A GREAT FAMINE in anAfrican country some years agoresulted in many people dying.Some said that it was ajudgement of God upon thiscountry because thegovernment persecuted thechurch. In Ezekiel 14:12-20 we

have a very clear example ofdisaster seen as a judgementfrom God. Are earthquakes,floods and famines a judgementof God? Unless God has revealedhimself in a prophetic way wedo not know whether they areGod’s judgement or not. Weshould be careful of saying anydisaster is a judgement. Even ifit is, it should not affect ourcompassion to those who sufferas a result.In the Old Testament some disasters –the flood, the tower of Babel, Sodomand Gomorrah – are indeed ajudgement from God. But many otherdisasters in the Bible – such as thefamine in Egypt at the time of Joseph –are not seen as God’s judgement, just anatural event.

We cannot claim an easy explanationfor each disaster. Instead we shouldseek God’s purposes in each differentsituation. Look at Nehemiah, forexample. He did not rush in to buildthe walls of Jerusalem. First he askedGod, ‘Where are you in all this? Whydid this happen and what should wedo?’ Do we really spend time with thepeople affected and think throughtogether why this disaster hashappened? In each situation we mustask God for his purpose in this event.

Why do disastersoccur?

IN THIS ISSUE

• The Church and Disasters

• Letters

• The Emergency Quiz

• The ABC of first aid

• What makes a disaster?

• How to prevent a seconddisaster

• Resources

• Seed-saving ideas

• Who expects what incommunity participation?

• Coping with stress

by Vinay Samuel, Ian Davis and Mike Wall

FOOTSTEPSWHEN DISASTER STRIKES…No.18 MARCH 1994

2 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

The church must also be careful not toexploit a disaster situation. ‘If youdon’t repent of your sins and turn toChrist then God will punish you withanother disaster.’ This was themessage of an Indian evangelistpreaching in a village in AndhraPradesh following a serious cyclone.Unless God has clearly revealed hisactions to his Church, no Christianleader ever has the authority todeclare that a particular disaster is ajudgement from God.

Good can come out of disastersituations. For example, as a result ofthe drought in Israel and theMiddle East, Joseph wasmade ruler of Egypt and

brought the Hebrews into Egyptwhere they settled and grew innumbers. In Acts 16:16-40 theearthquake in Philippi offered anopportunity for Paul to share hisbeliefs – the jailer and his family wereconverted and Paul was freed thefollowing day. In the New Testament,disaster often gave the Christians achance to share with one another andwith non-believers.

God is all-powerful and can bringgood even out of the tragedy of adisaster, whether it was a judgementon sin or a natural event.

FOOTSTEPSISSN 0962-2861

Footsteps is a quarterly paper linking healthand development workers worldwide. TearFund, publisher of Footsteps, hopes that it willprovide the stimulus of new ideas andenthusiasm. It is a way of encouragingChristians of all nations as they work togethertowards creating wholeness in ourcommunities.

Footsteps is free of charge to individualsworking to promote health and development.It is available in English, French, Portugueseand Spanish. Donations are welcomed.

Readers are invited to contribute views,articles, letters and photos.

Editor: Isabel Carter83 Market Place, South Cave, Brough,N Humberside, HU15 2AS, UK.Tel/Fax 0430 422065

Language Editor: Maria Leake

Editorial Committee:Jerry Adams, Dr Ann Ashworth, MikeCarter, Jennie Collins, Bill Crooks, JenniferEvans, Richard Franceys, George Goddard,Sue Hanley, Suleiman Jakonda, Dr TedLankester, Sandra Michie, Nigel Poole, JimRowland, José Smith, John Wibberley

Illustrator: Rod Mill

Design: Wingfinger Graphics, Leeds

Translation:Alison Coz, Totoya Dew, Helen Machin,Nicole Mauriange

Mailing List:Write, giving brief details of your work andstating preferred language, to: FootstepsMailing List, Tear Fund, 100 Church Road,Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8QE, UK. Tel:081 977 9144

Articles and illustrations from Footsteps maybe adapted for use in training materialsencouraging health and rural developmentprovided the materials are distributed free ofcharge and that credit is given to Footsteps,Tear Fund.

Published by Tear Fund. A company limitedby guarantee. Regd in England No 994339.Regd Charity No 265464.

SCARCELY A WEEK GOES BY without us hearing of some kind ofdisaster on the news – earthquakes, coups, flooding, drought, civilwar, dreadful accidents. None of us knows what the future may holdor where disaster may strike next. In this issue we look at a variety ofthoughts and ideas which may help all of us to be better prepared tocope in difficult situations. The section which checks our knowledgeof first aid is one we all need to read. How useful are we inemergencies? All of us face stress or temptations at some time, and thearticles by Mike Wall and others give very practical advice on coping.Ian Davis explains how disaster and the following relief and re-building work can be seen as a cycle. He urges churches to helpcommunities to be better prepared should disaster strike.

Following the helpful article in Issue 15 on whether community healthprogrammes are simply community located or community controlled,Ben Osuga contributes to this discussion with an article on how todevelop real community participation. Although he is discussinghealth programmes, his arguments apply to any kind of communitywork – agriculture, forestry, water etc.

Future issues will look at TB and AIDS, environmental issues,extension/training and appropriate technology. Do write in with anyviews or experiences which you would like to share on these issues.

We welcome Portuguese readers to Footsteps with this issue. If youwould prefer to receive issues in Portuguese, please let the FootstepsMailing List know – the address is in the box on the left of this page.

RELIEF WORK

FROM THE EDITOR

3FOOTSTEPS NO.18

EACH DISASTER bringsindividual stories of great tragedyand human suffering. How is thechurch to respond to such need?Every church should be involvedin providing relief for those whosuffer – in whatever way. In thebook of Acts, the early church inAntioch provides a good modelfor all churches to follow. Whenthe famine in Judea took place,every believer in Antioch …eachaccording to his ability, decided toprovide help for the brothers living inJudea.

In some countries the church is uniquelyplaced to provide effective relief in timesof disaster. Churches may be nearby andable to act quickly in the affected areas.Church leaders are usually reliable andable to identify those in greatest need inthe community. After the reliefoperation the local church provides apermanent focus for follow-up. Reliefagencies can come and go, but the localchurch remains.

