Covenant News

Covenant Relief Effort for Hurricane Victims

(September, 1998) - A number of churches and individuals throughout the Covenant are asking how best to help victims of Hurricane Mitch, which has ravaged large portions of Central America, especially the areas of Honduras and Nicaragua. Various Covenant offices have fielded calls from those interested in participating in relief efforts.

The devastation has overwhelmed Central America, where officials say more than 10,000 people died in flooding and mudslides, according to Associated Press reports. Honduras said 569,000 were homeless and about 1 million others lost loved ones or property. Nicaragua said more than 750,000 of its people were affected, the AP reports. More than 60 percent of the region's infrastructure has been destroyed, according to government estimates.

The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) has an established process for individuals desiring to provide economic support to relief efforts. Those interested in supporting relief efforts in Central America may mark donations for use in Central America Hurricane Relief. Checks should be made payable to Covenant World Relief, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625. Interested individuals should also be aware that the Covenant World Relief fund is designed to respond quickly to all kinds of disasters and welcomes undesignated donations at any time.

"It is our commitment to direct funds to places when relief is needed, to respond to devastation left in the wake of natural or human disasters," said Timothy C. Ek, ECC vice president and director of Covenant World Relief. "We are committed to finding partner agencies who work with local churches and church leaders in the affected areas so that we are confident . . . our gifts get to the people who need the help the most," Ek added.

Working through partner agencies in Nicaragua and Honduras, the Covenant church is supporting efforts to provide emergency food for 4,000 families, agricultural seed to more than 1,000 farmers to replant destroyed crops, and assistance to rebuild homes for some 3,000 families. Another 15,000 families in World Relief Community Banking programs are being assisted in efforts to restart their businesses.

"It is important that we demonstrate through our actions what is central to our faith," said Glenn R. Palmberg, ECC president, in encouraging Covenanters to support the relief effort. "The Christian life is one of concern not only for the spiritual, but also the physical," Palmberg said.

Drawing attention to the fact that both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission are at the core of Covenant doctrine, President Palmberg said, "Remember Christ's admonition not only to love the Lord our God with all our heart, but also to love our neighbors as ourselves."

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