In a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, leaders of Christian organizations, denominations, and relief agencies, call on the Trump administration to fully fund diplomatic, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance to communities across the globe affected by violent conflict.
This call comes at a time when the White House Office of Management and Budget is in the process of preparing the President’s budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2019.
As Christians across the United States and the world prepare to celebrate Christmas in the coming days, these leaders write that they are “striving to respond to Christ’s call to serve the neediest, especially those who are facing war, hunger, and oppression.”
The letter further states that “armed conflicts in Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Northeast Nigeria have fueled famines on a scale not seen in years. More families will spend this Christmas in refugee camps and informal settlements than at any time in recent history. From Bangui to Baghdad, hundreds of thousands will greet the New Year grieving the loss of their loved ones and fearing the future.”
These Christian leaders point out that – “The American people are generous, and they are problem-solvers. Even as we aid the millions who are suffering we need our government’s help to address the root causes of violence. We need American diplomacy to work with allies and regional partners to help end crises in places like the Central African Republic, Burundi, and Burma.
View the Full Letter to Vice President Mike Pence
“We also need American development assistance to support local religious, women’s and civil society groups working on-the-ground to end war and oppression. Without adequate resources to manage and mitigate conflict, support human rights and democracy, and respond rapidly to complex crises, the number of those exposed to death, hunger and fear will continue to grow, exacerbating human suffering and leaving a vacuum for extremists to fill, making America less secure.”
