Aid Organizations Mobilize as Flooding Displaces Thousands in East Africa

Catastrophic flooding across parts of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda has displaced more than 200,000 people in the past two weeks, with Christian relief organizations among the first to mobilize emergency response teams.

World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, and the Lutheran World Federation have all deployed staff and supplies to the affected regions, working alongside local churches that have opened their buildings as emergency shelters.

"The local church is always the first responder," says Marcus Thompson, East Africa regional director for World Vision. "Before any international organization arrives, the congregation down the road has already opened its doors."

The flooding, which meteorologists attribute to an unusually intense rainy season exacerbated by climate patterns, has destroyed crops, contaminated water supplies, and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of homes. The UN estimates that at least 47 people have died, with that number expected to rise as rescue teams reach more remote areas.