In January 2022, the underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted which led to significant ashfalls across Tonga and triggered tsunami waves that displaced entire communities. Anglican Missions has been working alongside the Anglican churches in Tonga to respond to needs in the community and increase resilience to future events.
Together with the other members of the Anglican Missions Board, Rosie recently spent four days in Tonga learning about the impact and response to the eruption. This visit coincided with the visit of the new Archbishop of Polynesia, the Most Rev. Sione Ulu’ilakepa, to Tonga and we enjoyed the generous hospitality of the Anglican churches.
One highlight was learning about the CIVA initiative which grew out of a local Anglican parish. CIVA (Community Integrated Vulnerability Assessment) is a toolkit designed to reduce risk and increase climate resilience in the community. The church youth group visited each house in the parish and identified the areas in the community that are most vulnerable to natural disasters, this data is mapped, and an action plan is implemented to address the issues gathered from the community.
NZCMS and Anglican Missions have partnered together for more than a century. Rosie sits on the Board of Anglican Missions, and NZCMS’ Global Mission Partners receive support from Anglican Missions. We praise God for the significant work of Anglican Missions.
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