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Shared Strength: Exploring Cross-Cultural Christian Partnerships

Tom and Dee Yaccino Publish Chapter in New Book

Hot off the press is a new book by Compassion Intl., Eastern University, AERDO. Chapter Two, Kingdom Revealed: We Make the Road by Walking It Together, sprung from Tom and Dee's participation in the AERDO (Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations) summit on church to church partnerships organized by Compassion Intl.

Here is an excerpt: Our title," We Make the Road by Walking it Together" is adapted from the classic book of conversations on empowerment, education, and social change by Paulo Freire and Myles Horton, authors of We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change (1990). We add the word together because we find the redundancy worthwhile. Often partners "make the road by walking it" but "we" are walking on separate paths. In order to form true partnership, we need to be intentional about walking along the road together.

The title also includes the word road. We serve and support a network of churches in Latin America called The Red del Camino (RdC) which literally means the network On the Way (or Road). The network believes that Jesus is the Way, and that we must travel on His Way to fully understand it. As we travel along the way together in these church to church partnerships, we find it necessary to do a lot of road work. What we hope to share here some of the basic things we learned together along the way as we engage in the process of relational connection between churches from North America and Latin America.

The book will be available through Amazon in late July!

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Haiti & Chile Earthquake Update (May 2010)

Chilean Earthquake response

Over $10,000 of relief funds were donated by a faithful RdC supporting church and a group of individuals friends of the RdC Chile to assist the network churches there in their collective response to the Feb 27th Earthquake that devastated many coastal towns and the capital of the Bio Bio province Concepcion.

Since the earthquake teams of volunteers have been travelling to the affected region with relief supplies, pastoral support, counseling and encouragement. Donated funds have assisted the network’s efforts from the metropolitan Santiago region and Southern provinces in covering the high costs of transportation of the supplies and volunteers that have served thousands of families from the most forgotten communities along the coast.

From relief to rebuilding in Haiti

The situation in Haiti is still very difficult as frustrations rise among the majority population who is suffering the back-to-usual politics and corruption that has plagued the country for decades.

Relief efforts were hampered for over a month in March and early April as the Haitian government made it very difficult for the delivery of aid supplies across the Dominican Haitian border. Thankfully, after a lot of hoop jumping and patience, the last relief supplies collected via the RdC DR network were delivered and distributed through the emerging network of Haitian churches and ministries.

All remaining funds for Haiti are now earmarked for local church-led initiatives to assist families and communities to get back on their feet.

Several churches in the Croix des Bouquet area are developing a plan to help 200 families raise rabbits for home consumption and selling the local markets. Esperanza Intl. is developing plans to help in the formation of local community savings groups and micro lending for small income generating activities.

We are now respecting the process to help in the development of these local strategies and find the best mechanisms possible to resource the needs.

The DR network blessed 10 of the church leaders from Haiti by funding their travel and participation in the 12th annual network gathering.   It served them by providing a needed time of rest, replenishment and re envisioning. Several of these leaders participated in the event during a panel that focused on the situation in Haiti, the church response, and Haitian Dominican reconciliation and collaboration for Kingdom advance. It was a significant moment of prayer, unity and community between the churches from both nations.

We will be informing all supporters of the rebuilding plans and investments as they become more developed

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Haiti & Chile Earthquake Update (March 31, 2010)

Post Earthquake RdC Relief and Recovery Initiatives Continue

Haiti: Pray with us for an end to the bureaucratic red tape that the Haitian government has unleashed since the end of February that has blocked the border crossing of DR-based aid and relief supplies by land. RdC DR Network member Esperanza Intl. is establishing connections with the Haitian authorities and we are patiently wading through the new paperwork requirements. We hope to dispatch a full truck with more large tents, medicine, food, and water this week.

Chile: The RdC in Chile has organized and mobilized from their two regional bases in Santiago and Temuco to serve and support those in need in and around Concepcion and the small coastal towns that were hit hardest by the earthquake. Food, shelter, clothing and blankets have been rounded up locally and caravans of network church volunteers are traveling to the effected areas weekly to meet the families’ physical needs and provide pastoral care in this time of tension and crisis.

Read more ...

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Chile Earthquake Update

Chile Children's outreach A note from Leo Alvarez Castro, RdC Chile National Coordinator & Pastor of Iglesia Bautista Nueva Creación Temuco  :

I wanted to take an opportunity to ask you to continue praying for our country, Chile. We have discovered that the crisis is worse than we had originally thought. But this disaster has turned out be a tremendous opportunity for Christian service.   

The Red de Camino Network in Chile is organized in a very unique, grassroots way and we are responding to the needs of many in the eighth and ninth regions of Chile (one of the areas hit the hardest by the earthquake and tsunami). The Red del Camino in Chile has been one of the fastest and most effective organizations in getting the word out on what is happening as well as delivering aid to those in the areas with the greatest need. For these reasons, many churches and organizations in Chile are using the Network as part of their relief efforts.   

