News

November 15, 2011 — Passing of Ken Birch - November 9, 2011

It is with sadness we share with you that Rev. Ken Birch passed away on November 9, 2011.

Ken is the beloved husband of Shirley, father of Kevin and Jennifer, and grandfather to their children respectively.

He received the Licensed Minister credential in 1971 and was ordained in May 1973.  He began his ministry as the executive director of Home Missions and Bible Colleges at the International Office (1971-1975).  He was the president of Horizon (Central Pentecostal Bible College) from 1975-1978 and 1979-1985, as well the founder of Pan Africa Christian University in 1978.  He was the associate pastor at Christian Life Assembly in Langley (1985-1987) and the senior pastor PORTICO (MGT) in Mississauga from 1987 to 1993. He then returned to the International office as the executive director of Home Missions and Bible Colleges (1993-1994) and served as the executive director of Canadian Ministries from 1995-1998.

In 1998, he transferred his credential to IMD and ministered as the East and West Africa regional director (RD) in Nairobi, Kenya from 1998-2007, before returning home the Western Canada International Missions Representative until his passing. 

The memorial service for Ken Birch will be held on Wednesday, November 16 at 2:00 pm at Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church in Victoria, BC. The family interment will be at 11:00 a.m.  McCall's Funeral Home is looking after arrangements. The family has chosen PACU in Nairobi as their Living Memorial project.

Our prayers and thoughts are with the Birch family.

July 22, 2011 — People Pushed to the Brink in East Africa

This article is used with permission of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB).  ERDO, through the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada is one of the founding members of CFGB.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank Executive Director Jim Cornelius is on a study leave in Kenya and Ethiopia. He sends the following observation from southern Ethiopia, which is experiencing its worst food crisis in 60 years.

Unlike the major Ethiopia famines in 1972 and 1984, which were concentrated in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, this food crisis is located in the eastern and southern parts of the country, and in quite a different context. 

The most acute crisis is among the pastoralists-people who depend on livestock for their livelihoods-and agro-pastoralists-people who make their living through a mix of farming and livestock herding. They have faced consecutive failed rains, which has adversely affected the pasture and water their livestock depend on, and form which they derive milk and income. For them, the situation is quite extreme.

The picture in the affected food cropping zones is a little less clear. The crops in these zones benefit from both the belg, or short rains, which were poor and failed in some areas, and the kremt, or long rains, which are just beginning. Many households depend on the short rains for critical crops to get them through to the maize harvest after the long rains. Unfortunately, the sweet potato crop-which is a critical transition food-has failed in many areas.  

The area I visited in the south was certainly facing a late and poor crop, but there was food available in the short-term. There just won't be enough even if the long rains and second harvest are good. 

In visiting and meeting with poor households in southern Ethiopia in recent weeks, I was reminded how precarious their livelihoods can be. They work extremely hard to produce food on degraded land, manage livestock in a harsh environment with limited pasture, and earn additional income through various activities. Even in good years life is tough. When nature turns against them and the rains fail or are late-as has now happened-they don't have a lot of reserves to help get them through the year. 

The Foodgrains Bank, through its members, and with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has been doing much work with communities across Ethiopia to strengthen their livelihoods, rehabilitate the environment and fertility of the soil, and build up household assets-things that can help people survive a crisis.

Right now, those we have helped are pushed to the brink. Assistance is needed to not only save lives of people with no food, but also to help protect the progress that has been made for those who are not yet in a desperate situation.

November 17, 2010 — On Your Next Birthday You Could Just Add Water!

On your next birthday, you could just add water!

Two Mississauga, Ontario men did just that and helped raise $2,100 to provide water programs to children and communities in need.  On November 6th, 2010 Rainier Casido and Chase Whitelaw organized a party where attendees donated a minimum of $10 each and all of the funds came to ERDO's water projects. 

Casido was pleased with the night's events, "Over 120 people came together to support Chase and I from as far away as Kitchener and Ajax.  The  facility at Streetsville United Church was donated, musical performers, door prizes - everything was donated so that all of the proceeds could provide water to families in need." 

