Asia Pacific Baptist Aid Committee
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS
To act on behalf of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation:
- by providing aid and relief to persons
and communities in necessitous circumstances
throughout the Asia Pacific;
- by giving support to plans and advocacy
for the development of the people of the
Asia Pacific region in ways which will
improve their quality of life;
- to represent the Asia Pacific Baptist
Federation in the Baptist World Alliance
Division of Baptist World Aid and such
other relief organisations as may be approved
by the Asian Pacific Baptist Federation;
- to build the capacity of members of
the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation engaged
in aid and relief and maintain networks
involving these agencies.
APBAid CONDUCTS
DRM FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Asia Pacific Baptist Aid (APBAid) conducted Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRM) Training-cum-Consultation for the church leaders and development workers at Dimapur, Nagaland during 10-12th December, 2007. Altogether 47 delegates from six of the North Eastern states, Nepal and Bhutan including the resource persons and organizers participated in the programme.
The session began with welcome from Dr. Lima Jamir, Chairman of Nagaland Development Outreach (NDO) a development arm of the Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC), who as the host challenged the delegates. He said that “tackling/coping with the disasters means not to master the nature but to master our own efforts.” Rev. PBonny Resu, General Secretary of APBF delivered the keynote address. Illustrating “wisdom and spirit filled’ Stephen in Acts 6, he stressed on the involvement of the local churches in disaster management efforts. The ministry of Relief and Development should be given equal importance in the church like any other ministries.
Apart from coordinating the event, Rev. Kabi Gangmei and Mr. Sushil Narzary officials of APBAid made presentation on the activities and plans of APBAid.
The session on ‘Government Policy on Disaster Management’ was led by Mr. Vineh Konyak, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Dimapur district, Government of Nagaland. Highlighting the policies and plans of the Government of India in the areas of disaster management, he made a comprehensive presentation on the National Disaster Management Act and the National Disaster Management Authority set up by Government of India. He assured that he would explore the possibilities of inclusion of civil societies (like NDO) and the Churches in the district/state level disaster management planning meetings.
Rev. Dr. H M Songate, Executive Director of North East India Committee On Relief & Development (NEICORD) led the session on ‘Challenges and Biblical Perspectives of disaster’. He challenged the churches to response to such issues in word and deed. The role of the church in such situation is to sensitize public on various issues and then mobilize them to get involve in the healing ministry as Jesus did two thousand years ago.
The sessions on ‘Disaster Risk Reduction and Management’ was facilitated by Rev. Kennedy Dhanabalan, Director of Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Commisiion on Relief (EFICOR). He emphasized on the Christian involvement in relief effort, technical aspects of Disaster Management and standards/accountability aspects of relief efforts. He highlighted the importance of understanding cultural and social sensitivities while doing relief works.
Theories and challenges were supplemented by sharing of practical experiences by many Christian development workers like Mr. Amos Humtsoe, Mr. M S Dawngliana, Dr. Atsung Aier, Mr. Enash Basumatary, Rev. Kabi Gangmei, Mr. Sushil Narzary, Mr. Mumai Pheiga.
One of the major outcome of event was the recommendations formulated by the participants to 1. Strengthen the network and cooperation among the churches and para-church organizations. 2. Attempt to form DRM Committees in every Convention / Association. 3. Mobilize local resources within and among the churches/conventions. Attempt to make budget allocation in every church. 4. Conduct trainings at the convention / local church levels. APBAid should facilitate follow-up trainings and such trainings should be of longer duration and held twice in a year. 5. Develop Training of Trainers (TOT) in order to build up the capacity of the Conventions / Associations, local churches, R&D department, etc. 6. Conventions / Associations should establish full fledge Relief and Development wing and budget allocation for it. 7. APBF/APBAid should nurture, strengthen churches in rural areas.
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