Overview

• Train and equip Christian volunteers to respond to disaster and pre-disaster situations.
• Recruit and mobilize crisis relief volunteers to the field.
• Intercede for disaster areas and victims.
• Some Wesley members have already attended crisis relief training, and some have participated in crisis relief trips to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Gujarat, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal and the Philippines.

Ministry Opportunities

• Pro-active participants who are being trained for crisis relief by attending relevant courses, and going on short trips.
• Relief medical doctors and nurses
• Child disaster relief workers
• Trauma counsellors
• Prayer partners

Vision

• CRW seeks to demonstrate God’s love to victims of disasters through relief work, with the aim to be operationally ready locally and abroad.

Mission

• To train and mobilize our congregation to do relief work primarily in Australasia, preferably air travel within 7 hours, in partnership with Evangelical Christians, non-religious, governmental or non-governmental organizations engaged in relief work.
• To raise awareness on disaster preparedness within communities at risk.
• To engage in the survival and re-construction phases of relief work, generally up to 6 months post-disaster: child crisis care, medical relief, and relief aid distribution of essentials goods.

Principal Considerations

• Partnership with local churches and agencies - Volunteer crisis relief worker send by the Church will work along side with local church and agencies by providing support and assistance.
• Selection of Partner Relief Agencies - The crisis relief team should preferably partner with Christian relief agencies that are experienced, credible, well established and approved by the Church.
• Level of Partnership in Relief Work - Partnership in relief work with local churches and agencies will be up to early rehabilitation and re-construction phases
• Selection & Screen of Volunteer Relief Workers – Criteria to be considered are;
  • Emotional maturity and ability to withstand trauma
  • Physical health – relatively healthy and able to endure sleepless nights, poor conditions and probable stress on the body
  • Spiritual maturity – maturity in spiritual walk and has sound doctrinal background
    • Spiritual covering
    • Submission to team leadership
    • Prayer covering
  • Professional qualification in specialized relief work
  • Training/experience in Crisis Relief
  • References – Pastors/PTMers/LCEC
  • Psychological assessment, if necessary
  • Regular Wesley Church attendance for at least 6 months
  • Application form approved and accepted by the committee
• Volunteer’s Safety - Volunteers’ health and safety are of paramount concern and it will precede any relief project.
• Types of Aid – Aid can be broadly classified into 3 distinct means; (a) Providing trained & skilled personnel for very specialized projects, (b) Providing cash and (c) Providing relief aid such as food supplies and specific materials. There is a need to identify what type and level of aid CRW can support and provide in the different phases in the event of a disaster.
• Core Values – Partnership in relief work with local churches and agencies will be up to early rehabilitation and re-construction phases.
  • We are Christians (prayer, Bible-centred, kingdom advance, reconciliation, uphold Christian principles, intercessions, integrity, humility, personal testimony)
  • Commitment to poor and needy and suffering regardless of background (race, language, religion)
  • Response/Ready and responsive
  • Flexibility & Adaptability
  • Care and value people entering their world, cultural sensitivity
  • Service, teamwork, safety of members/stewards
  • Evangelical, protestant/non-religious relief organizations partnership eg. World Vision, CREST, CRS, Red Cross, TRAC, CAC