Covenant News

CWR Part of Relief Team in Tajikistan, Afghanistan

WARREN, MN (June 3, 2002) - Brotherly love takes many different forms. One fine example is the special relationship between brothers Brian and Gary Schanil that promises to help ministries in a pair of war-torn countries this summer.

Covenant World Relief (CWR) and the Tajikistan-based Shelter Now International (SNI) have combined forces this month to help construct a health care facility and run a summer youth camp.

Brian Schanil, pastor of Evangelical Covenant Church in Warren, Minnesota, contacted his brother Gary, a project coordinator for SNI's office in Dushanbe. Schanil, who is a member of the executive board of the Northwest Conference, also enlisted support from the conference and from the Evangelical Covenant Church denominational to send a six-person team to Tajikistan and Afghanistan from June 2 to 18.

CWR Director Jim Sundholm and his son, Luke, will join Schanil, Warren church member Rachel Peterson, president of Covenant Women Ministries for the Northwest Conference; Ginny Roesler, a past CWM president in the Northwest Conference from New Richland, Minnesota; and Richard Epps-Dawson, Covenant missionary in Halle, Germany, representing the Department of World Mission.

According to Schanil, the CWR commission has approved funding to help construct the health clinic in Tajikistan. The five-member team will coordinate the mini-summer camp with an area Russian Baptist congregation, receiving financial assistance from the Warren congregation. Travel to various work sites in both countries for assessment of water projects and other ministries are part of the itinerary, Schanil added.

"With a Christian relief organization like SNI on site with Covenant connections, it provides us with an opportunity to become involved in ministry to people who, prior to now, would have been difficult for us to minister to," said Schanil. "SNI provides for us a resource for holistic ministry to people who have suffered much."

Schanil hopes that the trip will be a first step to a long-term relationship with some of the churches and organizations helping countries like Tajikistan and Afghanistan. He realizes that the temporary ground swell of help to Afghanistan after the events of September 11 won't solve anything systematically without a lengthy commitment.

"A short-term relief work is not what the people (in war-torn Middle East nations) need," he said. "When Christian relief and development work enters into an area, the publicity may not be high, but there is a sense that the care, equipping and love of Christ is demonstrated for the long haul. These are Islamic nations that have great needs, both physical and spiritual. We can provide for their need only as long as we are willing to be with them long-term."

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