DOTAC (DIAKONIA of the Americas and Caribbean)

This was a wonderful week of learning, catching up with friends and meeting new friends. It was held in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Ann Blane

Ben and Charlotte

Cultural night - dancers

Louise Williams - Opening Ceremony 

Preacher - opening service 

Sr Ruthild and Sr Arlete

Ted Dodd and Lisa Polito

meals

Diakonia Philippines

Diakonia Philippines is hosting the 17th National Biennial Assembly at Siliman University, starting at 6pm on October 26th, continuing until October 30th. Please uphold this gathering in your prayers, including Emma Cantor, Regional President, DIAKONIA Asia-Pacific.

Philippines - yet another typhoon

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos have been displaced by Typhoon Koppu, the second strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year. The Philippines endures about 20 major storms a year, many of them deadly. 

Now, heavy rain has lashed the typhoon-hit areas, where 22 people have been killed. Nearly 300,000 people have been affected. The floods are as high as rooftops in some of the nation's most important rice and corn farming regions in Luzon. More than 200 villages have been flooded, with some areas more than a metre under water. Weather forecasters have warned that the typhoon could cut back onto the far northern edge of Luzon on Wednesday morning after picking up more water in the South China Sea.  

The churches in Northern and Central Luzon are deeply affected and devastated by this typhoon. DAP regional President Emma Cantor and Diakonia Philippines, along with the social service agencies of the churches and NGOs, are collectively engaged in supporting those who have been affected by the typhoon.

DOTAC Conference - participants arriving for day 1

It's great to see Facebook lighting up with photos posted by Dionata Rodriquez de Oliveira and Arlene Prochnow, who are welcoming the DOTAC Conference participants as they arrive.
Please uphold in prayer the DOTAC Conference, and the Regional President Lisa Polito, and Ingrit Vogt, as they offer leadership for the conference.

Participants are gradually arriving in Porto Alegro for the DOTAC Conference which begins tomorrow (October 21). It was a pleasure to share dinner at Hotel Embaixador with three new friends - Linda and Shirley (Presbyterian Church, Canada), and Jamie (Episcopalian Church, LA).
The DOTAC Central Committee has been meeting since Friday to conduct its business and to make plans.

Shirley, Sandy, Jamie and Linda

SOLI DAY in Fiji

The Methodist Deaconesses in Fiji held a SOLI DAY on October 10th, to prepare for their Golden Jubilee Celebration to be celebrated on  February 10, 2017. The purpose of the SOLI DAY was to raise funds to build a Double Storey Buiding at the Deaconess house in Samabula. Each of the Deaconesses has been invited to contribute financially, as well as all ministers in the Methodist Church in Fiji. A grand total of $28,393 was raised for the new building at the Deaconess Training Centre. More photos on Facebook here.