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Covenant Team Heads to Lava-Ravaged Goma to Explore Needs
CONGO (January 25, 2002) - Three Covenanters will soon be headed to Goma to assess opportunities for Covenant World Relief assistance following last week's violent volcanic eruptions that claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds of thousands of residents homeless.
Heading the team are Richard and Judy Anderson, members of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Monroe, Washington, and Robert Thornbloom, technical services specialist with the Department of World Mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Both of the Andersons are very familiar with Congo, having made repeated trips over the years to assist in a variety of ways. Richard works with World Relief International in a number of project areas, as well as the White Horse Foundation. Judy, who works closely with village women to improve quality of living, among other things, is the daughter of retired Covenant missionaries Dan and Ann Ericson, who at one time served in Congo where Judy lived as a child.
The team is traveling to Goma at the request of Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant World Relief (CWR), to assess ways in which CWR can provide assistance that does not duplicate other efforts and complements work by United Nations teams, World Relief International and others.
Covenant relief dollars will not await the results of that assessment, however. "It is important that Covenant folks know that some of their dollars were at work in Congo the day after the volcano erupted," Sundholm said. "And that disaster help will continue with our World Relief partner during these coming weeks," he added.
Sundholm also issued a request to local Evangelical Covenant churches to consider a special appeal to raise additional funds for the rebuilding of Goma. "We are making this request before the lava stops flowing and begins to cool, because we know the challenge that looms ahead for these brothers and sisters," Sundholm said.
An estimated 300,000 people were driven from their homes last week when red-hot lava began streaming from Mount Nyiragongo through Goma en route to Lake Kivu, situated on the Rwandan border. The village is some 500 miles distant from the nearest Covenant mission operation, according to Peter Ekstrand, Africa region coordinator for the Department of World Mission. (The accompanying photos show village residents carrying their mats as they leave the endangered area, as well as another group awaiting a boat to carry them to safer ground.)
Conditions remain critical. The United Nations estimates at least 300 buildings have been destroyed - about 40 percent of the town. Bulldozers are attempting to carve new roads through the still-warm lava so that emergency supplies can get through. The BBC News network reported today that the first light aircraft landed at Goma airport, opening the way for a resumption of emergency supplies flights into the community.
Food, shelter and clothing shortages are obvious needs. It is hoped that about 260 tons of food can be distributed, which is only enough to feed about 70,000 people for one week. The United Nations has pledged food assistance to Goma's 450,000 residents for the next month. Although water supplies have been declared safe, only about 30 percent of the water distribution is functional, according to the International Red Cross, which estimates that 80 percent can be restored in two weeks.
One area that Thornbloom will explore is the possibility of securing a sawmill onsite to process lumber that will be required for reconstruction, along with a reforestation program to ensure the integrity of the forests. Another area of concern is the availability of good medical care - several Covenant medical personal were in this region eight years ago, Sundholm noted. Given the loss of several health clinics in the relentless advance of the hot lava, CWR will be examining a variety of opportunities to meet the anticipated medical needs going forward.
"People who were displaced in what seems only a few years past are displaced once again," Sundholm observed. "People who endured four years of refugee camps are, with a heavy heart, putting together stick and tarp once again. People chased by militias in recent months are chased by hot lava today. Persons who have fought for life against the devastation of HIV/AIDS will face the added demon of cholera this week."
Sundholm noted that hundreds of residents have started returning to rebuild the community, forming a variety of committees to set priorities for the difficult recovery that lies ahead. "The
residents of Goma face huge challenges," Sundholm said. "Without any doubt, the people of Goma face many acute needs. They look for the partnership of the world community to
help them rebuild their lives and community."
Covenant World Relief will continue to play a role in the recovery effort, Sundholm promised. "Each year CWR designates a portion of our Covenant World Relief offering to be set aside with
World Relief for immediate use when disaster strikes," he explained. "So, yesterday and today
your donations were at work seeking to save lives. Covenant World Relief will partner to do a
responsible share in meeting the immediate needs. We also know that the larger organizations involved in the world relief scene will be there with food, bedding, some medical assistance and basic shelter supplies.
"We also are very conscious of the development work that will remain in the months and years ahead," Sundholm continued. "Covenant World Relief will want to be there in the name of Christ. And we will want the Evangelical Covenant Church to be a partner - a companion - for renewal in Goma."
Individuals interested in assisting the rebuilding effort can send contributions to Covenant World Relief, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625, earmarked for the Goma relief effort. To learn more about Covenant World Relief and its ministries, contact Sundholm by email at jim.sundholm@covchurch.org.
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