Nevertheless we find that we still need more resources. Our Chilean brothers and sisters are giving generously but there are many others who lost everything and need our help. Specifically, we financial resources to pay the transportation of supplies to the most affected areas.

  Therefore we ask you again to help us spread the word and encourage others to give.   God bless you! Read more accounts from Chile...

To support the Network's response to the tragic earthquake in Chile click here

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Haiti Earthquake Update

Please click here to open a PDF for more detailed information about our action plan

Feb. 26 Together with the Haitian churches and leaders, DR network leaders, and thousands of Haitian families supported in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, DCC would like to express our gratitude the churches and individuals who have given generously to network relief and recovery efforts.

Haitian Earthquake DCC’s participation in the efforts of the Dominican RDC Network and the emerging network of pastors and church leaders in Haiti prior to the earthquake opened up the channels to bless those in need with the desperately needed relief supplies. Now, just over a week and a half ago several of us DR network leaders traveled again to the greater Port au Prince area to meet with some of the pastors and follow up on the supplies that were sent, as well as to continue to assess the needs and develop coordinated responses to the long term recovery.

It was a blessing to be able to share with Walter Dortd and Raymond Narcius, co pastors of a missionally minded church they planted outside of Croix des Bouquets 10 km northeast of Port au Prince. They have connected with the pastors and churches that since September have been walking together in the formation of the Haitian network. Twenty-six churches serving 15 different communities in and around the capital reached out to identify the most vulnerable families in their communities to direct the relief supplies.

Networked church connections outside of the capital that have received large influxes of internally displaced peoples fleeing Port au Prince have also received support as they have opened their doors to receive, provide shelter and assistance in food and provisions. Fifteen churches of Belladere in the Central plateau region served over 2,000 families with 2 weeks of food kits, water and hygiene supplies. A thousand families in Tru de Nour on the northern coast were served through local churches connected to Esperanza International’s micro credit and community transformation programs.

Read more...

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Jan. 29 Based on things we have learned from our multiple relief trips to Haiti over the past week, we have revised our relief & aid action plan. Click here to read the most up to date information.

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Haitian Earthquake Jan. 26 As many of you know, last week I (Tom) made a trip to Haiti with Esperanza leaders and Network pastors to continue to assess the situation and coordinate the relief efforts we are supporting.

It was a challenging trip. Conditions are as bad, if not worse, than what you are seeing on the news. The complexity of the situation is overwhelming. The pre-earthquake conditions and challenges Haitians faced and lived in are now multiplied tenfold.

The resiliency and survival abilities of the people are amazing. There is a lot of activity on the streets. Street markets are back up accommodating themselves to the rubble and obstructions on every other corner and vehicular traffic is heavy.

But getting back into the buzz of everyday life doesn’t mean that life gets back to “normal”. If high unemployment and subsistence living in an over-crowded urban landscape were the common denominators before, the lack of minimal housing, no employment, no services, and a lack of everything makes life nearly unbearable now.

As we have shared, DCC exists to serve and support network movements among churches in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is through our presence on the ground and deep connection to the Dominican Network of churches and ministries that we are channeling the support to assist our brothers and sisters in neighboring Haiti. It is also through DR network that we have made connections in Haiti and through those pastors and churches we are working with to distribute the much needed food, hygiene and bedding kits for families. Haitian Earthquake

The scale of the devastation in Port-au-Prince is hard to get your arms around. Most city blocks have multiple houses, apartments and businesses destroyed. Streets are obstructed. At dusk most streets in neighborhoods become blocked off making it impossible to use vehicular traffic as families camp out under sheets and tarps to sleep on the streets.

Almost all of the structures I saw suffered structural damage, making them uninhabitable. Even those structures that have no evidence of damage are empty, as the people’s confidence in safe housing has been shattered. The aftershocks add to the apprehension and fear. And working through the local churches is also a challenge, as most church facilities that I saw were damaged beyond safe use.

Yet, through all of this despair there are still followers of Jesus. People who are suffering the same conditions and bleak outlook as their neighbors are reaching out to identify and serve others in need from their churches and communities. Read more...

GIVE NOW! To give towards the Haitian earthquake response initiatives through the RdC DR please click here and select "Haiti Disaster Relief" from the drop down list.

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Jan. 20 Items for relief kits are being purchased from suppliers in the DR and packed by volunteers from the Red del Camino Network. Iglesia Comunitaria Cristiana in the Colonial City is housing these packing operations with volunteer help from other RdC network churches. The kits are then being shipped into distribution points in Haiti via the border crossings in Jimani, D.R. as well as in the border crossing at Elias Piña to the north. The main distribution point set up in Port au Prince (PAP) is in the Delmas neighborhood in a donated facility that is being operated by pastors and churches there.