The churches’ involvement in relief can be a powerful witnessto those around. When the gospel is put into practice

during relief work, many may respond to the Christianfaith. However, Christian

groups need to be verysensitive to this issue. It is

very easy to encourage‘rice Christians’ – thosewho believe that bysaying they have

become Christians theywill receive more help and

RELIEF WORK

TheChurchandDisastersby Jun Vencer

Three case studies…IN ZIMBABWE one group preachedand sang Christian songs topeople before food distributiontook place. Something of afestival atmosphere was created,as the local people weresympathetic to Christian beliefs.

IN ARMENIA relief parcels weredistributed to displaced people inhostel accommodation without anyoutward form of evangelism takingplace. There was also no literaturedisplayed. In this situation, theirapproach helped people to keep theirdignity – particularly as some didnot agree with their beliefs.

for food. They are also challenged to acceptnew ideas. The war has destroyed so muchthat they are willing to start afresh. I believeGod is challenging me to obey him and startfarming again, this time in the way that thevillage people farm – maybe we can be builtup again together from nothing.

Revd Musa JambawaiRURCON CounsellorSierra Leone

Rebuilding from nothing

The war in Sierra Leone in 1992 destroyedso many lives and so much property. Butthrough these events, the Lord is teachingus many things as we are faced with agreat number of challenges. I used to havemachines for farming, all of which havebeen lost. Jesus has been challenging me:‘Were you depending on those tools, thatequipment, and worshipping them insteadof me?’

As a result of the traumatic events I havebecome very much attached to the people –they see that my interest in them is genuinesince I stood with them during their time ofdifficulty. This makes them eager to workwith me and I am challenged to continueliving and working with them. The challengeto me is to stay with the people whether ornot my employer keeps paying me a salary.

People are responding to the challenge towork harder because now they have nothingother than their own efforts on which to rely

IN BOSNIA, food and other reliefgoods are made available tocommunity groups who then managethe distribution themselves. Thesegroups may be secular, Catholic orMuslim – evangelistic outreach isnot part of the distribution.However, Christian literature anddaily Bible reading notes are printedby this organisation these are madeavailable to any contacts in theleadership of the community groups.Although the relief distribution andliterature work are quite separate,they work together as two aspectsof outreach to the whole person –practical and spiritual.

…and a letter

food. The gospel should not bepreached to captive audiences – forexample, people queuing for help in amission hospital or waiting to receivefood aid. God’s desire is for willingdisciples.

The church has a social responsibilityto help needy people in the name ofJesus Christ. In disaster situations thecaring actions of Christians will oftenspeak louder than words.

4 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

Competition WinnerEPI Geneva offered a set of Immunizationin Practice booklets as a prize for readerswho could spot the missed opportunity forimmunization on the health card on page 3of Footsteps No.14. We are pleased toannounce that the winner is SimonAhiataku, of Enyan Abaasa, Ghana, whowas chosen at random from those readerswho correctly spotted the missed oppor-tunity for the mother to receive her thirdbooster of tetanus toxoid vaccine.

Sticky pesticide!I HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED someback issues of Footsteps and was veryinterested in all the correspondenceabout the use of neem as a pesticideand would like to add a further pieceof information.

I am currently working in Cross RiverState, Nigeria, in the rain forest beltand one of the wettest places in theworld. Here, one of the problems isthat neem pesticide is soon washed offby the rain. However, it has beenfound that by breaking up pods ofTetrapleura tetraptera and boiling thepieces, a mucus-like liquid is formed.When mixed with the neem pesticide,this helps to ‘stick’ it onto the crops forthree to six weeks. I include a diagramof the distinctive seed pod, (about 150

cm long) – often known as four cornersor four sides – to help people see if theyhave it in their area. If it is not present,why not try using another plant whichis able to produce the same sort ofsticky substance?

I am thoroughly enjoying Footstepsand hope to make good use of it in mywork.

Justine DunnCalabar, Nigeria

LETTERS

Rabbits for healthy dietsOUR WORK is mainly concerned withthe nutrition of children under five inNicaragua and Honduras. We try toencourage vegetable production andsmall livestock – mainly goats andrabbits. We now help over 800projects. The rabbit dens are madewith local materials. People feed therabbits with local food – bananaleaves, bananas, vegetable left-overs,etc. Each family needs four or fivefemale rabbits plus a male rabbit toensure at least one plate of meat aweek. The skins are also sold. At firstit was hard to convince people todrink goat’s milk – but now manypeople like it.

We find Footsteps very helpful andwould like more copies to share withour groups.

J Francisco J ZapataPROVIDENICApdo 5051, ManaguaNicaragua

Reducing our need forchemical fertilisersI RECENTLY COMPARED the yieldof maize using poultry manure andchemical fertiliser on an acre of myland. I divided the plot into two anddug in poultry manure on one half(Plot A) and prepared the other plot(B) where I planned to use NPKfertiliser. Then I planted maize seedthe same day. Two weeks aftergermination I applied NPK fertiliserusing the ring method to Plot B.

Both plots grew well and looked alike.When the maize matured I harvestedeach plot separately. Again, I wantedto avoid the use of chemicals in

storage and knew that it was thereforevery important to dry the cobs well. Itied cobs together in pairs and hungthem in the branches of a large tree infront of my house.

The plot which was given NPK fertilisergave a yield of 325 kg per half acre. Theplot which received poultry manuregave a yield of 311 kg per half acre.Because the grains were dried well, Ihad no pest damage during storage.

The high cost of fertiliser in Nigeria hasmade it almost impossible for small-scale farmers to buy it. Why don’t welaunch a strong campaign to encouragefarmers to use organic manure whenthe yields from its use are comparableto chemical fertilisers? When roasted,maize grown with organic manuretastes better. The same applies to cropslike yam which store better if grownwith organic manure. Organic manureimproves the soil structure as well.

Jepshi M YonbishBoys’ BrigadePO Box 9, YabaLagos, Nigeria.

Jepshi M Yonbishdrying maize cobs

outside his home inLagos, Nigeria.

