On Sat., 22nd May, Africa’s largest, most active and most dangerous volcano (Mt. Nyiragongo, which sits at the point where the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda meet) erupted.
Congregations in this benefice have been supporting the church congregations in that area for 10 years now, especially in and around Goma – a small city built on the lower slopes of the volcano, some 13 miles from its erupting peak. When the larva flows hit Goma during Saturday night, some 4,000 homes, 11 schools, 6 churches, 4 water tanks, a wine factory and large swathes of pasture were burned to the ground or buried, leaving Goma with a massive humanitarian and reconstruction need in one of the poorest countries of Africa.
The Semiliki Trust which targets exclusively that corner of the DRC sent us news that local church leaders are appealing for immediate emergency aid to the tune of £19,000, so we have launched, for this month of June, a “Wiveliscombe Area Goma Appeal” to send emergency aid to our friends there.
So if you would like to contribute, and demonstrate that Christian kindness knows no boundaries, please do contact St Andrew’s Church on 07796 180075 for details of how you can help. (Purely as a guideline: £75 will provide a family with enough basic food, clothing, water and shelter to survive until larger-scale reconstruction programmes can take over.)
“Whenever you did one of these things (feed, clothe or give shelter) to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ (Matthew Ch 25).
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