Learning about disaster response and sustainable development in the Philippines
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) is a bilateral partner of the Week of Compassion through Global Ministries and ACT Alliance. As their disaster response to a devastating typhoon transitioned from emergency relief to long-term recovery, the partnership deepened to include an internship that places Disciples seminarians alongside their recovery team to learn directly from NCCP’s work and accompany communities as they rebuild. MDiv students and DDH Scholars, Grace Dearhamer and Katie Varon, recently arrived in the Philippines to work and learn for 6-8 weeks.
Grace comments, I am eager to engage with communities on the front lines of environmental and social justice, learning firsthand from their experiences and resilience.This experience will be instrumental in shaping my vocational path. Katie, who was able to participate in ACT Assembly in Indonesia last fall, notes: I am attracted to the specificity of this program because it showcases an intentional goal of equipping emerging Disciples leaders to connect our faith and our actions by learning from people who are already doing so.