ABC Voted to Fund Numerous International, Domestic Ministries and Missions Projects

During the semiannual session, the American Baptist Churches' World Relief Committee has voted to fund dozens of relief and development programs and projects overseas and within the U.S.

The committee establishes policy for distribution of funds from the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. Projects were presented by American Baptist International Ministries, American Baptist National Ministries and Baptist World Aid of the Baptist World Alliance.

Among the more than 50 projects and programs funded by committee action today:

In the U.S.: $30,000 to TimeZone, a youth-centered ministry of First Baptist Church, Boise, Id.; $45,000 over three years to Wyandotte Interfaith Sponsoring Council, a community ministry supported by First Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kans.; $90,000 over three years to the Brockton (Mass.) Interfaith Community, a faith-based coalition which will build at least 100 low-cost homes; $36,600 over three years to Haven of Hope, a ministry of Millcreek Baptist Church, Philadelphia, for homeless and unemployed persons; $75,000 over three years to Community Office and Mail Services, Inc., endorsed by the American Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico, which supports community services in Caguas, P.R.; $50,000 over two years to the Hug of Love Center, a children's ministry sponsored by First Baptist Church, Carolina, P.R.

Overseas: $15,500 to the Bede Develoment Service Project, to assist a marginalized ethnic group in Bangladesh; $20,000 to assist the Baptist Union of Cote d'Ivoire in development of a ministry center; $20,000 to support the Baptist Convention of Eastern Cuba in a ministry providing medicines and eyeglasses; $20,000 to the Baptist Federation of El Salvador in relief/reconstruction efforts in the aftermaths of recent earthquakes; $21,000 over two years to the Ghana Baptist Convention in support of its Cassava Farm Project; $30,000 over three years to the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India for expansion of its community/primary health care program; $21,000 over three years to the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches in support of its children's ministry outreach.

"American Baptists continue to give generously to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering," World Relief Officer Charles Sydnor noted, reporting that through September 2002 $1,966,621 had been contributed to OGHS for relief and development ministries.

By Albert Lee