The celebration had over 20 pieces of art donated by local artists and photographers. Casido explained,  "Local businesses such as Wild Wings,  Starbucks and so many others gave generously to make our birthday celebration extra special...and raise funds for water programs that are operated by ERDO."

Through the funds raised by the birthday celebration, a clean water filtration system will be provided for a school in Thailand, and two tubewells will be made in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. 

Dinajpur is a district located in the Northern part of Bangladesh.   Only 23% of households have their own clean water sources and the remaining 77% have to transport drinking water in from outside their villages, often at considerable distances.

Wells will be installed in villages in the Shetabganj and Birganj areas of the Dinajpur District (Bangladesh) providing access to fresh local drinking water for schools, churches and local households while helping to reduce waterborne diseases that make so many children ill.

The water filtration project in Thailand will provide year-round access to clean drinking water for approximately 130 students and their teachers at the school.  Thie funds raised by Rainer and Chase's party will provide for the purchase and installation of a water tank to store water that is already available to the school through the municipal water system.  The water will have a system of filtering and monitoring so that the school can maintain the excellent quality of drinking water for the students. 

Rainier and Chase attend Portico, a Mississauga-based Pentecostal church.  Thank you from ERDO for just adding water to your birthday celebrations!

August 25, 2010 — Crisis Response - Pakistan Floods

Canadian Government To Match Donations For Pakistan Relief!

ERDO is responding to Pakistan's worsening flood crisis and the Canadian government has just announced that it will match 1:1 all donations by individuals to an eligible charity like ERDO between August 2 and September 12, 2010.  Your donation to ERDO will immediately help the children and families of Pakistan and can have twice the impact because of the matched government funds.

Since July 21st, 2010, widespread monsoon rains hit most parts of north west Pakistan, causing severe flooding in Khyber Paktunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab Provinces.  These are the worst floods in 80 years in Pakistan.  The loss of life now exceeds 1,600 people.  The United Nations has estimated that approximately 20 million people have been affected by the flooding. Countless livestock have been destroyed and livelihoods and property washed away.  Railways, roadways, and communication have been widely disrupted making initial relief efforts very difficult.

ERDO Emergency Response 

ERDO is mobilizing with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and also with a network of crisis response partners to provide these critically needed items:

• Food Kits for up to 10,000 families (wheat flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, salt, tea)
• Non-food Relief Items like tents, mosquito nets, kitchen sets and gas cylinders for cooking
• Hygiene Kits (soap, towel, nail cutter, comb, tooth brushes, tooth-paste)
• Emergency Health Services including mobile health teams in the affected areas

 Your help is urgently needed.  Please pray for the victims of this crisis and for the relief workers. Pray also for Kelvin Honsinger, our Director of International Programs, who is leaving in September on behalf of ERDO and CFGB to monitor the care being offered and to determine additional needs and longer term programming.

Here is how you can donate to ERDO's relief effort:

1. Website - Donate Now

2.  Phone - Credit card donations can be made by calling 905-542-7400 during business hours (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST) or toll free 1-800-779-7262 at any time.  Please note that after business hours your call will be forwarded to an automated attendant where you can securely leave your donation information.

3.  Cheque - payable to "ERDO - Pakistan Crisis Response". 

Mail to:  ERDO, 2450 Milltower Court,   Mississauga, ON, L5N 5Z6. 

Thank you for your compassionate response and for your prayers for the people of Pakistan in this very desperate place.

August 5, 2010 — Crisis Response - Pakistan Floods

Since July 21st, 2010, widespread monsoon rains hit most parts of north west Pakistan, causing severe flooding in Khyber Paktunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab Provinces.  These are the worst floods in 80 years in Pakistan.  The loss of life already surpasses 1,500 people.  The United Nations has estimated that approximately 2.5 million people have been affected by the flooding (August 3rd, Reuters).  Countless livestock have been destroyed and livelihoods and property washed away.  Railways, roadways, and communication have been widely disrupted making initial relief efforts very difficult.

In Sindh Province, home to Pakistan's biggest city and commercial hub Karachi, heavy rains are expected over the next four days and water levels are expected to rise to critical levels.

