The generosity of God’s people always leaves me in awe, and 2023 was no exception. Over the last 12 months, God’s people, through Good Works, have aided many around the world.

Mexico

On Oct. 25, 2023, Hurricane Otis made landfall in Acapulco, Mexico. Many homes and businesses have been destroyed. The relief efforts are ongoing in this devastated area, but Good Works has been able to furnish immediate funds to help cover the costs of transporting goods. We will continue to raise funds to help the brethren recover from this brutal storm.

Southern Malawi

Known as the “Warm Heart of Africa,” Malawi was ravaged by the unusual weather pattern of Cyclone Freddy that crisscrossed back and forth across the country. With the funds raised we were able to help 16 families rebuild their homes or find suitable accommodations. And more recently we sent food aid for nearly 100 people whose gardens/farms were aff ected by the severe weather.

Kadoma, Zimbabwe

The economic situation in Zimbabwe has continued to decline, and rapid and significant rises in inflation have caused costs to surge dramatically, making it very difficult to secure a suitable Feast location. Good Works provided funds to purchase and develop land in Zimbabwe to provide a safe location to gather to worship God. So far, a well has been drilled, a fence built to surround the property, and a bathroom block has been built. We pray the property is a benefit to the brethren for years to come.

Visakhapatnam, India

On July 23, 2023, the Women’s Empowerment Center in Visakhapatnam, India, caught fire, destroying all the equipment and supplies inside. The Center was established in 2019 to provide training and work opportunities for poor women in the region. Having successfully trained 80 people, the Center had been a successful venture; the loss was devastating. Good Works provided the funds to replace the equipment and some of the supplies, while insurance covered the cost of repairing the building.

South Africa

The second year of rebuilding the South Africa camp program is (at the time of writing) underway, with two excellent volunteers joining the South African camp team and project coordinator, Ben Light.

Migori, Kenya

The Migori, Kenya congregation has a meeting hall that needed some updates, as well as the construction of a kitchen area. These upgrades will benefit the congregation for years to come, especially during the Holy Days and camp when the brethren meet together for an extended period of time. Included in the upgrades was the purchase of essential items specific to the Feast and camp: blankets and mattresses for the brethren to use.

Portsmouth, Ohio

Scioto County (where the Portsmouth, Ohio, congregation is located) has a poverty rate of 26.5 percent (the fourth highest in the state). Understanding this situation, the Portsmouth congregation endeavored to provide two outlets for the community: a free library (filled with traditional reading material and Church literature) and a food pantry (filled with nonperishable items). Good Works provided the funds to purchase two “mini libraries” as well as the start-up supplies of books and nonperishable items. The local congregation provided the volunteers to build the two “libraries” as well as the responsibility to maintain the books and food supplies going forward.

Cotonou, Benin

After three years of delays due to COVID-19, a youth camp was finally held in Cotonou, Benin. Good Works sponsored the camp and provided two volunteers to support the local staff and project coordinator, Werner Solorzano. Hailing from the United States and Madagascar, the two volunteers provided unique perspectives for the 27 campers present.

You can watch a video overview of this beautiful camp here: https://www.ucg.org/members/news/benin-camp-video-2023.

Bangladesh

In a terrible turn of events, an angry mob of about 200 villagers attacked members of the Bangladesh congregation! With a predominantly Hindu and Muslim population, life is very challenging for the brethren/prospective brethren in this area of Bangladesh, as they face hostilities for choosing to follow God rather than the beliefs of those around them. These hostilities turned violent on Dec. 1, 2023, when three members were beaten by an angry mob. Thankfully the police have become involved in the situation and are willing to protect our members from further violence. In an effort to quell hostilities, Good Works has begun collecting funds to provide a well (that will be open to community members during daylight hours) along with a fence around the property and well to protect it from vandals in the night.