Summary of Decisions and Topics of Discussion
National World Relief Board Meeting
Silverton , OR – 4/26/2008

Meeting Highlights

Unrestricted funds available for allocation totaled $873,090, and $881,859 was allocated as listed in the table below. This resulted in a deficit $8,769 which was taken from the $100,000 which had been set aside for the two remaining meetings in 2008. The carry over now is $91,231. Disaster funds available totaled $173,662 and $111,500 was allocated leaving $62,162 for future disasters.

The allocations are summarized as follows:

Supporting Services

$12,100

Caribbean Committee

$199,600

Distribution Center Committee

$82,850

India Committee

$61,000

Mexico Committee

$113,000

Magdalena

$9,000

Child Sponsorship Committee

$8,000

European Committee

$206,419

International Grants Committee

$30,500

USA Committee: Projects and Cash programs

$141,390

USA Committee: Project Administrator

$4,000

Disaster Aid: Katrina Hurricane, Tornadoes in Kansas and Southern States

$111,500

Kentucky Homes

$14,000

 

Further detail is available on these projects. Click here .

 

Key Issues

Caribbean Committee: There is an increase in the number of work teams interested in Haiti and Jamaica and there will be a need for short term volunteers during the heavy work team season to assist with the coordination of this work. A small team recently went to Haiti to evaluate the possibility of sending medical work teams.

The Child Sponsorship Committee will be training a sister on their computer systems and she will be serving them in Haiti in the near future.

The Distribution Centers discussed the need for a project coordinator to organize the products produced by churches for distribution in Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica, Europe and USA. See Product Coordinator job description: Click here.

Eastern Europe: The needs of our brethren in Eastern Europe continue and the devaluation of the US dollar is creating a concern as we assist them with their basic needs. The churches in Hungary and Romania are developing plans for a children's home.

In India two new pastors have been ordained, the English Medium School continues to offer educational opportunities, restroom facilities are being upgraded at the Khardi and Nashik compounds, and discussion on developing a children's home continues.

International Grants were approved for orphanages in Kenya, Ethiopia and Ukraine, a dock to help the delivery of water filters in Brazil, a food program for school children in Ethiopia, medical supplies for a hospital in Indonesia, and relief work in Kenya and Sudan. A World Relief medical work team was in Indonesia working with the staff from the hospital on Tello Island at the time of this meeting. They will be presenting a report at the Informational Meeting in Princeville in August.

Mexico Committee: The work is progressing well on the church building in Magdalena, Mexico and they will start using it this summer. There is currently a set of special instructions for assembling school and health kits going to Juarez.

USA Committee and Katrina Hurricane: The winter disaster relief work projects in the Biloxi area were concluded with the dedication of 9 new homes, 3 major remodels, and several smaller projects. Twenty two families were helped by these teams. There were 500 volunteers from 66 different Apostolic Christian Churches. Plans for a similar project next winter were discussed and received support. Interviews for an USA administrator will be held soon.

The Disaster Fund is nearly depleted. Approval was given to draft a letter to the churches requesting a special collection for this fund. The letter will be sent out to the churches upon final approval of the Elders at the August 2008 conference.

The Mission Committee reported the progress of the Outreach Sub-Committee formed to address the placement of brethren interested in outreach opportunities. Information on the Servant Fund was discussed and some insights on cultural differences were shared.

Communication and Work Team Participant policies were adopted.

Future strategic planning for World Relief was discussed.

The Communication Committee presented planned improvements for the World Relief website acworldrelief.org , and on the status of the Mission Committee and CVE websites.

The next World Relief Informational Meeting is in Princeville, IL Thursday, 8/7/08, the day before the conference. World Relief Representatives from all of our churches are encouraged to attend.

The next World Relief Board meeting is in Bradford, IL, on Saturday, 8/9/2008.

If you have any questions or would like any more information please contact the World Relief Office in Remington, IN. Click here .