New Year will 'flood' in

Flooding in Colombia has damaged
 thousands of homes (Photo courtesy
 of Nick Violi)

Colombia (MNN) ― The New Year will start out soggy for those living in Colombia. Intense flooding has been ongoing since the start of the rainy season in September, and it’s not looking to stop any time soon.

According to AlertNet, Colombian authorities say this is one of the worst rainy seasons Colombia has experienced in decades. Nearly 170 people are dead and 38 missing due to heavy floods and landslides.

On top of that, the lives of 800,000 Colombians have been affected at least in some way, and around 135,000 homes have been damaged.

Compassion International recently announced that this flooding damaged the homes of more than 50 Compassion-supported children. Additional Compassion families have been affected in other various ways.

The influence of La Nina’s unusually warm climate conditions doesn’t help the situation. Because of this, flooding is predicted to continue on into the first few weeks of 2012, according to official meteorological service forecasts.

Home flood damage is disastrous to a family as it not only displaces them, but it also destroys their belongings, clothing, and school supplies. These things are vital to the children who already need support through Compassion’s ministry. Flooding has grown the need, but Compassion is stepping it up.

Over the course of this past rainy season, Compassion has provided shelter for displaced families in their child development centers of churches. Their in-country staff also works to come alongside flood victims in Compassion’s intervention for Disaster Relief and Stability.

This method of intervention practiced by Compassion provides immediate relief as well as spiritual help and counseling.

They understand that it is equally important to heal the body as well as meet the soul’s needs. Incorporating the Gospel into every outreach and following Christ’s commands to help the downcast is what Compassion is all about.

Please pray for Compassion’s ministry as they aid families of children affected by the flooding. Pray for safety of Colombians throughout the rest of the rainy season. To get involved in supporting Compassion’s ministry, click here.

Rains cause serious need, serious barrier for aid

Mission Network News: "Central America (MNN) ― It's been two weeks of torrential downpour for Central America.

The death toll continues to rise as more and more victims are found in the wreckage of severe weather. The last counts indicate that over 100 have died."

Read more...

Compassion International affected by El Salvador rains

Mission Network News: "El Salvador (MNN) ― Rains continue to fall hard on Central America. The torrential rains have caused flooding and mudslides which have now accounted for as many as 84 deaths.

Read more...

India, Myanmar, Bangladesh Hit with Floods

August 19, 2011

While many areas on the globe are experiencing a tremendous drought, a torrential downpour has made its way to Northern India, Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh.

The unwelcome rains have left thousands of people homeless and in need of help. Gospel for Asia is providing as much assistance as it can to those suffering from the downpour.

India: National Highways Collapse
Four states in India are battling against floods. In Assam, India, two primary national highways considered "lifelines" collapsed after three to four days of continuous rain. In one of the worst hit areas of Assam, helicopters were sent out to rescue marooned people.

In the West Bengal islands, rain has weakened several river embankments. Reports indicate that about 2,500 houses have been damaged by the flood waters.

Bihar, India, has about 500 houses that have been affected. Out of those 500 houses, a GFA field correspondent reports that 90 of those were homes of Bridge of Hope children, and another 20 belonged to believers of a local GFA-supported congregation. Thankfully, the church building and the Bridge of Hope centers in the flooded areas were not destroyed by the rising water.

In Jammu and Kashmir, India, houses and other structures are collapsing, killing a number of people and injuring others. Landslides are also a problem, washing off stretches of road and obstructing villages.

Myanmar: Villages Unreachable
In the country of Myanmar (Burma), villagers had to desert their houses to escape the rising waters.

A GFA field correspondent reported that local missionaries serving in this country are not able to reach many villages because of collapsed bridges.

"They are going through a difficult situation," he said. "Please pray the Lord will console the hearts of the people who are affected in this flood."

Bangladesh: Children Cry for Food
In Bangladesh, steady rain washed away houses, cows, goats, rice paddy fields and other crops. Out of the thousands affected, 238 families belong to seven GFA-supported churches in the surrounding area.

