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The Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief Year End Report-- 1973

Diocesan Press Service. March 22, 1974 [74084]

The Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief continued in 1973 to respond to emergencies and disasters -- both massive and minor in terms of dollars (Total: $682,194.22), but critical in terms of human lives. The devastating earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua, occurred on December 23, 1972 and all during 1973 contributions were received in response to a special appeal -- a total of $217,931.80. As of this date it has still not been officially decided exactly where the city of Managua will be rebuilt, so the emergency situation continues and funds have been held to make possible further response in 1974. A total of $102,875.59 was sent in 1973 for emergency feeding, housing, medical and social services and small business loans. This assistance went both to the missionary Diocese of Nicaragua (through Bishop Haynsworth) and to the ecumenical project of Church World Service.

Other major contributions from the Fund went to the Indochina Fund for Reconstruction & Reconciliation (of the World Council of Churches), $10,000; Vietnam Christian Service, $15,000; Palestinian Refugees in the Middle East, $25,000; Reconstruction and Rehabilitation in the Southern Sudan, $25,000; and the Sahelian Zone of West Africa for drought/famine relief, $10,000.

Although massive assistance is needed and will continue to be needed in the huge area of the sub-Sahara, Africa, which now comprises nine countries, the Presiding Bishop's Fund, through Church World Service, has been able to make a significant contribution to work concentrated in the small French-speaking country of Niger. As part of the World Council response, Church World Service has fielded a mobile medical team -- ecumenical and international -- to do emergency and preventive work among drought victims. CWS has also conducted a critically important work of combating infestation of date palm trees by importing lady bugs from Iran which attack the predatory insect which is destroying these oases trees. These are vital to the life and livelihood of the nomadic peoples of the area.

Contributions from the Presiding Bishop's Fund to Church World Service made possible 1,536 shipments to 62 countries of material aid, weighing 53 million pounds and valued at $14. 3 million, in the form of clothing, blankets, yard goods, food, medicines, family planning materials, sewing machines, tools, seeds and other supplies and equipment. U.S. government assistance included $3.3 million as the value of Food for Peace and $2.4 million in reimbursed ocean freight. Membership in Interchurch Medical Assistance enabled the Episcopal Church to make 15 shipments to eight countries of medicines valued at $230,596.41 for a cost of $2,602.38.

Our refugee resettlement program under the sponsorship of Church World Service, continued resettlement by the Episcopal Church -- in 1973, 191 more individuals were aided than in 1972 and this represents 31 percent of the total caseload of Church World Service. The largest number (699) came from Yugoslavia. Others, in order, were Cubans, Rumanians, Egyptians, Ugandan Asians, Albanians, Iraqi, Armenians, Chinese (from Hong Kong), Russians and Bulgarians.

Development

The new Guidelines for the Presiding Bishop's Fund call for more attention to development as a means of attacking root causes of hunger and poverty. In 1973 the Presiding Bishop's Fund was involved through its support of the Planned Parenthood program of Church World Service, funding projects in Brazil and Costa Rica and through support of community development programs in the Malagazy Republic and Israel, Dominican Republic, and the Caribbean area. This type of support will be expanded in 1974.

In addition to the major emergencies referred to above, the Presiding Bishop's Fund responded to these other emergencies and special needs: Northern Philippines, crop infestation; Polynesia, hurricane relief; Pakistan, Bengali and Bihari refugees; Iceland, volcano; Texas, tornado; Tennessee, flood; Missouri, flood; Michigan, flood; Arkansas, tornado; Indochina, BachMai Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital; South Dakota, replacement of garden tools plus seeds and Wounded Knee; Canada, Winnipeg Aid Committee; Korea, legal defense; Mexico, flood relief; Pakistan, flood relief; Farm Workers Ministry, food emergency, New York City; Vermont, flood relief; Grenada, fire damaged high school; Brazil, food and clothing for boys home; Rio Grande, medical emergency in San Juan Mission on Navajo Reservation; and Chile, refugees from Chile.

At the May meeting of the Executive Council, the Guidelines proposed by the Special Committee appointed to Evaluate the Presiding Bishop's Fund were adopted and a new Board of Directors was appointed. The Presiding Bishop continues as Chairman of the Board and the other members are: The Rev. A. Theodore Eastman, Washington; George T. Guernsey III, Missouri; the Rt. Rev. Willis R. Henton, Northwest Texas; Mrs. Howard Hoover, Los Angeles; the Rev. Gerald N. McAllister, West Texas; Miss Jane Ordway, Rochester; the Very Rev. Dillard Robinson, Newark; Curtis Roosevelt, New York; the Rev. Albert Sears, Massachusetts; the Rt. Rev. Furman C. Stough, Alabama; Fernando Vender, Arizona; Mrs. Robert M. Webb, Connecticut; and Mrs. J. Wilmette Wilson, Georgia.

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