A Dark Cloud of Locusts
Large swarms of desert locusts have been devastating pasture, crops, and fodder fields in eastern Africa for the last two months. Farmers and herders in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda have been forced to stand by helplessly, as the locusts stripped their fields of everything green. Living in rural Kenya, Mwikali is … read more
After the Earthquake in Albania
On November 26, 2019, the country of Albania was struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that took the lives of 52 people and left 3,000 more with injuries. Over 1,000 buildings collapsed. Many thousands more homes and apartment buildings were structurally damaged, making them extremely vulnerable to the ongoing aftershocks in the region. … read more
When it Rains Ash and Stones!
Located just 50 kilometres south of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, the Taal volcano is the second most active volcano in the country. On Sunday, January 12, 2020, Taal suddenly began to erupt. Seismologists in the Philippines said, “The speed of the escalation of Taal’s volcanic activity caught us by surprise.” … read more
Operation Home Safe
During the week of November 10, 2019, an ice jam downriver of the Bearskin Lake First Nation community caused the river and surrounding lakes to rapidly flood. The community declared a state of emergency and issued an order of evacuation for the 360 residents. Bearskin Lake First Nation is accessible only by plane … read more
Thailand Floods
On August 29, 2019, tropical storm Podul struck Thailand. Its heavy rain and high winds caused flash flooding and landslides. Approximately 160,000 homes were affected. Roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals were all badly damaged. Farmers have lost their harvests as over 330,000 hectares of crops were flooded. Families whose homes were destroyed took … read more
A Weight Off My Shoulders
Yemen. A country with a rich history and a stunning beauty all its own. The capital, Sana’a, looks to most foreigners like something out of Arabian Nights. But in recent years, it is also a country of turbulence and violence. Since 2011, a civil war has divided the country. The Yemeni people have … read more
Alberta and Ontario Wildfire Response
Drought conditions, extreme heat, and lightning made for a dangerous mix in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario in the summer of 2019. The resulting fires caused the evacuation of communities and the demand for the provision of services and supplies for people sheltered away from home. In Northern Alberta, the residents of the … read more
Emergency Preparedness and Response in Canada
According to the government of Canada, there have been 2,405 wildfires thus far in 2019. Nearly every province is fighting the flames. In Alberta, Pastor David Guzman, the Compassion Ministries Director at the Alberta Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, has been actively monitoring the response to the High Level fire (also known as the … read more
Showing God’s Love to People in Need
During the first week of June, due to forest fires in Northern Ontario, residents of the Pikangikum First Nation were evacuated from their homes and transported to shelters in Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay. With support from the Ontario Conference, ADRA responded to help serve the needs of people who had to … read more
Ontario 2019 Flood Response
2019 will be remembered in many parts of Ontario as the year of the sandbags. Most of Eastern Ontario was at risk of flooding from the Ottawa river. In Southern Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario reached record heights. This necessitated the building of sandbag walls from North Bay to Cumberland and all … read more
