After the Disasters

AG World Missions continues to help communities damaged in Vanuatu and Nepal's respective natural disasters. Cyclone Pam swept across Vanuatu March 14, destroying much of the Pacific island nation's infrastructure. Nepal suffered heavy loss of life when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake destroyed tens of thousands of buildings April 25.

Thanks to a timely response from AG churches and donors in the U.S., needs in Vanuatu for food and other critical relief supplies were quickly met. While initial relief efforts in Vanuatu passed quickly, that nation now faces an even greater long-term recovery need. Many AG congregations lost their church buildings and pastors' homes.

The Vanuatu Assemblies of God leadership has committed to covering the cost of rebuilding the foundations and walls of the 27 churches that were destroyed. Because roofing materials and trusses represent a greater cash expense than they can bear, AG World Missions is working to supply the materials needed to roof these churches as well as assist in roofing pastors' and widows' homes. A church roof can be provided for just $7,500. To roof a home costs $1,300. These projects have been captured in an informative video, "Vanuatu Cyclone Rebuilding," which can be viewed at crisisresponse.ag.org.

In Nepal, relief efforts continue even as rebuilding begins. AGWM and Convoy Hope are working with the Nepal AG to bring more food and supplies into remote regions impacted by the earthquake.

"Believers in many villages have handed food packets and tarps to neighbors that just days before had physically and verbally abused them," one U.S. team member says. "What an opportunity to demonstrate genuine love to the people in these communities. We believe strongly that what we are distributing is not simply food and a tent, but we are sowing seeds of relationship that will produce a miraculous harvest for God's kingdom."

Meanwhile, about 100 of the 1,200 Assemblies of God churches across Nepal are among the buildings damaged or destroyed. In a project similar to the reconstruction in Vanuatu, AG World Missions is providing metal sheeting to construct temporary roofing during the next 6 to 12 months for Nepal congregations that lost churches in the earthquake.

"The materials provided to complete a temporary structure," says the AG area director, "will also be utilized for a permanent building sometime after the rainy season."

Whether distributing critical relief supplies or helping rebuild churches, the Nepal AG is seeing new open doors to the gospel.

Anyone wanting to contribute to the relief and rebuilding needs in Vanuatu and Nepal can visit giving.ag.org.

AG World Missions