"The people are suffering without food and work," a GFA field correspondent explained. "Their condition is so pathetic that their children are crying and asking for food, but the parents cannot provide food for them."

Help in Time of Need
GFA Compassion Services teams are making their way into villages, government-run refugee camps and school buildings temporarily housing people in desperate need of help. They are distributing biscuits, rice, milk powder, salt and other food items.

"It is hard for us to imagine the intense suffering these poor and helpless people are facing," said GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "I am so grateful for this opportunity we have to bring relief and hope for these precious people in Jesus' name."

Some areas are still too difficult to reach, but GFA Compassion Services teams will persist until they are able to provide help to all who are suffering.

• Please pray the relief teams will reach the people in time and help save them from starvation.
• Pray GFA-supported missionaries are able to share the love of Christ as they minister to those who have lost so much.
• Pray for the flood victims to experience the Lord's comfort during this difficult time.
• Pray the rain will subside so restoration and reconstruction can begin.

Classes grind to halt for floods

India (MNN) ― The monsoon season is at the peak of its climb in India, and with it comes heavy rains and flooding. Beggars' Valley in Hyderabad of southern India is no exception.

India's Children reported last week that St. Mark's Grammar School, an elementary school supported by them in Beggars' Valley, is dealing with flooding. St. Mark's Grammar School is especially threatened because of their location.

St. Mark's Grammar School is situated between two inclines and in a run-down condition as it is. When the heavy rains come, teachers must grab anything damageable and usher the children up the hill to escape the inevitable flooding.

The floodwaters get 4-5 feet high and bring all classes to a halt until the water level goes back down. It can be especially unnerving as rats take over the school during the watery invasion, and often children returning have to deal with these rodents.

India's Children says it is "a scary moment for the teachers and children in St. Mark's Grammar School."
From June to September, the monsoon season is a dangerous period of the year for people in India. Hundreds are killed annually by the rushing floods that take people off-guard.

However, despite poor conditions and dangerous location during flood season, many have no other choice since St. Mark's Grammar School is the only education for the impoverished children of Beggar's Valley.

In addition to getting an invaluable education, students at the school also are taught about Christ and the hope He gives. India's Children supports their ministry and comes alongside them to give these children not only hope for a better future circumstantially, but also spiritually.

As earlier reported, there are still as many as 70 children in Beggar's Valley waiting to be able to attend St. Mark's Grammar School and get a shot at a life away from the slums. There is a pastor who has volunteered to drive the children to and from the school every day, but they have no means of transportation.

India's Children would love to be able to see more children return to the school once the flooding subsides, but they are in need of funding for van rental that will cost $10,000.

Please pray for the funding to be provided so that more children can attend St. Mark's Grammar School with the rest of the students. Pray for the Lord's protection over the students during this flood season, and pray that classes can remain in session as much as possible.

If you would like to donate toward a van for the children of St. Mark's Grammar School, click here.

Many of Pakistan’s Christian Flood Victims Still Homeless

Government said to allot land only to Muslims in southern Punjab Province.

By Murad Khan 

LAHORE, Pakistan, August 9 (Compass Direct News) – Many Christians living in the southern belt of Pakistan’s Punjab Province who lost their houses in last year’s floods remain homeless despite a plan by the Punjab government to allocate land to residents in the area, area Christians said.

Hameed Masih, a resident of Kot Addu in Muzaffargarh district, said the provincial government has not set a quota for granting of land to members of minority communities left homeless by the devastating floods that began in late July 2010.

The government has begun four plans in Kot Addu under which around 435 plots of fivemarlas (151 square yards) each were to be distributed among people who lost their property. Several people were allotted land last month, but so far no minority member has been given land, he said.

“Christians in this area are not rich people,” Masih said. “They lost their houses and lands in the floods and should have been given a 5 percent quota in the scheme. Flood victims could have been easily accommodated, but the quota system has not been followed, and thus no minority member has been allotted land.”

