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NCCUSA Heads Assure CWS Workers are Safe
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the 
USA
Contact: Wendy McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Internet:  news@ncccusa.org

77NCC8/7/98          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC HEADS ASSURE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE WORKERS IN 
NAIROBI ARE SAFE, CALL FOR PRAYERS FOR PEOPLE 
AFFECTED

 NEW YORK, August 7 ---- In the aftermath of the 
bombing of the American embassies in Kenya and 
Tanzania, National Council of Churches leaders have 
written to the heads of the NCC's 34 communions to 
assure them of the safety of NCC staff and ask for 
their prayers for the people affected.

 The letter was signed by Rev. Dr. Joan Brown 
Campbell, NCC General Secretary and the Rev. Dr. 
Rodney Page, Executive Director of Church World 
Service and Witness, the humanitarian response, 
refugee relief and human development ministry of the 
NCC.

"NCCC/CWS has a large staff in Nairobi that 
sometimes work out of the American Embassy," the 
letter explains.  "This is a Joint Voluntary Agency 
Program (U.S. Department of State) to process 
refugees from all of Africa under our Immigration 
and Refugee Program."

"The good news is that word was passed through 
our Africa Office that all of our staff are safe," 
the letter continues.

Bill Sage, CWS Director of Overseas Personnel, 
has been dispatched to Kenya and will meet with 
staff there to determine the future operation of the 
Nairobi office.

The letter asks heads of communion to "keep 
these colleagues in their thoughts and prayers" and 
to "remember in our prayers the people of Kenya and 
Tanzania, and the Americans working at both of these 
embassies and their families."

The full text of the letter follows.

August 7, 1998

TO: Heads of NCCC Communions

You have no doubt heard by now of the terrible 
bombing of the American embassies in Kenya and 
Tanzania and of the great loss of life.

You may know that NCCC/CWS has a large staff in 
Nairobi that sometimes work out of the American 
Embassy.  This is the Joint Voluntary Agency Program 
(U.S. Department of State) to process refugees from 
all of Africa under our Immigration and Refugee 
Program.

The good news is that word was passed through our 
Africa Office and on to Beth Ferris (CWSW Director 
of IRP) that all of our staff are safe.  We have 
been unable to get through directly to them, but are 
relieved with the assurance that none of them are 
injured.

Bill Sage, with CWS, has been dispatched to Kenya 
and will be meeting with our staff and persons in 
the Department of State to determine what steps need 
to be taken in regards to  the future operation of 
that office.

Please keep these colleagues in your thoughts and 
prayers, as they have lost friends and perhaps 
relatives, as we have a rather large staff in Kenya 
many of whom are Kenyans.  This is also an uncertain 
time of shock and fear in the aftermath of such an 
event.  Please remember in our prayers the people of 
Kenya and Tanzania, and the Americans working at 
both of these embassies and their families.

Joan Brown Campbell   Rodney I. Page
General Secretary   Deputy General 
National Council of   Secretary, NCCC the 
Churches of Christ   Executive Director
in the USA    Church World Service
& Witness
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