1. Haiyan Relief and Rehabilitation Program, Philippines
On November 08, 2013 super typhoon Haiyan struck and devastated Central Islands of Philippines. Under the leadership of Feraz, APBAid by supporting Baptist Churches responded immediately to the relief need, and organized a meeting with APBF member Conventions and came out with a coordinated Baptist response plan on December 12-13, 2013. Thanks to the generous contribution from global Baptist bodies such as ABC(American Baptist Churches), BWAid, BMS, Baptist Union of Nederland, CBF, EBM-GBU, Diakonia, CBM, GBIM (General Baptist International Mission)and APBF member Churches 13 projects were kick started in January 2014. In this period, the projects helped rebuild houses of 1,748 families and another 1,458 families were provided with livelihood assistance like rice seeds and fertilizers; animal raising like piglets, goats, chickens and ducks; capital assistance to small businessmen like vending fresh and dried fish, cooked food, vegetables etc and fishing gears. Children trauma care was undertaken in 11 villages of 3 municipalities in Capiz and trauma care for survivors in Guian, eastern Samar by ABWU. Besides this with the support of Diakonia through its Asia Regional Office, a DRR seminar was conducted on October 6-9, 2014 with key leaders involved in the disaster response of Baptist Conventions and ABWU. Yearlong great efforts culminated by holding the first anniversary of Haiyan with over 500 young people lighting candle of hope and prayer of thanksgiving in Iloilo on October 31, 2014. This was done at the closing day of General Assembly of Convention Baptist Youth Fellowship of the Philippines, facilitated by the APBAid and CPBC team.
2. Phailin Recovery Program, Orissa, India
Powerful cyclonic storm, named “Phailin” swept through eastern Indian States of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh on October 12, 2013 and it was followed by devastating floods. About 12 million people were affected and thousands lost their homes and livelihood. As an emergency relief APBAid and International Ministries of American Baptist Churches (IM-ABC) granted $10,000 each assisting Bengal Orissa Bihar Baptist Churches Association (BOBBCA) in providing roofing materials to 193 families. APBAid also facilitated a livelihood recovery project worth $54,009 with the support of European Baptist Mission-German Baptist Union (EBM-GBU) to help 761 families. Along with capacity building training they were given 20 fishing nets, 100 goats and 2135 chicks.
3. Other Relief efforts
(i) Karenni camp fire
On March 22, 2013 an accidental fire occurred at Karenni camp, situated along Thai-Myanmar border. Many of the inmates were left homeless, and young children were about to miss their schooling. With the contribution from Baptist brethren in Korea and Malaysia, APBAid help Karenni Women rebuild their nursery school worth $12,000. There were 5 teachers and 122 students attending in 2 shifts daily. The camp leaders expressed heartfelt thanks for the timely assistance to the nursery.
(ii) Ethnic conflict in Karbi Anglong, Assam
In December 2013 ethnic violence erupted in Assam’s district of Karbi Anglong (NE India) when two insurgency groups belonging to Rengma Naga and Karbi attacked each other. Consequently, 18 lives were lost, over 100 homes burnt and a total of 3131 villagers took shelter in 9 relief camps. APBAid with a small grant of $2000 joined Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) and Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention (KABC) in helping 1035 families with immediate relief assistance. It also joined peace initiatives, starting with a meeting convened at Diphu on February 19, 2014 in which leaders from 13 Baptist Associations and APBAid officials Kabi Gangmei and Anderson participated in the meeting.
(iii) Flash floods and landslides in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Flash floods and landslides hit several locations in North Sulawesi on January 15, 2014, and it left 18 people dead, 1000 houses damaged and 4000 people evacuated. Within a week’s time Rebana team, unit of Union of Indonesian Baptist Churches (UIBC) together with the local Baptist churches took up relief assistance to 100 households in 4 villages, and provided health services to 95 persons. APBAid made enablement grant of $3000 to Rebana.
(iv) MTC Reconstruction in Manipur, NE India
An accidental fire burnt down the main building of Manipur Theological College (MTC) on April 19, 2014. Nothing could be retrieved from the administrative office, chapel, reference library section and study rooms. To help in reconstruction of the building, APBAid provided $2000, and facilitated an assistance from EBM-GBU with a grant of $21,366. The rebuilding was completed last August, and the academic session resumed without delay. It may be noted that MTC is the main institution of Baptists to train leaders in the State Manipur.
(v) Flash Flood in Garo Hills
In September 2014, unexpected flash flood swept through Garo Hills in the State of Meghalaya (NE India). Altogether 59 lives were lost, 33 persons injured and over 50,000 households affected. Garo Baptist Convention (GBC) along with the government agencies carried out rescue works and hand out immediate reliefs. APBAid facilitated a rehabilitation project worth $26,333 with the support of EBM-GBU, and joined them with a grant of $4000 from its own fund. This rehabilitation project will enable 250 families to rebuild their homes with the provision of roofing materials. As an integral part of the project APBAid and GBC will organize DRM training for the benefit of local Baptist leaders.
(vi) Humanitarian assistance to Kachin IDPs
Renewed civil unrest in Kachin State of Myanmar resumed with intensity and by August 2013 there were hundreds of causalities on both sides, and devastation around in the affected areas. In Putao area (N Myanmar) due to intense fighting 100 families were taking shelters in the temporary camps, and they were not able to go back to their village. Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) had been supporting them from their regular budget, but from May 2014 there was serious shortage of foodstuff to assist them. APBAid in combination with EBM-GBU initiated a small relief project of $11,266.
(vii) Typhoon Hagupit, Philippines
Another major typhoon named as “Hagupit” struck central Philippines on December 6, 2014. Those seriously affected were communities in eastern and western Samar where the churches of Visayas Convention of Southern Baptist Churches (VCSBC) and Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches (LCSBC) were located. In coordination with the BWAid, relief proposal worth $63,600 was submitted to Rev. Rothang Chhangte, Director of BWAid and it was approved immediately for implementation. APBAid also joined the relief assistance with a grant of $3,000 to VCSBC.
