The Church as a Model for Relief and Development

The AWF’s work in Relief and Development (R&D) during the worldwide pandemic was commendable. During the 2021 Quadrennial Convocation, Robert Sanou, Joanne Beach, Mike Sohm and others discussed how to extend the Alliance’s outreach. This workshop gave birth to new ideas, suggestions and possibilities for the future of the AWF’s Relief and Development ministry.

One of the innovations of the 2021 AWF Quadrennial Convocation was the organization of a workshop dedicated to Relief and Development (R&D). Faced with the coronavirus pandemic, the AWF has undertaken R&D activities in favor of its churches worldwide. First, there was a relief program, then a second rehabilitation program, and finally a support program for pastors in need.

The three-day R&D workshop was an opportunity to discuss suggestions for next steps and to review our achievements.

The first day was about relief and the second day was about development. Alliance practitioners shared their experiences and lessons, led by Shelly Crouch.

On the third day, we discussed three topics:

• Our Biblical Foundations as Alliance for R&D, presented by Joanne Beach.
• The Church and Good Practices in R&D, presented by Robert Sanou.
• A synthesis of the R&D activities carried out by the AWF considering the health crisis linked to COVID-19. The session was led by Mike Sohm.

We came to a few conclusions and recommendations:

• While commending the AWF for its efforts, the workshop encourages the Alliance to continue its efforts to benefit our churches.
• Churches should set up R&D committees and be good role models in this field.
• We must develop networking between churches in R&D.