A historic first-time meeting of Relief & Development (R&D) of the Asia Pacific (APAC) Region was held in October 2023, in Bali, Indonesia. Participants shared expertise, experience, and ideas as they networked with one another for greater impact both locally and globally.

In the warm and welcoming community of Cabinda, Angola, a group of 55 individuals gathered with anticipation and hope in their hearts. They were about to embark on a transformative journey that would change their lives forever.

The C&MA of Gabon, the local church, community leaders and people interested in being part of the AWF Development Project have set out to improve their quality of life – and food security.

Participants in a series of recent workshops analyzed Liberia’s agricultural problems and proposed sustainable solutions for them. Those who participated are now willing to take an active role in the effort and invite others to join them.

Thanks to a joint effort involving horticulturists, the C&MA church of Cote d’Ivoire and the Alliance World Fellowship (AWF), the Assakra community has improved the food supply and socioeconomic situation of farm families of the Toumodi Department.

Food security and nutrition have improved the lives and economy for our brothers and sisters in communities and villages of Congo DRC through Phase II of the AWF Global Response to COVID-19.

Congo faces significant difficulties in agriculture, so coaches and participants in a training session in Brazzaville were creative and eager to implement, replicate, and learn more as they came up with some solutions to their problems.

The Alliance Church of Mali (ECEM) and its partners conducted training at the Bible School in Koutiala, Mali, to bring new knowledge that will enable people to improve their livelihood through agriculture and other income sources.

A high percentage of pastors in Angola (90%) are hostages of their social condition - a way of life that forces them to depend almost entirely on the insufficient crumbs that they get occasionally from their local churches. We praise God for our faithful partners who blessed the pastors with relief for better living conditions.

The Alliance church in Paraguay has been dedicated to serving their friends and neighbors by cleaning the streets and squares near their churches, delivering food and discipling people. Let us pray that God continues to use the Alliance family in Paraguay to be a blessing.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Guinea keeps improving the living conditions of its people. Forty-six participants were blessed with a training program in godly agriculture and microcredit. May the Lord continue using the church to keep training their people.

Burkina Faso and Mali are western African nations that have faced famine for decades. In recent years, jihadist terrorist attacks have resulted in the displacement of many. Nationals, mostly women and children, are being relocated west to the Sahara Desert. Surviving primarily through agriculture, these people fall victim to the droughts and floods that are common to the Sahara, further jeopardizing their lives.

Terrorism has plagued Mali for years, causing political and socio-economic upheaval for the people. The Alliance church reached out to the most vulnerable pastors and families, providing much-needed assistance. While travel is still dangerous and the general situation is insecure, the local team has touched the people with hope and support.

As part of the AWF Global Response to COVID-19 program, the team in Burkina Faso continues to provide income-generating activities, farmer training, and sanitation facilities for families, helping them protect themselves and thrive.

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.

The Alliance in Guinea is quenching the physical thirst of communities in the high Guinean savannah, where temperatures are high and water is lacking. May God continue to use them to relieve people’s spiritual thirst.