Between Freetown and Kenema, Sierra Leone, there is an old dirt road off the main highway that winds its way further and further into the wilderness. Sometimes the holes in the road are half as big as the cars that drive around them. At the end of the 20-minute ride is the village of Makai Sanka, one of the groups in the so-called central cluster of the West Africa Initiative (WAI).
Three ministries with Compassion, Peace and Justice are in Sierra Leone this week to see first hand how work is progressing for the West Africa Initiative, a collaboration of Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP), Self-Development of People (SDOP) and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).
As the remaining residents of Oceti Sakowin camp in North Dakota face evacuation, Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) has issued a call to action, urging people of faith to stand against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. In its statement, PEC says the pipeline desecrates God’s creation and poses significant threats on the Standing Rock Reservation.
A decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to roll back a signature bi-partisan anti-corruption law has Presbyterians and other ecumenical groups concerned about the impact on poverty-stricken countries. Under the anti-corruption rule known as “Section 1504,” or the “Cardin-Lugar Anti-Corruption Provision,” oil and mining companies would be required to publish the payments they make to governments around the world.
If you’ve ever been to Montreat, North Carolina, it’s easy to get caught up in the beauty of the mountains, trees and streams. The small community has drawn many visitors for spiritual re-awakening, prayer and a place to call home.
Presbyterians have a long history of helping those in need and have shown time and time again that they are willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work. Presbytery of the Peaks is a good example of people in action. Denise Pillow is the Hunger Action Advocate (HAA) for the presbytery, which includes 125 congregations across Central Virginia.
In late June 2016, mere days after winning Peru’s presidential election by a thin margin, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski turned his eyes on the troubled community of La Oroya, where for more than 15 years Presbyterian World Mission and the Presbyterian Hunger Program have joined with partners Joining Hands Peru (Red Uniendo Manos Peru) in seeking justice for city’s residents.
Presbyterians have a long history of helping those in need and have shown time and time again that they are willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work. Presbytery of the Peaks is a good example of people in action. Denise Pillow is the Hunger Action Advocate (HAA) for the presbytery, which includes 125 congregations across Central Virginia.
Sometimes the simplest questions give rise to the most interesting conversations. That is what I discovered one morning at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia.