ERDO Emergency Response 

ERDO is mobilizing with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and also with a network of crisis response partners to provide these critically needed items:

• Food Kits for up to 9,000 families (wheat flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, salt, tea)
• Non-food Relief Items like tents, mosquito nets, kitchen sets and gas cylinders for cooking
• Hygiene Kits (soap, towel, nail cutter, comb, tooth brushes, tooth-paste)
• Emergency Health Services including mobile health teams in the affected areas

Your help is urgently needed.  Please pray for the victims of this crisis and for the relief workers. 

Here is how you can donate to ERDO's relief effort:

1. Website - Donate now

2.  Phone - Credit card donations can be made by calling 905-542-7400 during business hours (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST) or toll free 1-800-779-7262 at any time.  Please note that after business hours your call will be forwarded to an automated attendant where you can securely leave your donation information.

3.  Cheque - payable to "ERDO - Pakistan Crisis Response". 

Mail to:  ERDO, 2450 Milltower Court,   Mississauga, ON, L5N 5Z6.

French Version / Version française

January 27, 2010 — Crisis Response: Haiti Earthquake

Every dollar donated to ERDO by February 12, 2010 for Haiti Earthquake victims will qualify for the matching dollars announced by the Canadian government.

To date ERDO has received over $200,000 from our PAOC churches and many individual donors. We are profoundly grateful for this expression of care for the people of Haiti. Your generous support is still needed to help meet the staggering needs for basic necessities of life and then for longer term reconstruction activities.

A magnitude - 7.0 earthquake devastated the capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The death toll is currently confirmed at 150,000 and many thousands are still missing. There is an estimated 250,000 people injured and 1.5 million left homeless. The area affected by the quake continues to experience severe aftershocks daily, with over 50 recorded to date.

ERDO (Emergency Relief and Development Oversees) is responding as the humanitarian agency of the PAOC with practical help. The PAOC's Ministry Centre is caring for people in their community with nurses from local churches treating people in clinic near them. PAOC Missionaries Louise and Michel Charbonneau are meeting with local community committees assessing how to repair and rebuild.

ERDO in partnership with Canadian Churches in Action is providing water, sanitation and shelter to 30,000 people who have fled to outlying areas in tent cities. As well ERDO will be involved in a major Food Aid response meeting immediate hunger needs and longer term agricultural programs, through our partnership in Canadian Food Grains Bank.

There is still a critical need for funding to help ERDO respond to basic human needs and help with reconstruction in the months to come. Please send your donation to ERDO's "Haiti Earthquake Response"There is still a critical need for funding to help ERDO respond to basic human needs and help with recovery and reconstruction in the months to come. Please send your donation to ERDO's "Haiti Earthquake Response"

Help ERDO do good by donating today.

Donate online

Phone: 905.542.7400

Mail: (please make cheques payable to ERDO)

ERDO
2450 Milltower Court
Mississauga, ON L5N 5Z6

August 1, 2009 — Leadership Announcement

We are pleased to announce the appointment of David Adcock as Chief Executive Officer of ERDO effective October 1, 2009. Current Executive Director Kelvin Honsinger will assume the role of Director of International Programs. 

We are excited to see the growth in our team both in our leadership and capacity to do good. As an ordained minister with the PAOC, David brings over 13 years of experience working in both mission and development work. His passion for caring for those who are lost and disadvantaged will be a blessing to ERDO and those we serve each and every day. David's recent experience as Chief Operating Officer at Yonge Street Mission in Toronto will compliment Kelvin's international presence as they partner together to establish real change in communities of need.

Both David's and Kelvin's leadership capabilities will add strength and experience to ERDO's work on behalf of PAOC International Missions, both on the Canadian scene and with our diverse projects and partners around the world. 

February 25, 2009 — Growing Projects

A gift today to the Myanmar (Burma) -Chin food crisis will assist ERDO in developing food security for families in need today. Not only will your gifts provide essential nutrients but also the resources and tools farmers need to develop their land.

