Relief

Newly released The Poverty and Justice Bible highlights more than 2,000 verses that refer to poverty and social justice in Scripture.

Published by the American Bible Society, the Poverty Bible is not a new translation – it uses the Contemporary English Version – but rather serves to help users more easily find verses on issues of poverty and justice. Verses on the issues are highlighted in bright orange.

"Nearly every page of the Bible includes a message about poverty or justice," said R. Lamar Vest, president of American Bible Society, in a statement Monday. "The Poverty and Justice Bible acts as God's megaphone revealing that, from Genesis to Revelation, concerns for justice are never far from the heart of God and the minds of biblical writers." more >>

After hitting an already devastated Philippines, a tropical storm with powerful winds hit the central coast of Vietnam Monday, forcing more than 80,000 people to evacuate.

Tropical Storm Mirinae boasted 63 miles per hour winds as it knocked down trees and utility poles in Phu Yen province, causing electrical blackouts. As it made its way inland, the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression.

Though the weather center warned of possible flash floods and landslides, no deaths were reported thus far. more >>

Child advocacy agency Compassion International is sending $1.4 million to Ethiopia in response to the nation’s ongoing famine and the government’s recent appeal for emergency aid.

Last week, Ethiopia's state minister for agriculture and rural development, Mitiku Kassa, made an urgent appeal to donors for more than $121 million, saying that the number of people needing emergency assistance had increased to 6.2 million.

Months earlier, the official said 4.9 million of Ethiopia's 85 million people needed emergency food aid. more >>

Instead of helping poor people with charity that will eventually run out, it is more effective to lift people out of poverty through microfinance, says a Christian poverty expert.

“If we give individuals food for today, what will happen tomorrow? They’re going to be hungry. If we give individuals clothes for today, they’re eventually going to wear out,” said Peter Greer, co-author of the new book The Poor Will Be Glad, to The Christian Post Monday.

“So that is why we believe charity, there is a time for it and a place for it, but it always runs out. It’s always going to be temporary.” more >>

Though weather officials in Kenya expect this season’s rainfall not to fail as it has the past three years, those working to provide relief in the country are reminding the global community that millions of hungry people still need food aid.

Furthermore, the heavier rainfall may actually do more harm than good.

“[T]he rains are predicted to be heavier than usual because of the El Nino weather phenomenon. This will only serve to increase food insecurity by destroying topsoil and causing possible displacement of communities,” reported Fergus Conmee, head of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)’s Humanitarian Programs for Africa. more >>