Church members: How you can (and should) help in Kenya

Some of you following this blog and what I’ve been doing for ACT have told me that you’ve been sharing my work and telling people what I’ve been doing in your own congregation. That’s wonderful, and I thank you. That’s exactly why I’m doing this, and I know you’re grateful to have a personal connection to the situation (as I am to be the connection for you). The normal channels of getting information from the field (where I have been going and where I am) into congregations (of denominations and agencies around the world that are members of ACT) are through the ACT office in Geneva (where I used to work), then through the national headquarters offices of the member denominations (such as the ELCA Churchwide Offices in Chicago, also where I used to work), and then from there to congregations. But if you’re bypassing all that, that’s okay and welcome!

But in case you don’t know how to officially connect or be involved in this response in your congregation, let me put my old “salesman” hat on and remind you of the ways:

In the ELCA: The mechanism in congregations to engage/support/contribute to this crisis is International Disaster Response, which is a giving opportunity of the World Hunger Appeal. You may send/give money (100 percent of your contribution goes to the disaster you designate!) to ELCA International Disaster Response (indicating your contribution should go to "Kenya violence"). Note: Lutheran World Relief is another way for ELCA congregations to connect to this crisis (and they’re responding here as well), but I’ve always encouraged members of ELCA congregations to give “at home” first – give to your own church/denomination (in other words, give to the ELCA's own International Disaster Response), where you attend worship, as that gives the ELCA the opportunity to provide support to its other partners, such as the Lutheran World Federation (which is where Sarah happens to work and which also does work just as worthy as LWR’s).

In the Presbyterian Church (USA), which is also a strong member of ACT, the mechanism in congregations to engage/support/contribute to this crisis is Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. I know the head of this program, so I can attest to its integrity and good use of your contributions as well (its sister church – the Presbyterians here in Kenya – has a big presence). I believe PDA has good resources on disasters for children as well (a question I got from a reader). I know Church World Service is also a channel used by Presbyterians sometimes, and I’ve personally been to places where they are working.

Most of all, I encourage you to make a contribution (you can even give online with a credit card at each website above). I know Americans often feel like these crises are so far from them and that they as ordinary citizens can’t be personally involved or fix political situations or help people who are homeless on the streets of Nairobi. But in cases like this, money works and can do something – it can go a long way in purchasing vital relief supplies (in other words, don’t start collecting clothing, tents, canned food or any other material item to ship here). We can buy these goods here at a discounted rate (when bought in bulk), which makes your contribution go further and which puts money back into the economy.