THE EDITORFOOTSTEPS83 MARKET PLACE

SOUTH CAVEBROUGHN. HUMBERSIDE

HU15 2AS

5FOOTSTEPS NO.18

HEALTH

ALL OF US have probably experienced a real emergency atsome time in our lives – situations when we wonder how best tohelp and no-one else nearby knows what to do. Most emergencysituations will need medical help. However, what we do in thefirst few minutes before expert medical help arrives may be ofhuge importance. Making the wrong decisions may sometimesmean the difference between life and death. Sometimes there maybe no medical help available for several hours. The followingsituations allow all of us to check on just how helpful wewould be in an emergency…

b) gently push the bones back into place beforewrapping the leg firmly to prevent movement?

c) cover the injury and tie the legs gently to astick or board to prevent movement?

4 You find a man lying by the roadside. Youfind he is bleeding badly from two large

bullet wounds in his leg. You have no transport.Should you…

a) press clean cloths directly into the woundsuntil the bleeding stops?

b) tie a tourniquet above the wounds to stop thebleeding?

c) try to remove the bullets?

5 Driving along the road, you discover anaccident. A car has overturned, trapping

two people underneath. They are unconsciousand the engine is cool. There is a governmentclinic with a doctor, ten minutes’ drive away.Should you…

a) with help, carefully turn the vehicle over torelease the two people and then get help?

b) drive straight to the clinic and get the doctor?

c) check that both are still breathing and loosenany tight clothing, before driving to get adoctor?

6 A friend is repairing his roof. Suddenly theladder breaks and he falls to the ground. He

lands on his head in an awkward position and isunconscious. The nearest hospital is one hour’swalk away. Should you…

a) straighten him into a comfortable position andcheck his breathing before running for help?

b) ensure that no-one moves him, check hisbreathing and then run for help?

c) lift him gently onto a door and take him tohospital?

7 A lady has been bitten on her leg by apoisonous snake. She is convinced she will

die. The nearest hospital where they may haveanti-snakebite venom is two hours’ drive away.Should you…

a) reassure the lady that less than half ofpoisonous snakebites cause death and invitemembers of the church to pray with her?

b) apply a tourniquet above the bite and cut openthe bite to suck out the poison?

c) wrap the leg firmly with cloth or bandages andattach a splint to prevent it moving – then setoff to hospital?

1 While walking along, you discover a manlying by the side of the path. He is

unconscious but seems otherwise unhurt.There is no-one else around. Should you…

a) avoid touching him in case he has aninfectious illness and run quickly to get help?

b) stay with him until he becomes conscious?

c) check his breathing and move him into a safeposition in case he vomits and then get help?

2 When walking down a street, you hearscreaming. A young child has fallen into

the fire. Both hands and arms are obviouslybadly burnt. Should you…

a) cover the burnt skin with oil or ghee?

b) put the arms into a bowl of clean water ?

c) wrap the arms in a clean cloth and take thechild to a clinic?

3 A child has fallen out of a tree. One leghas obviously been broken and the bones

can be seen through the damaged skin. Beforecarrying the child to a clinic, should you…

a) wrap the leg in a clean blanket?

Write down your answers beforeturning the page to find out whatshould have been done…

THE

EMERGENCY QUIZ!Compiled by Isabel Carter, Bessie Cormack, Dr Elizabeth Swain, Sue Hanley and Sandra Michie

6 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

HEALTH

1. The unconscious manWhen a person is unconsciousremember the ABC of first aid – seenext page. First check that the personis breathing and that their pulse is OK.Move them into the recovery positionwhich will prevent them from chokingif they vomit. Then it is safe to run forhelp. By staying with the patient youwould at least be able to stop themfrom choking but they may needurgent medical help.

2. The child in the fireBurns should always be treated byimmediate soaking in clean water (orother fluid – eg: milk, cola – if nowater is available). This relieves thepain and reduces damage by coolingthe skin. Never apply any cream orgrease. Never try and pull off loosepieces of skin or clothing. Remove anyrings (watches, shoes, etc) from theinjured area before it begins to swell.

3. The broken legFractures to limbs should be tiedfirmly to a support to prevent any

movement before the patient is carriedto a clinic or hospital. Never try andpush bones back into place as youmay cause a lot of damage to the flesh.

4. The bullet woundsBleeding can best bestopped by putting a firm

pressure onto the wound

for about15 minutes. Neveruse a tourniquet. If possible, raise thebleeding leg to help lessen the bloodflow.

5. The car crashUnless the accident has just takenplace, it is very dangerous to releasevictims without a doctor beingpresent. Crush injuries need expert

medical care. After about half an hourthe blood pressure in the trappedbody may be so high that simplyremoving the weight may be enoughto cause death.

6. The fall from the roofNever, ever move someone whoseems to have injured their neck or

back – unless their life isin immediate danger. The damagecaused by any movement may causefurther injury and possible paralysisfor the rest of the person’s life.However, if there is no alternative butto carry the patient to hospital, usetwo or three helpers to lift him gently– without changing the position of hishead – onto a door. Tie the patient sohe cannot move, and secure his headwith pillows to prevent anymovement and carry him withoutjolting.

7. The snakebiteMovement makes the snake venomtravel faster around the body. Tie theleg firmly with cloths and attach to asplint to prevent any movement,before taking the patient for treatment.Use ice if it is available, to cool the leg.However, in situations where medicalsupport is so far away, it is just asimportant to reassure and calm thepatient. In this situation the idealwould be a) followed by c).

THE

EMERGENCY QUIZ!

Question 1 a) 0 b) 1 c) 3

Question 2 a) 0 b) 3 c) 1

Question 3 a) 0 b) 0 c) 3

Question 4 a) 3 b) 0 c) 0

Question 5 a) 0 b) 2 c) 3

Question 6 a) 0 b) 3 c) 0

Question 7 a) 2 b) 0 c) 3

If you scored 18 or more – you are anexcellent person to have around in anemergency.

Scores of 12–18 mean that you havesome understanding of how to help inemergencies but should learn more aboutfirst aid.

Scores of less than 12 mean that yourefforts to help may do more harm thangood. Learn about first aid proceduresnow!

How didyou score?

How todo it right!

7FOOTSTEPS NO.18

A AirwayThe airway of an unconscious personmay be narrowed or blocked, makingbreathing difficult and noisy orimpossible. This happens when thetongue drops back and blocks thethroat. Lifting the chin and tilting the

head back lifts the tongue away fromthe entrance to the air passage. Placetwo fingers under the point of theperson’s chin and lift the jaw, whileplacing your other hand on theforehead and tilting the head wellback. If you think the neck may beinjured, tilt the head very carefully,just enough to open the airway.

