Update from Tigray, Ethiopia
“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink.”
- Matthew 25:35
Mekelle, Ethiopia
The humanitarian crisis in Tigray Ethiopia has intensified as officials are declaring the region on the edge of famine. We know that the region of Africa is suffering from lack of rain from our friends in Northern Kenya. However, in Tigray, the famine appears to be man-made. Civil unrest has left crops and villages burned, forcing many to flee for safety. This has created a surge of refugees and IDPs (internally displaced people) in the camps in Mekelle, Ethiopia. According to our partner on the ground, The Rev. Dr. Gidey Seyoum Halibo, these people have arrived with nothing, not even spare clothes.
Fr. Gidey is an Anglican priest in the Ethiopian Anglican Church. He and his colleagues have been coordinating relief efforts of the church on the ground.
Fr. Gidey (left) unloads a mattress at a camp for the displaced in Mekelle. A smaller motorbike (above) brought blankets.
In April, ARDF sent funds from its newly established Joseph Fund to help provide food and supplies to displaced families in one of the IDP camps in Mekelle. We knew it would take some time to get the aid to the IDPs on the ground. And indeed, the church had to jump through some bureaucratic hurdles to work with the regional authorities coordinating the emergency response. This took three weeks, but we are happy to report that the church is continuing its work without any problem.
The church is now assigned to one of the nearly two dozen IDP camps in Mekelle. This camp, located at a primary school, has 1,300 people, most of whom are women and children. With ARDF funds, camp residents have received two rounds of emergency food, fresh water, as well as supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Ethiopian Anglican Church brought water and food for the 1,300 residents of an IDP camp .
“Dear brothers, your support is not only serving the social mission of the Church, it is also serving the pastoral mission of the Episcopal Anglican Church, the Anglican Church which has never been introduced to Tigray Region - the region through which Christianity had been introduced to Ethiopia in the 4th century. Now, our Church has started to be introduced to the people in the Northern part of Ethiopia.” - The Rev. Dr. Gidey Seyoum Halibo
The Anglican Church is not the only one working in this particular camp. The local government and others are also assisting. And the people in the camp are taking ownership over the relief activities. Fr. Giday reports that they are especially happy with the committee that has been formed inside the camp. This committee is managing the relief activities and providing reports - including financial. This is encouraging.
One thing that is not encouraging is that the need continues. Initially slated as a four month effort, the church has decided to extend their activities for nine months, because, “we don’t see any hope that the people will go back to their homes [anytime soon.]” In these desperate times, the church will continue to walk with the residents of this camp.
“I would like to thank you in the name of the people of Tigray. This is really practicing the Word of the Lord.”
He references Matthew 25:35-40 as their inspiration in this work.
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