Anglican Missions has launched the following Emergency Appeals for Tropical Cyclone Harold and supporting Covid-19 responses in the Diocese of Polynesia.

1. Support response and recovery efforts following Tropical Cyclone Harold (Category 5) which devastated large areas of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga last week leading to loss of life and significant damage to houses, crops and infrastructure. Our Appeal will contribute to a broader emergency response being implemented by the Anglican Church of Melanesia, the Vanuatu Council of Churches and partners including Anglican Overseas Aid (Australia).
2. Support COVID-19 preparedness and response initiatives in the Diocese of Polynesia. While confirmed cases remain relatively low in the Pacific, the threat is high and the Diocese of Polynesia is already engaged in a number of practical activities. Our Appeal, which we are working out with several other church and faith-based partners, will support these actions.

Please find attached a short summary. We will post regular updates on both appeals on our website.

While a challenging time for all of us and while we don’t want to overburden parishes during the lockdown, we hope there will be strong interest from parishes and individuals in supporting our sisters and brothers in the Pacific as they recover from/prepare for these two significant events. In times of crisis, more so than any other time, it is the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalised who are at greatest risk - and these two unrelated events are no exception.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like further information.

All the very best. Hei konā mai

Michael Hartfield