Dear brethren around the entire world: Greetings in Christ our Lord!
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10.
In recent months, the pandemic has made the world suffer, and many of us have felt the pain of losing loved ones. We have also experienced tragedies such as political conflicts, floods, storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, to name just a few. While we are very grateful to God for His protective care and plead with Him day by day for mercy and protection, we also need to do our part in helping our brothers and sisters who have faced difficulties and are struggling as a result.
On May 22, 2021, the Nyiragongo volcano located between two countries—Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa—erupted, taking two cities by surprise: Goma and Gisenyi. As a consequence, a major earthquake left both cities with great damage, leaving thousands of people homeless and taking the lives of many others. In both cities, we have members and interested souls—around 95 in Goma and 134 in Gisenyi. The first of the four churches we were able to contact reported that 38 families (154 people) had to leave their homes and are now homeless. We know that this number is higher. Due to the magnitude of the tragedy, communication is difficult, and we have yet received no news about several of the families. The government is now directing all people to leave these cities for fear that another more fatal event is coming.
This is a region terribly attacked by poverty and hunger; our brethren there are already struggling against the elements of life, and now they need our help to alleviate the suffering. We have already sent emergency assistance, and through our local representatives, we are visiting and registering affected families to assess the need in each case. Once this is done, we will need money to help our brethren rebuild their lives.
In the face of this situation, we humbly ask you to help us! Please donate generously to the General Conference Disaster Fund, and let us together experience the joy of rebuilding homes, churches, and providing other materials for the well-being of our brethren. As members of the family of God, let us unite and attend to our “household of faith”! Your donation can be sent through your Field or Union or directly by e-mail via:
Paypal: treasurer@sdarm.org
On behalf of the GC Welfare Department, your brother,
André Marcelo Devai