B BreathingCheck for breathing by placing yourhead near the person’s nose andmouth. Feel for breath on your cheekor moisture on the back of your hand.

HEALTH

The ABC offirst aid

If a person has just stopped breathinguse mouth to mouth ventilation.Make sure the airway is open andhead tilted back. Pinch the nostrilstogether, take a deep breath and blowinto the mouth, firmly sealing yourlips around the mouth so air is notlost. You should see the chest rise.

Remove your lips and let the chest fall.Continue this, giving about tenbreaths every minute until helparrives or breathing begins.

C CirculationCheck for circulation (to see if theheart is still beating) by feeling for theAdam’s apple (lump on the windpipe)with two fingers. Slide the fingers tothe side of the windpipe and feelfor the pulse. If the heart hasstopped beating use chestcompression to try to restartthe heart. Place your hand flatjust above the point where the ribsmeet the breastbone. Bring the otherhand on top of it and lock your fingerstogether. With your arms straight,press down firmly on the breastbone,pushing it down by 4–5 cm. Releasethe pressure and repeat thecompressions at a rate of about 80 perminute. If theperson is alsonot breathing,alternate 15compressionswith two breathsuntil help arrives.

Stop bleeding by applying firmpressure to the wound for about 15minutes. Never use a tourniquet.

The Recovery PositionThis is the best position for anunconscious person or someonehaving a fit. It allows them to breatheeasily and prevents them fromchoking. After checking the ABC,bend the nearest arm to you, puttingthe hand by the head. Then bring thefar arm across the chest and hold bothhands in one of yours. With yourother hand pull the furthest leg up atthe knee and roll the person towardsyou to lie in this position.

The priorities of first aidare…

A AIRWAY

B BREATHING

C CIRCULATION(and bleeding)

Only then look at burnsand broken bones.

Try out the positions for all these first aidprocedures now with a friend. Better still,join a first aid class if any are available. StJohn’s Ambulance have many groupsaround the world. One day your knowledgeof first aid may save a life!

First things firstIn an emergency any number ofthings may need your attention atthe same time. If you try to doeverything at once you may easilyget distracted from the essentialmatters. On arriving at the scene…

1 Assess the situation■ Take in quickly what has

happened■ Look for dangers to yourself

and to the casualty■ Make the area safe

2 Assess casualties■ An unconscious person always

takes priority and needsimmediate help to make surehe or she can breathe

■ Only then should you begin toassess any injuries

8 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

The natural hazard is often blamedfor the disaster but, in fact, the realcause may be that the people werepoor and unprotected. Many poorpeople know that they are living inareas with a high risk of, for example,regular flooding or earthquakes.Often they simply cannot afford tolive anywhere else.They have no choice butto take these risks.

Understanding the realcauses of disasters helpsus to realise how situationscould be improved throughappropriate support anddevelopment programmes. The idealsituation is shown in the diagrambelow – balanced communitydevelopment has resulted in aprotected environment with strongerhousing and buildings and a healthylocal economy. There are alsoprotection measures such as wind-breaks, flood control measures and anearly warning system which providesat least 24 hours’ warning of likelycyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes etc.

No measures can ever fully protectagainst all possibilities but theseideas, if put into practice, wouldbring huge benefits. Relief

Once a disaster has taken place, the firstconcern is effective relief – helping allthose affected to recover from theimmediate effects of the disaster. This isknown as relief work and includesproviding food, clothing, shelter andmedical care to the victims. Relief worktakes place immediately after thedisaster – usually for several weeks.With disasters such as droughts, it maylast several months or even years.

RELIEF WORK

NATURAL EVENTS such asearthquakes and floods arepart of God’s creative work.For example, earthquakes arenatural events that help toform the landscape. Hurricanesmove water from warm seas tofall as rain over land. Floodsprovide irrigation and fertilisethe land by leaving silt.Natural events should not beseen as always negative – theyare part of God’s creation.

Natural events only become potentialhazards when they threaten peopleor property. An earthquake willcause little damage if it takes place inan empty desert. It may also causelittle damage if it takes place in a citylike San Francisco, where people canafford to be well protected. A naturalevent only causes serious damagewhen it affects an area where thepeople are at risk and poorlyprotected. Disasters occur when thesetwo factors are brought together…

• people living in unsafe conditions

• a natural hazard such as a flood,hurricane or earthquake.

WHAT MA DISA

by Ian

Fragile physical environment• dangerous locations• dangerous buildings and

infrastructure• deforestation upriver

Fragile local economy• livelihoods at risk• low income levels

• earthquake• high wind• flooding• volcanic eruption• landslide• drought

UNSAFE CONDITIONS NATURAL EVENT

Protected environment• safe locations for

buildings• strong, safe buildings• reforestation

Strong local economy• increase low incomes

• early warningsystems

• wind-breaks toprotect housing

• flood control• irrigation

SAFER CONDITIONS REDUCED RISKS

DISASTER

CONTROLLEDSITUATION

• no loss of life• no casualties• restricted damage

Components of a disaster…

Minimising disaster…

THE RECOVERY PROCESS

Risk reductionFood storage in Egypt (Genesis 41:34–36)

RestorationRestoring mortgaged land (Ruth 4:1–12)

RebuildingRebuilding of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:15)

R E C O

P R O T E

ThDisa

Cy

9FOOTSTEPS NO.18

IT IS NOT SIMPLY ENOUGH torespond to the immediate disaster.Attention needs to be given topreparing for any future disasters.This process is known as protection –enabling the community to protectitself. All protection measures need tobe available to those most at risk – thepoorest in the community.

Risk reductionThis phase follows on from rebuilding.It describes things which will help toreduce the risks of damage fromsimilar events in the future. Forexample, this phase could include thebuilding of walls to prevent floodingor including safety features intohouses to strengthen them againstcollapse during future earthquakes. Itcould include building grain stores tostore surplus food during good years.Many actions in developmentprogrammes could also be thought ofas risk reduction.