2,000 relief kits are currently being mobilized through these coordinated efforts at the distribution center in PAP. Donated funds that have come through DCC are being invested in the preparation of 500 more kits, 500 units of water and the logistical support for transportation and delivery.

Alfredo Hernandez from the Network traveled to Elias Piña last night and met with churches coordinating the staging efforts there, as well as Food for the Hungry Intl. staff to learn of the medical and aid needs of the displaced who are traveling to Belladere and points closer to the capital for assistance. Alfredo is currently in the distribution center of Port au Prince and will return with a full report late this evening.

Thursday (1/21) morning, Tom Yaccino will be joining a network / ministry coordination team from Sto Dgo. who will travel the same route to continue to coordinate and develop the immediate, mid, and long term recovery plans through local churches. Travel must have escorts and some security due to the unrest.

PLEASE NOTE: We could use help in finding solar power systems . Specifically, panels and systems that could power 5 kilowatt inverters. Any supporters with connections are urged to get in touch with us on this need. This energy would be used to run the water filtration systems and run small coordination offices (computer printer cell phone chargers, etc.)

GIVE NOW! To give towards the Haitian earthquake response initiatives through the RdC DR please click here and select "Haiti Disaster Relief" from the drop down list.

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Jan. 15 (8:00am) Co-inspirer and friend, Travis Reed from The Work of the People (TWOTP) has put together a video resource. This video can help your churches and groups to raise the awareness and call the community of faith to prayer and loving responses to the needs of the suffering in Haiti. We encourage you to follow the link to the TWOTP website for the free download (Note: you will need to add it to cart sign up for a free account and check out).

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Jan 14 (3:00pm) Many of you have contacted us, requesting information on what you and your congregations can do to help in response to the earthquake in Haiti. Thank you for your concern and support... your prayers are truly appreciated.

Please click here to open a PDF link for more detailed information about our action plan

In summary, DR based organizations, in an effort facilitated by Esperanza Intl. and including Compassion International, Food for the Hungry, World Vision, Healing Waters and the Red del Camino Network churches developed a two phased action plan.

Phase One involves funneling locally purchased relief supplies through churches, ministry partners and community-based orgs connected to the coalition in Haiti. The immediate request from our partners is cash donations so that we can purchase supplies in Dominican cities along the border with Haiti. From previous experience, we have learned that containers sent from abroad take up precious time in transport, customs processing, and transport to the emergency site.

Phase Two of the plan will draw from the assessment and mapping currently happening in Haiti. Once emergency processes are met and conditions are stabilized, we will be requesting in-kind contributions.

Please know that 100% of your cash donations will be channeled through DCC to a local DR account that will disburse fund towards these DR-based efforts.

We will keep you informed as we learn more and begin to carry out the initiative. May all of us acting together manifest the spirit-led Kingdom community and love of God

GIVE NOW! To give towards the Haitian earthquake response initiatives through the RdC DR please click here and select "Haiti Disaster Relief" from the drop down list.

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Jan 13 (11:00am) A devastating earthquake leveled the city of Port-au-Prince yesterday. Read more about it here from CNN.com. We heard from our friends, Walter and Raymond (emerging RdC Haitian Network facilitators) that they and their families are ok, but their homes suffered some damage. Please pray for the World Vision National Director who is still trying to locate his wife and two daughters.

Churches from the RdC DR in coordination with partner organizations in the DR will be coordinating efforts to supply the need to Haitians affected by the devastating earthquake.

After rescue operations conclude in the next 72 hours, the response to human need in this time of suffering will open the door many opportunities to serve and provide much needed aid. Haitian Earthquake

By donating now, your funds will be invested in critical aid and relief goods that will be procured in the DR to be transported over land to Haiti. Plans are being developed to work through local churches in Haiti to channel the aide supplies to those in need.

Please pray for the people in Haiti and those churches that are coming together to form a RdC Network movement in that nation.

GIVE NOW! To give towards the Haitian earthquake response initiatives through the RdC DR please click here and select "Haiti Disaster Relief" from the drop down list.

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Jan 13 (9:00am) Eladia Gesto, the communications coordinator for the Red del Camino in the DR put in a call to Walter Dordt in Haiti yesterday just after the earthquake before communications went black. She confirmed that both he and Raymond and their families were not harmed in the quake and that their homes were not severely damaged, cracks in the walls only. Since that call she has not been able to contact them again. But this brings some peace of mind regarding their safety and well-being. Praise God for his protection over them and their families!

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Chilean Earthquake response

From relief to rebuilding in Haiti

Post Earthquake RdC Relief and Recovery Initiatives Continue

Read more ...

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