

Presbyterian World Mission explores reconnecting with the Presbyterian Church of Liberia

Posted December 20th, 2018

Outgoing moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Liberia, the Rev. Sando Townsend, has invited the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to walk alongside the Presbyterian Church of Liberia, and U.S. church leaders are taking him up on his offer.

Syria

Posted June 2nd, 2016

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance helps Syrians displaced by civil war More than 250,000 Syrians are estimated to have died since civil war broke out in the country five years ago. Another seven million are displaced. The United Nations and other world organizations say the crisis has set Syria’s development status back by four decades.