International Workcamp
UFUFUO
USA

Interfaith and international volunteers helping recover and rebuild following disasters including human caused disasters such as the burning of houses of worship

Using Quaker workcamping as a model, Ufufuo recruits and engages volunteers from international and interfaith backgrounds to work together to effect spiritual recovery and rebuild communities damaged by natural or human caused disasters. The name "Ufufuo" is a Swahili word meaning rebirth and recovery. In rebuilding after war, arson or other tragedy, Ufufuo volunteers assert faith in vigorous activity to met human needs, rebuild what has been destroyed, and restore God's family as family.

History

Ufufuo evolved out of Quaker and interfaith volunteer workcamps in order to respond to the arson burning of houses of worship in the United States starting in 1995 and continuing today. The early burnings were primarily of African American churches, but Moslem mosques are now increasingly being burned, or Hindu and Sikh temples that are mistaken for mosques! To date there have been over 1,600 burned houses of worship in America since 1995.

"Ufufuo" is a Swahili word that was chosen because it encompasses a variety of concepts including recovery and rebuilding. It can also imply resurrection, reconciliation and the rebirth is a part of God and nature's way of recovery after the winter in temperate zones and after the dry season in the tropics.

Human disasters such as war and arson mirror the natural disasters of hurricanes, fires and floods and are just as needful for recovery and reconciliation to enable the rebirth of hope and peace. Ufufuo volunteers are robust rebuilders, bringing hope and love by replacing destroyed structures. UFUFUO workcamps also provide an example of groups of very diverse persons working together peacefully to build God's human family as one people.