PreparednessThere is a close link between riskreduction and preparedness. Riskreduction involves helping to reducethe risks faced by the community.Preparedness helps the community tobe able to cope better should anotherdifficult situation develop.Preparedness includes planningmeasures such as making anevacuation plan for a communityliving near a possible source offlooding. It could include leadershiptraining or community participationin planting windbreaks.

There is often a tendency forChristian groups to offer help just atthe relief phase. However, thedisaster cycle shows that the variousphases are linked together and are allimportant in responding to a disaster.Unfortunately, many groups do notenter the disaster cycle until thedisaster has occurred. If these groupshad started instead at the riskreduction phase, they could havebeen working together to reduce theharmful effects of a disaster evenbefore it happened. In a similar way,it is better to use health education toprevent ill health from developing,instead of waiting until seriousillness develops. Prevention is betterthan cure.

This article is adapted from material inthe manual Christian Perspectives onDisaster Management. Ian Davis is theManaging Director of the Oxford Centrefor Disaster Studies – PO Box 137,Oxford, UK – with 20 years’ experiencein disaster management, disaster shelterand in training and consultancy work.

CASE STUDYIn the Rimac Valley, Peru, a group knownas PIEVAR has encouraged communitygroups to build river defences and to pre-vent deforestation, overgrazing and soilerosion in the upper valleys of rivers.People are now more effectively protectedfrom mudslides (huaicos) and flooding –which previously caused much damageand loss of life.

RestorationThis phase involves helping to restorethe basic services which the people needso that they can return to the pattern oflife which they had before the disaster.For example: providing seeds forfarmers or helping businesses to restart.

RebuildingThis is linked to restoration. It involvesthe rebuilding of homes and businesses.Safety is important in the design ofstronger buildings, able to withstandfuture disasters.

Earthquake■ strengthen all new

buildings – tie roofs,walls and found-ations together withmetal or timber bars

■ build strongchurches – peopleoften gather inchurches forprotection – alsoschools

■ build squarebuildings

Drought■ irrigation■ soil erosion

measures■ water-harvesting

measures■ grain stores

Tropical storm■ plant wind-breaks of

trees and bushes■ tie roofs down with

ropes and heavyweights

■ build strong buildings

Floods■ water storage

measures■ overflow channels■ sandbags in door■ build farm stores on

high ground■ don’t put electric

sockets at ground level■ plan escape route

through roof■ plant flood-tolerant

crops eg: sorghum

THE PROTECTION PROCESS

Some practical measures…

MAKESSTER?Davis

PreparednessNoah building the ark (Genesis 6:13–22)

Disaster eventeg: earthquakes (Zechariah 14:5,Revelation 16:18, Luke 2:10–11)

ReliefFood aid to Judea (Acts 11:27–30)

O V E R Y

E C T I O

N

heasterycle

10 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

Temptations andpressuresThis story serves to illustrate aproblem which is becoming all toocommon as disasters and faminesbecome more frequent. Relief agenciesneed trustworthy and capable peopleto oversee the distribution of aid. Thechurches ‘lend’ their best people. Butfor various reasons, some of these donot come through the test well. Whatare the reasons for this?

First, the temptations and pressuresare enormous. The poorly paidworker suddenly has great resourcesat his disposal. There is also pressurefrom the rich and powerful who wishto buy the goods which are intendedfor free distribution. They may makethreats, offer bribes or simplypersuade the worker to give themwhat they want.

Secondly, such workers feel theirresponsibility towards their ownfamilies. Relatives beg for a bit extra.How can they neglect their ownpeople? Does not the Bible tell us toprovide for our own families?

Thirdly, church members may ask forextra help. Should we not help ourChristian brothers and sisters?

Working with wisdomThe weight of these and otherpressures may be enormous – toomuch for most people to bear ontheir own. So what can be doneto prevent this? An oldproverb says, ‘The greatest

RELIEF WORK

BROTHER LAL (not his realname) was perhaps the

most outstanding Christianworker in the whole region –very committed to his work,active in preaching andteaching in several villages andmost reliable.During the famine, the Bishop wasasked if a trusted member of hischurches might help with distributionof food and clothing to the needy. Itwas an easy decision. Brother Lalwould take charge and make sure allwas done fairly and openly.

After a few months the Bishop beganto hear worrying reports. Villagersfrom one location complained that noclothes reached them. Several peoplecommented that Brother Lal wasextending his house and had bought ashop! How did he do that on his poorsalary? An aid official reported thattins of meat, donated by hisorganisation, were on sale in themarket.

On the wrong trackTo cut a long story short,instead of serving God, full timetrading is now Brother Lal’smain priority. The Bishopvery much regrets the loss ofa fine worker who cannoteasily be replaced. He also worriesabout Lal, personally and spiritually.

The first disaster (famine) helpedproduce a second disaster (for thechurch and for Brother Lal).

evil is the corruption of the best.’ Iwould encourage church leaders toconsider the following…

■ Be cautious in providing workersfor relief work. The apostles clearlysaw that those with great gifts ofpreaching and prayer should not bediverted from their calling to do workthat others could do (Acts 6:1-7). If,after prayer, it seems right for churchstaff to become involved, be sure tochoose wisely.

■ Those chosen to help should beequipped with adequate training (forexample, in administration, record-keeping and communication), orprovided with suitably skilled peopleto work with them. Teamwork is lessrisky than depending on one person!

■ State in writing the responsibilitiesand duties of all concerned, so that allknow their responsibilities.

■ Encourage openness and frequentreporting. Reports and accountingshould be open to examination, notonly by church and relief agencyofficials, but also by the community.

■ Support the workers by prayer andvisiting. Take an interest in their work.If suspicions arise, discuss themopenly with the people concerned, butwithout judging before the facts areclear. Sometimes those who haveremained faithful despite enormous

HOW TO PREVENTA SECONDDISASTER

11FOOTSTEPS NO.18

RELIEF WORK

temptations can be terriblydiscouraged by false accusations andlack of trust.

Preparing for theunexpectedSo often the church is thrust into reliefwork without a chance to prepare forit – disasters usually occur withoutmuch warning! But staff can betrained to be better administrators, toknow how to keep records andaccounts, to learn how to leadmeetings and to be open andaccountable. Investment by churches

Read Genesis Chapter 41. Joseph, who was in prison at thetime, was called to interpret some vivid dreams of thePharaoh. His explanation of what God was saying throughthese dreams was so convincing that Pharaoh put him incharge of Egypt. Joseph organised the storage of all surplusgrain during the seven years of good harvests. He askedthat one fifth of each year’s harvest should be required fromfarmers and stored on behalf of the government. The grainwas stored in warehouses in nearby cities.

