Disciples Seminarians Summer Immersion in International Disaster Response

12/16/2024

Week of Compassion is launching a Summer Immersion program for seminarians (age 21+) currently enrolled in theological institutions and seeking ordination in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Disciples will spend six to eight weeks in the Philippines or in Pakistan, working alongside local faith-based organizations providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

Week of Compassion will begin accepting applications in January 2025. Two Disciples seminarians will be selected by early March 2025. Participants will receive partner site and travel orientation.

The Summer Immersion program will cover flight, accommodation and other logistical costs, plus a nominal stipend while in-country. This is a fully accompanied experience, from arrival to departure. Throughout the service period, seminarians will have regular check-ins with Week of Compassion staff. After the program, participants will be asked to share their experience and learnings, and participate in program evaluation.

For more on the Disciples Seminarians Summer Immersion in International Disaster Response, join the info session: January 8, 2025 at 6:00pm Eastern

RSVP : bit.ly/SummerImmersionWebinar
<– or use the QR code

+ download a PDF of this info sheet +

COUNTRY PROFILES

Pakistan
The Muslim-majority state of Pakistan was born out of the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, and has faced both domestic political upheavals and regional confrontations. Development in Pakistan has been hampered by Islamist violence and economic stagnation, and relations with its key neighbors India and Afghanistan are often fraught.

Pakistan has a history of natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, and heat waves. In 2010, record-breaking rains caused flooding that affected almost the entire country, destroying homes, crops, and infrastructure. This flood is considered one of the worst in Pakistan’s history. Pakistan is one of the places most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Philippines
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Much of the country is mountainous and prone to earthquakes and eruptions from about 20 active volcanoes. It is often buffeted by typhoons and other storms. The Philippines is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Climate change is expected to increase the intensity of many of the natural hazards that the country faces.

The Philippines is located in the typhoon belt of the Pacific Ocean and experiences an average of 20 typhoons per year. One of the most powerful typhoons in history, Super Typhoon Haiyan, struck the Philippines in 2013, killing over 8,000 people and damaging 1.1 million homes.

PARTNERS

Week of Compassion
Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, serving vulnerable communities throughout the world. Any time and anywhere Week of Compassion responds to a need, WoC bears witness to the unity of the Lord’s Table, faithfully sharing the gifts all have received as an expression of Christ’s love. As Week of Compassion works with partners, they represent the Disciples commitment to unity, allowing resources and responses to reach farther, growing the impact on a global scale.

Community World Service Asia
CWSA is a humanitarian, development, advocacy and capacity-enhancement organization, registered and headquartered in Pakistan and implementing capacity enhancement initiatives across the globe. CWSA aims to address factors that divide people by promoting inclusiveness, shared values, diversity, and interdependence. Marginalized communities are assisted regardless of race, faith, color, age, sex, economic status, or political opinion. Respecting the right to choose how to live, CWSA works with
marginalized communities to overcome the impacts of inequalities and lead peaceful, dignified, and resilient lives.

National Council of Churches in the Philippines
Founded in 1963, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) is an ecumenical fellowship of non-Roman Catholic denominations in the Philippines working for unity in faith and order. NCCP provides churches opportunities for common prophetic witness and service in responding to community issues, specifically justice and peace, human dignity and rights, and the integrity of creation. The NCCP compels the church to bring Christian hope into the realm of the possible in a society weighed down by
systemic violence and degradation.

Higher Education & Leadership Ministries
Higher Education & Leadership Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada is the trusted partner for support and resources to help students confidently and faithfully address the needs of diverse communities today and tomorrow. HELM resources and empowers diverse leaders through higher education partners and faith-based leadership development to navigate an ever-evolving society with grace, wisdom, and compassion.