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The horror of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda is still fresh for Jerome Bizimana Nkumbuyinka. That’s when more than 800,000 people were slaughtered by perpetrators over a 100-day period following the assassination of the country’s president.
More than a dozen wildfires have been burning across Colorado and parts of Utah and California in recent weeks, leaving a path of destruction that includes nearly 300 homes and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that firefighters appear to have gained the upper hand in most of the fires.
Strong hurricanes, record flooding and massive wildfires have taken their toll on volunteer groups aiding in clean up and recovery. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance says that groups have been working hard in recent years to help communities rebuild, but the continuous string of powerful hurricanes and other natural disasters are making it harder to find enough people to meet the need.
It’s one thing to see or read about the struggles of people living in poverty, stretching every nickel or dime. It’s another to get a true sense of what the daily struggle is like. The First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, Texas will be giving young people a small dose of what many low-income residents in their community deal with when it hosts a camp later this month for students in fourth through eighth grades.
Last week’s heavy rain in south Texas has brought back memories of Hurricane Harvey for some residents along the Gulf Coast. As much as 15 inches of rain fell in some communities, causing flash flooding and forcing hundreds to evacuate their homes.
Residents of Houghton, Michigan are still cleaning up from the impact of heavy rains and floods over a week ago. The National Weather Service reports more than six inches of rain fell June 16-17, sending rivers and streams over their banks and causing significant damage to several main roads in and out of town.
PLACENCIA, Belize — A little more than six years ago, the families living in remote villages in the Toledo region of Belize were facing some serious problems. Children were undernourished, barely attending school, and there was little income to be made.
There’s a tiny peninsula off the southeastern coast of Belize where tourism is catching hold. As you travel the coastal roads, you will notice new development including high-priced homes and hotels. In between the development, is the small community of Seine Bight, a village aiming to grow as well, with a difference. Unlike the developed areas to the north and south of this village, the residents of Seine Bight are hoping to keep local ownership of the land.
A group of Presbyterian clergy and members, including Co-Moderator Denise Anderson, has wrapped up the Mosaic of Peace Conference to Israel/Palestine. The conference, sponsored by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, included visits to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Galilee, meeting with Palestinian and Israeli leaders working on justice and peace issues, as well as touring holy and historic sites.
The threat of more eruptions, explosions and lava continue to keep geologists on alert as they track activity at the summit of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) says lava draining from the volcano could pose serious problems and officials are keeping watch.