At the beginning of the drought, the warehouses wereopened and people allowed to buy grain. As the situationgot worse, livestock, labour and land were accepted inexchange for grain (Genesis 47:13-21). People fromneighbouring countries were allowed to buy grain too(Genesis 42:1-5).

At the end of the seven years of drought, Joseph gave seedto people for planting. Because all the land in Egypt nowbelonged to Pharaoh, Joseph asked that a tax of one fifth ofthe crops produced should be given to Pharaoh. Theremaining four fifths of the harvest belonged to the people.

Key points■ Joseph had the skills of good management. He wasguided by God and so able to plan carefully, and to predictwhat was likely to happen. In order to carry out his clearplanning, he needed authority and power. Anyone put incharge of a disaster management programme also needsauthority to make and carry out quick decisions that otherswill respect and obey.

■ Joseph’s plan seemed good to Pharaoh and all his officials(Genesis 41:37). The local leadership accepted and trustedhis plans. Joseph had the trust of all the people. Inemergency situations there needs to be that trust in the

BIBLE STUDYJoseph and his response to droughtBy Mike Wall and Vinay Samuel

or donor agencies in developingpeople in this way is very important. Itcan help prepare the church or localcommunity workers for unexpectedsituations – as well as helping themperform their normal daily workbetter. But all this will be of little valueunless backed up by solid Christianteaching, Bible study and prayerwhich help to develop and strengthenthe Christ-like character.

The author worked in Uganda for manyyears with Crosslinks (formerly BCMS).

leadership. People are under great strain and need a leaderthey can trust.

■ One fifth of the harvest was taken from the farmer for afood reserve. Joseph developed a new pattern of land use.Certain things which are developed in an emergency canbecome regular patterns of life.

■ The way in which the grain was stored and distributedspread the work and responsibility all around the country.Instead of having one huge centre, Joseph encouraged eachregion to set up warehouses.

■ Egypt was the only land that was prepared for thefamine in the Middle East. It met its own needs as well asthose of neighbouring countries. Good disaster planningcan have far-reaching benefits.

■ No indication was given that this drought was ajudgement from God on Pharaoh and Egypt. It appears tohave been a natural calamity. But God used the disasterrelief project to save Jacob’s family and the future nation ofIsrael. Disaster planning can be used by God to do good andachieve his purposes in the world.

For discussion■ How much can be learnt from Joseph’s managementskills that could help us in our own day-to-day manage-ment of our work?

■ What changes could you make in order to prepare yourcommunity to meet any possible difficulty or disaster? Doyou have discipleship and leadership training programmes,for example?

Discuss and pray together about possible plans andimprovements you could make in your community.

What aboutthe women?

‘African women have a better under-standing of economics than men; on thewhole they are far better business people!So why not put women in charge of churchand project funds? Once men accept theidea of women treasurers, the problem ofpoor bookkeeping and resultant fraud couldbe solved!’

The comment of a Senegalese man at arecent RURCON conference in Senegal

12 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

RESOURCES

People in Rural Developmentby Peter Batchelor

Paternoster Press 240 pagesISBN 0-85364-541-8

This is a new edition of a valuablebook, first published in 1981. ‘PeopleFirst’ – the title of the opening chapter– demonstrates Peter Batchelor’sapproach to progress in thedeveloping world. He states, ‘Theessential philosophy of the book isthat people matter more than thingsand that small is beautiful.’This is a distinctly Christian approachto rural development, specifically inAfrica. Issues such as change andmotivation, relationships, priorities,funding and stewardship, training andhealth care are examined. Seven newcase studies from Africa, together withquestions for discussion throughout,make the book a valuable tool forstudents and teachers of developmentissues, together with aid and missionagencies.

The book costs £8.99 (incpostage)and isavailablefrom…PaternosterPressPO Box 300CarlisleCumbriaCA3 0QSUK.

Seed to Seedby Suzanne Ashworth

ISBN 0-9613977-7-2 222 pages

This is a useful book on seed-savingtechniques for the vegetable gardener– a complete and detailed seed-savingguide for 160 vegetable crops. Theauthor has grown seed crops of everyvegetable included in the book, so allthe methods used are tried and tested.Some of the material is fairly technical(including information on cross-breeding) but it is always clearly andsimply explained. This book would bea very valuable resource for any teamof agricultural development workers,particularly in areas where vegetable

seed is hard to obtain or veryexpensive. Two shortened examples ofseed-saving techniques from the bookare given on page 13.

The book costs $20 (including postage)and is available from…Seed Savers Exchange3076 North Winn RoadDecorahIowa 52101USA.

The Church Health Educatorby Iris H Stober and Berry H Wecker

Published by Macmillan PressISBN 0333-57361-7

This is a practical book which can beused by anyone wanting to improvetheir family’s health. Part One looks atthe reasons for health education anddiscusses how to communicate andteach health. Part Two offers a seriesof very carefully planned lessons inwhich medical information isexplained clearly. It deals with variousproblems which may arise duringlessons. The topics cover infections,personal hygiene, diet, sanitation,dangers of alcohol and tobacco, familyplanning and AIDS. It is easy to useand very practical.

Based on Christian beliefs, the booklooks not just at physical health, butalso spiritual health.

English version £5.99, new Frenchversion – Manuel de Santé pourAnimateur Chrétien – £10.99. This bookshould be available through majorbook shops in most countries. In caseof problems, order from…International Division, Macmillan PressHoundmillsBasingstokeHantsRG21 2XSUK.

Disaster Mitigation – ACommunity Based Approachby Andrew Maskrey

ISBN 0-85598-122-9 100 pages

This is No 3 in a series ofDevelopment Guidelines produced byOxfam. Based on practical experiencein Peru, the book looks at the hazardsfrom mudslides and flooding facedregularly by communities in the

earthquake zone around Lima and inthe Rimac Valley. The author showshow effective protective measures canbe when they are planned and carriedout by community organisations.Various case studies are included.

