Grace is already being present when crisis happens.

Grace is being part of something bigger than oneself.  Some call it being part of humanity, some call it being part of the kingdom of God -made present in this time and place.

 Currently the world has been awakened by the cries of hunger from East Africa.  There is a certain hopelessness to the crisis.  As a teenager in the 1980's I remember the world pulling together to feed the world, to make it a better place -for you, for me, for the entire human race...those of you of the same generation probably now have the song stuck in your heads.  And what has happened since then, that now that famine and drought are worse this time around.
 
 The Christian community of which I am a part, over decades has supported humanitarian need; not just with emergency rations but with long-term solutions.  The agency, Canada Lutheran World Relief, started 60 years ago by bringing displaced persons from Europe to Canada, after WWII.  As crisis changed, CLWR started projects throughout the world: as a teenager I remember being part of projects to buy cows for Mozambique farmers.


Grace for me in light of the drought and famine, is that for some there is hope.

 CLWR wrote the following media release: -good news amidst chaos.

 "One of CLWR's five-year development goals is to provide a safe water supply, sufficient storage capacity, and irrigation to over 150 communities in Africa.
In the last year alone, CLWR has helped about 80 communites develop new or improved sources of clean, safe water and trained 10,000 housefholds in the safe use and storage of water.  CLWR-supported food security projects have trained over 5,000 African farmers in sustainable agriculture, and provided 2,000 farmers with tools, livestock, storage, and seeds.
Need for these porjects has become increasingly apparent as East Africa suffers its worst drought in 60 years.  According to the World Food Program, at least 10 million people are affected by food stortages.
"Supporting CLWR's ongoing development work helps reduce te devastation drought can have African communities", says Robert Granke, executive director.  CLWR wil continue to support sustainable development in the region.
 In response to immediate needs for relief in the drought-stricken East Africa, CLWR has partnered with the Canadian Foodgrains Ban on a large-scale emergency food aid project that will benefit over 18,000people in Goro, a district in the oromia region of Ethiopia.
over 1,900 tonnes of food, worth over $1.5 million, will be distributed between June an dOctober 2011 by CLWR partner lutheran World Federation Ethiopia."

To contribute to further deveolpment and drought relief in Africa, donations can be made online at www.clwr.org/donate.  The webite is worth looking at to see good news stories amidst chaos taking place around the world.

Grace is the light seen in the darkness.