Relief for Flood Victims in Colombia

Can you help our partners in Colombia?

We know that in this season you are receiving many requests for help and giving. After careful consideration the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship is asking for an additional emergency gift. For the last six years we have had a strong and prophetic partnership of Accompaniment with our sisters and brothers of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia. Over the last few months, Colombia has experienced the worst rainy season on record—which has left over 2 million inhabitants of this country homeless and destitute. Infrastructure is heavily damaged and non-existent in some places. It is impossible to overstate how devastating this flooding has been and the challenges it presents in a country already so deeply conflicted.

Our partners in Colombia have been deeply affected, with the most dramatic damage in the Uruba Presbytery, the most rural and challenged of the three Presbyteries in which we serve. The office of the Diaconia of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia in recent days has emailed a long and detailed list of every family in each congregation in Uruba Presbytery and what has happened to them. Everyone has been affected, many are now displaced by flooding that were first displaced by the violence of Colombia. German Zarate, Director of Diaconia and our longtime partner in Colombia writes this:

"We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for the concern of brothers and sisters from all the churches and ecumenical organizations that have stepped forward in solidarity with the needs of the people. We have no doubt that this situation will become a blessing and an opportunity for joint work together as part of our testimony as the church of Jesus Christ. In this way the National Diaconia Office is providing information from all of the Presbyteries, not only to help with our own resources, but also to solicit emergency aid from outside groups, both in the region and around the world, who wish to show solidarity with our people."

We have prayerfully considered with our other partners about how best to respond in a way that is timely and effective. The consensus has been to have gifts come to PPF for flood relief to be wired to a secure account, for this purpose only, that the Presbyterian Church in Colombia has set up.

Please give as generously as you are able to this special offering in this important time.

• You can donate online and indicate "COLOMBIA FLOOD RELIEF" in the designation field.
• Or you can mail a check to
  
  Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
  17 Crickettown Road
  Stony Point, NY 10980

  and write "COLOMBIA FLOOD RELIEF" in the memo line.

After all checks for this special appeal are counted by January 20, 2011, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship will then wire these funds directly to the Presbyterian Church of Colombia. The Executive Committee of PPF has generously committed $600 seed money to this fund. If you have any questions at all about this special appeal, you may contact Shannan Vance-Ocampo who is ready to answer any questions you might have.

As always, we appreciate not just your gifts but also your prayers and acts of solidarity. We are most closely reminded in times such as this of our shared faith and partnerships that sustain us.

Peace to you in this Season of Christmas,

Shannan Vance-Ocampo Linda Eastwood
Director of Colombia Programs Coordinator of Colombia Accompaniment