This book is a very useful resource forany who work with communitiesfacing the threat of natural disasters,or who are involved in training othersin disaster relief and rehabilitation.

The book is available in paperback for£7.45 (including postage) from…Oxfam Publications274 Banbury RoadOxfordOX2 7DZUK.

Christian Perspectives onDisaster ManagementEditors Ian Davis and Mike Wall

Published by Tear Fund

This training manual is designed forrelief and development workers. Itanswers some of the fundamentalquestions which are raised whenChristians find themselves in disastersituations. It contains useful Biblestudies, technical information,management advice, skills andtraining material for use in workshopsor individual study.

The Manual costs £10.00 and theTrainers’ Guide £5.00 per copy (surfacepostage included) from Tear Fund.However, copies are available free ofcharge to groups working to promotecommunity development overseas.Please write with details of your workto…Christian Perspectives Mailing ListTear Fund100 Church RoadTeddingtonTW11 8QEUK.

13FOOTSTEPS NO.18

AGRICULTURE

The Cabbage FamilyThis includes cabbage, kale,broccoli, cauliflower and chinesecabbage. All members of this familycan crossbreed with each other. Itis better, therefore, to grow just onecrop (of one variety) from thecabbage family in the garden if youplan to collect seeds. Select afew of the healthiest plantsand do not harvest themwhen ready to eat. Leavethem to carry on growing andthey will all eventually produce yellowflowers and then seed pods. Cabbages will not produce seed until thenext growing season. The seed stalks are often quite tall. When theseed pods begin to turn light brown and shatter easily, beginharvesting seed. The ripest seed pods are found at the bottom of eachstalk and they should be hand-harvested as they dry. Harvesting willcontinue for several weeks. The entire stalk can be harvested when

the largest number of pods aredry, if there is no time for hand-harvesting. Dry the seed podswell out of the direct sun. Threshthe dry pods and winnow theremains of the seed pods. Storethe dry seed in airtight jars. It willkeep for up to five years.

SEED-SAVING

IDEASAdapted from the book Seed to Seed bySuzanne Ashworth with kind permission

THE COST and availability ofvegetable seeds is often aproblem for small farmers.

Farmers usually have a wealth ofknowledge about how to growand propagate traditional crops.However, in many parts of theworld recently introducedvegetables such as cabbage,tomatoes, onions, kale andpeppers are now very common.Farmers often have littleknowledge about how to savetheir own seed from these crops.They often depend on buying newseed for each crop. Here are somehelpful ideas adapted from thebook Seed to Seed (reviewed on theopposite page).

TomatoesTomatoes come from South America, butthey are now found all over the world.Tomatoes are usually self-pollinating, so itis possible to grow several varieties in thesame garden and collect seed from eachvariety. Tomatoes are easy to collect seed from.Harvest ripe tomatoes and cut them in half across the middle (notthrough the stem and blossom ends). Squeeze out the seeds andsurrounding flesh into a bowl or bucket. The rest of the tomato can beeaten. Add a little water to the seeds and mash the mixture really wellto a paste. If available, an electric blender is ideal for this.

Each tomato seed is surrounded by a coat of gel. Under naturalconditions (that is, if we do not pick and eat the tomato!), this gelcontains substances that inhibit germination until the tomato fruit rotsaway, leaving the seeds in the soil to germinate. We need to duplicatethis rotting process. Leave the container of seeds and gel to fermentfor about three days. It will smell quite unpleasant, so do not leave it inthe house or where children or animals could tip it over. Soon it will becovered by a layer of white or grey mould. Add enough water todouble the mixture and stir well. The good seeds will settle to thebottom of the container, allowing the mould, flesh and hollow seeds tobe poured away carefully. Add more water and repeat until you are leftwith clean seeds. Pour the seeds into a kitchen (or tea) strainer. Wipethe bottom of the strainer with a towel to remove as much water aspossible. Then tip the seeds onto a plate to dry. Do not place them onpaper because they are very hard to remove. Stir at least twice a dayuntil dry. Do not dry the seeds in direct sunlight or in an oven. Storethe dry seeds in an airtight glass jar – they should keep for betweenfour and ten years.

14 FOOTSTEPS NO.18

COMMUNITY WORK

COMMUNITIES are oftenvisited by various groups ofpeople who hope to help thecommunity. These visitors oftenbring with them packages ofassistance which they expect thecommunity to welcome. Whencommunities are visited in thisway, they develop their ownexpectations about the visitorsand their future plans.

Questions and answersWhen community members are toldabout visits, some questions areimmediately raised – such as…

• Who are the visitors and where dothey come from?

• What are their motives?• Are they foreigners?• Have they come here before?• What did they give elsewhere?

Depending on the answers to thesequestions, the community will formtheir answers for the visitors. Theseanswers are usually what thecommunity expects the visitors willwant to hear! For example, if anagriculturalist visits then the mostimportant need will be for hoes and

seeds – but if a medical group visit,then the most important need will befor health services.

Communication problemsThe visitors will then share a set ofconditions which will help thecommunity’s chances of receiving thepackage of help. These conditionsalmost inevitably include so-calledcommunity participation. Many peopletalk of community participation butthey only bring the community intotheir own, already-planned activities.Very rarely do leaders or visitorsspend time with the community‘looking, listening and learning’ sothat they actually understand andshare in the community’s ownpriorities for action.

This is nearly always a problem –there are several common reasons…

■ Activities which are really begunby the community are often ratherslow, time-consuming and not quiteprofessional.

■ Leaders bring in their own ideasfrom other projects and do not want toadapt them.

■ Donor agencies like to see results –sometimes the community haspriorities which are not easy either tochange or to measure.

Levels of participation■ Using the services provided – Theprogramme is introduced by outsiders.The community makes use of theservices available.

■ The pre-planned programme – Theprogramme is developed outside thecommunity which is then invited totake part. Some efforts are made todevelop skills within the communityand encourage some input.

■ Involvement based on community decisionsand priorities – This level means thatcommunities are helped to developsignificant skills, identify needs andplan future action.

■ Community empowerment – Here, thecommunity becomes fully aware andcan take control of their owndevelopment process.

There are several things which canblock full participation. They include…

• believing that development mattersare very technical and should be leftto ‘experts’

• encouraging curative services –clinics, hospitals – instead ofpreventive or primary health care

• poor communication betweendevelopment centres and thecommunity.