ERDO in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) provides hunger relief for thousands of families every year. In 2008, ERDO was able to distribute food aid to many men, women and children in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Liberia, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This year marks a new beginning for ERDO's food relief projects. A six-year review of ERDO-managed farms has revealed that this was not the best use of our resources. The realities of higher costs, increased natural risks and volatile markets when matched with the practice of using cash donations to operate the farms for harvest value, has at times operated at a loss.

In order to be the best possible stewards of all resources, ERDO will no longer manage our own farms. We will reinvest our efforts and our resources in projects which directly support the needs of hungry people. Our community food relief programs, in-school feeding programs and crisis response initiatives are providing life-changing relief to thousands every day. 

Our hunger relief program efforts are increasing and we are currently funding relief programs in the Congo DRC, India and Sri Lanka. In addition, volunteer grain donations from farmers and communities across Canada are providing substantial support to ERDO's CFGB account. And donations made directly to ERDO's account at the CFGB when matched through a 4:1 grant by CIDA for approved projects, will reach five times as many people in need.

ERDO would like to sincerely thank the men and women who contributed to each of our farming projects. Thank you! Your support was influential in providing much needed food relief to many in need.

Your help is needed more now than ever. Every dollar given to ERDO's CFGB account will be matched through a 4:1 grant by CIDA. Your gift has the potential to bless not one but five families in need. Find out more by visiting the CFGB online.

December 4, 2008 — End Hunger Fast

On World Food Day, October 16, thousands of Christians across Canada joined together in a day of fasting for change. The change they are seeking is a greater balance in a world where over 800 million people are still living with hunger.

ERDO is one of the 15 Christian church agencies that make up the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). The CFGB has launched a program called Fast for Change. Together we invited people from all walks of life and areas in Canada to join with us to spend the time fasting and reflecting on the way we are all connected with each other and with those who are hungry.

“Imagine if we all made small changes in our lives that reflect what Jesus taught about loving other people as we love ourselves. Imagine the impact those changes would have on the way we live in our society – how we might spend more time with each other celebrating God’s abundance as well as being open and available to the needs of others,” says James Kornelsen, Public Engagement Coordinator at Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

On October 16th, 2008 thousands gathered around their tables to spend time in collective prayer.

Participating in the fast were many of the leaders of the denominations and agencies represented by Canadian Foodgrains Bank, including Don Peters, Executive Director of Mennonite Central Committee and chairperson of the board of directors of the Foodgrains Bank. “We want to look at the day of fasting as an act of solidarity with the millions of people who can't choose to fast,” says Peters. “Let's use it as a day to harness our passion and our energy to ensure that those millions become fewer.”

For more information on this campaign visit http://www.endhungerfast.ca/ . For information on what ERDO’s doing to help those who are hungry visit ‘Food Relief’.

November 10, 2008 — Thousands Flee as Violence Sweeps Eastern Congo

Weeks of violence and terror have left thousands of men, women and children homeless, hungry, frightened and sick from malnutrition, dehydration and outbreaks of cholera.

Since August 28, members of Laurent Nkunda’s rebel militia have been fighting with government soldiers and supporters outside the provincial capital of Goma. The violence has come within miles of refugee camps where families have lived during 12 years of war between the rebels and the Congo government – war fuelled by ethnic hatred left over from the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

Families in the refugee camps are leaving to find shelter in Uganda and in the dense forests of Congo’s countryside. They do not want to experience again the horrors they will struggle the rest of their lives to forget: village raids, beatings, mass-execution murders, gang rape of their women and little girls. Each day in hospitals like Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Congo, hundreds of women arrive bleeding and bent over after being mutilated in gang rapes by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Those who make it to the hospitals are only a small portion of the hundreds of thousands of women and girls who have been taken as sexual slaves as a tactic of war. Some of the girls are as young as three years old.

ERDO is bringing food and clothing, clean water and medical attention to the refugees and victims of this latest outbreak of violence. The people have nothing and they are terrified for their lives. They mourn the loss of brothers and fathers, mothers and sisters. We have a close partnership with Panzi Hospital and we are helping them access the supplies they need to treat and heal women who have been so violently abused. Please see how you can help in this urgent crisis.