ReachGlobal Crisis Response

Crisis creates a mission field where we can share the love of Christ with those in need.

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Serving While Waiting

Sarah had just finished her language school and was exploring ministry options in Panama when the pandemic lock-down began. The lock-down there was even stricter than most of the US restrictions, so Sarah was stuck in her home alone almost all the time. After three months of isolation in Panama she made the decision to return to Pennsylvania, and after three more months of reconnecting with family and supporters in Pittsburgh, Sarah reached out to her team leader for help finding short-term ministry opportunities in the US. 

Her team leader put her in contact with ReachGlobal Crisis Response, and our staff reached out to see where she would best fit. Within just a few weeks she was on a plane and headed to serve in Friendswood, Texas with our Harvey Response. Sarah had been concerned that her lack of construction skills would be a problem, but our staff was able to teach her new skills as she needed them. “They said they were going to teach me, I was going to do it, and then I would teach others. I thought of that as a great picture for how we are supposed to disciple believers.” 

Sarah K helped us close our Friendswood site and open our Lake Charles site.
Sarah K helped us close our Friendswood site and open our Lake Charles site.

In addition to the construction skills she learned, she got to witness what our staff meant when they said, “People over projects.” It’s not just the homeowners, but it means we prioritize relationships with the staff, volunteers, homeowners, and church members. Whether we are working with a volunteer for a week, a displaced missionary for a couple months, or new long-term staff we want to make sure everyone knows they are valued. 

We know that as long as the pandemic continues there will be missionaries who are displaced or unable to continue with their regular ministry activities. For those who are stuck in limbo in the US, we are grateful to be able to offer a way for them to plug into ministry for a week or more at a time at one of our response sites. We are also very excited to see church teams returning to the schedule in 2021. Email respond@efca.org for more information on how you can volunteer with Crisis Response. 

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