WHOEXPECTSWHATIN COMMUNITYPARTICIPATION? by Ben Osuga

15FOOTSTEPS NO.18

COMMUNITY WORK

EncouragingrealparticipationWe will now use primary health careas our example to show how itsdevelopment should be seen as aprocess where the different stages arecarried out in a flexible way. In thisway, the community will take theprocess to be its own and willcontinue with activities.

The essential thing is to interest thecommunity in becoming self-reliant.At first the outside programme willhave most of the ideas, responsibilitiesand sense of ownership. They willmake most decisions and bring inmany of the necessary resources.However, in time the community willdevelop the ability and capacity tolead, plan, make decisions andorganise many of the resources.

There are seven steps to encouragingreal community participation…

1. Awareness-raisingThe aim is to help communitiesunderstand the idea of primary healthcare. Raising people’s awareness willhelp people to…

• understand what is happening intheir village and surroundingdistrict

• understand that preventing diseaseis useful and worthwhile

• begin to have a clear sense ofownership of their resources so thatthey improve their own health

• understand that thecommunity is responsiblefor health andorganising activities

• understand thedifferent roles of healthcommittees, healthworkers and traditionalbirth attendants.

2. TrainingTraining is needed at a variety ofdifferent levels…

National level – Training of facilitators

District level – Training of facilitators,trainers and programme leaders

Local level – Training of trainers,programme leaders and healthcommittees

Community level – Training of resourcepeople – health workers, traditionalbirth attendants, traditional healers,health committee members.

3. Identifying primaryhealth care in thecommunityThis, again, is done at a variety oflevels…

District level – Discussions with thevarious government and healthdepartments about primary healthcare and practical activities that wouldimprove things in the communities.

Local level – Obtain the support ofcommunity leaders. Repeat theawareness-raising process. Agree onthe practical ways to introduceprimary health care.

Community level – Meet with communityleaders to introduce these ideas andbegin to raise awareness throughhome visits. Call a communitymeeting and select a village healthcommittee.

4. Helping the communitystart its own health careContinue the process of awareness-raising. Out of this process willcome…

• an agreement of partnershipbetween the community and theprogramme

• identifying the main problems andpractical solutions to them

• the selection of committee membersto lead the community-based healthcare project.

5. Understanding thepresent situationTrain the health committee and otherresource people in gatheringinformation about the presentsituation and understanding of health.For example, villages could be visitedand encouraged to talk about the casesof diseases and their local names andtreatment. Their hopes and needs haveto be understood before the healthproject is begun.

6. Action and monitoringOnce the health programme is inoperation…

• make regular follow up visits (forup to five years)

• bring communities together toshare experiences and plans

• reinforce links with the local healthunits and with extension workers

• provide refresher training.

7. EvaluationTogether with health committees,sponsors and extension workers,discuss how well the original

objectives have been met. Based onthese findings and the lessonslearned, encourage thedevelopment of new ideas andplans for future work.

Ben Osuga is the OXFAMTechnical Advisor to theUganda Community BasedHealth Care Association. This

article was adapted from apaper presented toGovernment officials inUganda.

THE PROCESS OF RAISINGAWARENESS TAKES A LONG TIME ANDTHERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS!

16

HEALTH

‘IF WE ARE THROWN into theblazing furnace the God weserve is able to save us.’(Daniel3:17). People involved indisaster situations have to copewith high levels of stress, so ithelps to understand what stressis and learn how to deal with it.

Three types of stressMany everyday situations cause usstress. We feel healthy, necessaryanxiety when faced with newsituations – such as starting a new job,playing sport, meeting new groups ofpeople. This kind of stress actuallyhelps us to respond and deal withthese new situations well. We can callthis type of stress productive stress.

However, as the amount of this kindof stress increases, we feel more andmore pressured. As time goes on weget more and more worried.Eventually we reach a point where weno longer cope very well with thesevery difficult situations. All ourenergy becomes taken up with ourown survival. This could be callednon-productive stress.

If levels of stress continue to build,there is a further level of stress which

we can call paralytic stress. Theperson is now at the point of collapseand quite unable to work at all. Thisextreme state needs specialist help.

The simple diagram below showsthese three types of stress. Betweenpoints A and B the worker is able towork to the best of his or her ability.However, once point B is passed, theworker is able to work less and lesseffectively. In real life there are nosudden changes to tell that someonehas passed into non-productive stress.Instead there are a number of warningsigns.

Stress warning signsPhysical signs…• ulcers• headaches• feeling tired• difficulties with sleeping• panic attacks

Mental signs…• sense of failure• anger and resentment• wanting to run away from a

situation• inability to concentrate on

what someone is saying• suspicion of others• difficulty in making

decisions• depression

Spiritual signs…• God seems distant and uncaring• no enthusiasm about serving God• loss of joy in relationship with God• emphasis on God’s judgement

rather than his mercy

Other people may not notice any ofthese signs for a long time. The personmay have a mixture of any of the

above signs, but they would not havebeen typical of the person before theybegan to cope with a stressful situation.

How to deal with stress…■ Ask God to provide you with extraresources to help with the difficultsituation which you face. He haspromised to equip us with all we needto serve him.

■ If possible, try to remove some ofthe stress. For example, if there is adifficult relationship with a fellowworker, try and talk openly about theproblem. Of course, in the case of adisaster it may not be possible toremove the stress.

■ Develop ways of coping with thestress…

• Give proper attention to your healthand to time for relaxing.

• Talk about your feelings with others.• Look again at the way you work –

are you setting impossible deadlinesand targets?

• Learn to delegate – and shareresponsibilities.

• Count your blessings, not yourproblems, and live each day as itcomes.

• Be open to receiving support, helpand encouragement from others –friends, family, fellow churchmembers and workers.

Mike Wall is in charge of the DisasterResponse Unit, Tear Fund UK.

Published by

100 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE, UK

Editor: Isabel Carter, 83 Market Place, SouthCave, Brough, N Humberside, HU15 2AS, UK

Copingwith

stressby Mike Wall

LEVEL OF STRESSA B

non-productive

stress

paralyticstress

productivestress

point ofcollapse

ABIL

ITY

TO W

OR

K W

ELL