Aid distribution was also initially unfair, he said.

“There were some problems in the beginning, but then minority members protested and the issue was resolved,” he said.

Masih added that Christian families in his village are receiving monthly stipends from the government.

The list of homeless people was prepared by local land revenue officers who did not do so fairly, said another Christian. Sarwar Masih said he does not have property and does menial work for a living, but his name was not included in the list by the land revenue officers, orpatwaris.

“Patwaris had to refer our names to higher authorities, but the names of those who could not ‘make them happy’ were not included in the list,” he said. “My name was not in the list, so I had no hope of getting land, though being homeless I fulfill the criteria.”

Areas where plots have been allotted include Gurmani Sharki, Jandeer Dueaja, Chak 568 and Chowk Sarwar Shaheed. There are some 8,500 registered minority voters, mostly Christians and Hindus, in these areas, with the total minority population said to be around 18,000.

“Several people who have been allotted plots under this scheme already have plenty of resources and land, while those who do not have property have been ignored,” said a Christian identified only as Wasim, who is minorities coordinator of Kot Addu.

He added that one person who owns 22 acres of agricultural land has been allotted more land under the government rehabilitation plan.

Napoleon Qayyum, a minority rights activist and leader of the Minorities Wing of the Pakistan People’s Party, said that under Pakistan’s constitution, minorities should be given a 5 percent quota in all government plans. He added that the Punjab government should adhere to that quota as well.

Officials from the local administration responded to the allegations by saying they did not directly handle flood rehabilitation, adding that plots were allotted to homeless people through a lottery draw.

Chaudhry Ehsanul Haq Nolatia, a local Member of the Provincial Assembly from Kot Addu, said a committee was formed to look into the allotment.

“It is true that the government did not allocate any special quota for minorities in the scheme, but the plots were distributed through a draw,” he said.

He added that he would take up the issue in the Punjab Assembly.

Flooding from monsoon rains affected the Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions and the Indus River basin, submerging about one-fifth of Pakistan’s land. Close to 2,000 people died, and some 20 million people lost their livelihood, property or other infrastructure in the flooding.

www.compassdirect.org

END

Samaritan's Purse Arrives with Big Rigs and Volunteers to Help North Dakota Flood Victims

Crews Scheduled to Begin Working on Damaged Homes in Minot Saturday Morning

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

BOONE, N.C. (ANS) -- Weeks after record flooding that damaged more than 4,000 homes in Minot, N.D., the Souris River has finally receded enough for residents to start returning to their waterlogged houses.

The international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse arrived in Minot this week with its Disaster Relief Units and will start sending out volunteer teams this weekend.

According to a media release, Samaritan's Purse has already received more than 500 requests for help in the Minot area. Volunteers with the organization are trained, organized into teams and then sent to flood-damaged homes to help clean out mud and debris and disinfect areas affected by mold or other contaminants. They will also help homeowners sort through and salvage what's left of their belongings.

"It's a big job for our teams," said Tommy Belisario, the Samaritan's Purse response manager in Minot. "They go into a house, remove the furniture, pull out floor coverings, take out the appliances, pump water out of basements, and treat the house for mold. People here have been through so much, and we want them to be able to get back into their homes as quickly as possible."

More volunteers are still needed. If you would like to join the Samaritan's Purse flood relief efforts in Minot or make a donation, visit www.samaritanspurse.org  or call (800) 528-1980.

Since Samaritan's Purse set up the original U.S. Disaster Relief Unit in 1998, the organization has worked in 28 states and more than 100 locations. Recent relief efforts include repairing houses hit by tornadoes in Missouri, Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia, and cleaning homes of mud and debris after flooding in New Jersey. Samaritan's Purse has helped more than 19,000 families and homeowners recover and mobilized more than 35,000 volunteers.

Samaritan's Purse is an international Christian relief organization headed by Franklin Graham that provides immediate, no-red-tape response to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situation - especially in locations where few others are working. Samaritan's Purse has worked in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution.

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter