Graham Gumley has been a disciple and a member of the Churches of Christ since being met and baptized in Boston in 1986. He has been a part of the Sydney congregation since arriving in Australia in 2003 and is currently a part of the Church leadership group.

His heart to help and serve the poor and those in need has been shown through his years of continued dedication to the work of HOPE and his commitment to working, teaching, and training others to further what is possible in their communities has been overwhelmingly fruitful. In 1995 and again in 1996 Graham was part of HOPE medical team sent to India to provide medical advice and treatment in the Village of HOPE, an early HOPE Worlwide initiative. Shortly thereafter in 1997, after being asked by HOPE, Graham led his family to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to help start the Sihanouk Hospital Centre of HOPE and create its surgical department and training scheme. In 2001 he was appointed the hospital Director and in his six years serving there, until 2003, worked tirelessly to provide outstanding free medical care to all who needed it and establish the Sihanouk Hospital Centre of HOPE as one of Cambodia’s premiere centres of medical excellence.

Alongside this enormous dedication to the work of the hospital and HOPE in Cambodia Graham helped lead the Phnom Penh Church of Christ, the International ‘Ex-Pat’ Ministry, and the Teen Ministry comprised of international and Cambodian teens.

Since returning to Australia in 2003 Graham has continued to teach others becoming an Associate Professor and head of the National Board of Examiners for the Australian Orthopaedic Association.

Since leaving Cambodia Graham has continued to serve there organizing and leading an international team of orthopaedic surgeons on an annual outreach mission to teach and train Cambodian surgeons and medical professionals as well as operate on those in need.

HOPE’s commitment to serve and meet the needs of the poor and needy not only in Australia but throughout the world is a vision and mission that Graham whole heartedly shares and hopes to continue working to provide.

Typhoon Haiyan affected over 10 million Filipinos and killed more than 1,800 people as of today official report. Authorities is saying that the casualties may escalate to over 10,000 people because many of the island and far flung communities is not even being reach by the rescuers and other helping agencies.
 
As you may know, we have teams deployed in different locations affected by the typhoons and earthquake. We have been working with the ICOC Manila and Philippine Family of Churches for the relocation of our brothers and sisters who were being displaced by disasters and we are also providing emergency supplies, de-briefing and counselling to the church members and survivors of disasters.

We have sent another set of HwwPh staff and volunteers to the affected far flung communities to do the risk assessments for orphans and vulnerable children. 

In our experience, children are being overlooked and neglected during disasters. Many of the children survivors became victims of child trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse. Hww Phils service project expertise is on child protection, case management, treatment, and psychosocial rehabilitation of children in especially difficult circumstances. This is one of the long term program that we want to do for the children survivors of disasters - making sure that they are safe, rehabilitated and find a loving family that they can stay with and grow up. 

Currently, we are establishing our presence and providing emergency disaster response in Cebu City, Bohol, Daangbantayan Northern Cebu and soon in Tacloban, and Eastern Leyte. Mobilization and distribution of emergency relief to these affected areas will begin this week in partnership with the Philippine family of churches particularly the Cebu Church Volunteers and other able disciples in the areas mentioned. We will increase our disaster response coverage and services on psychosocial activities for the displaced children which will include feeding, and other disaster risk reduction and management work for affected families. 

I want you to know that we are truly overwhelmed with the emergency needs of the survivors, but we are grateful to all the good news of support we have been receiving from our church and partner agencies. 
 
The recovery for the victims is a long journey, and we want to be with them and their children as they rebuild their lives.