Urgent aid needed for survivors of South Asian disaster December 27, 2004 A UMNS Report By Jan Snider* Thousands
of people in South and Southeast Asia have been killed in what is being
called one of the worst earthquakes in a century. The quake
triggered massive tsunamis (tidal waves) that destroyed entire villages. The
death toll is expected to rise above the now estimated 23,000 people.
Thousands more are missing, and tens of thousands are displaced. The
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is joining with other
faith-based disaster relief agencies to aid the victims quickly. The
Rev. R. Randy Day, chief staff executive of the United Methodist Board
of Global Ministries, appealed to United Methodists to support relief
efforts generously. “Jesus Christ calls us to express our love for him
by providing aid in his name to those in need,” Day said. “Let us show
the people of Southeast Asia our Christmas love by our response to the
UMCOR appeal.” The
undersea earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, struck in the
morning hours on Dec. 26 in the Andaman Islands. It sent 20-foot tidal
waves surging across the Indian Ocean. The coastal regions of Sri Lanka,
India, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia were pounded by the
tidal waves, which also swept through the low-lying islands that make
up the Maldives. The
full extent of the disaster is still being assessed according to the
Rev. Kristin L. Sachen, head of UMCOR’s international emergency
services. “I just can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we
respond to this disaster. I know that United Methodists will not turn
their backs on the people who have suffered from this devastation,”
Sachen said. “We
have some initial funds to send this week,” she said, but the long-term
support will depend on the offerings local churches receive in response
to the disaster. UMCOR
will work closely with the Action for Churches Together (ACT), a
coordinating agency. ACT “helps the churches from around the world plan
our responses in ways that don’t overlap,” Sachen said. UMCOR is one of
the founding members of the organization that will help local agencies
develop a coordinated response. ACT
is expected to issue a formal appeal for aid within the next three or
four days. It is not known if material resources, such as health kits,
will be needed, but it is clear that ACT will seek substantial financial
contributions to help survivors. Sri
Lanka is one of the hardest hit countries with more than 10,000 people
killed and more than a million left homeless. UMCOR will work with the
National Council of Churches of Sri Lanka. Assistance in Indonesia will be coordinated through Church World Service. In
India, UMCOR is partnering with the Christian Auxiliary for Social
Action (CASA), which already has 12 teams in the field. CASA estimates
it can serve 50,000 families. “We will require strong support from you
in undertaking this massive program, which will still be small when
compared to the magnitude of the devastation,” CASA Director
Sushant Agrawal said in an e-mail to Sachen. CASA estimates that
it will need over $6 million and is appealing to the ACT Consortium for
the funds. CASA provides “excellent immediate relief as well as very
thoughtful long term recovery that involves rebuilding with a lot of
involvement from the local community,” Sachen said. Local
faith communities and relief agencies are providing the first
assistance to survivors. Churches in the stricken areas are turning over
Christmas offerings for relief work. Shelter, food and water is being
provided to the homeless in the sanctuaries, temples and mosques. Donations
to UMCOR’s “South Asia Emergency” relief efforts can be made through
local churches with checks designated for UMCOR Advance #274305.
Gifts can also be sent to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New
York, NY 10015, marked “South Asia Emergency.” Credit card donations may
be made by calling 1-800-554-8583. *Snider is a freelance producer for United Methodist News Service in Nashville, Tenn. News media contact: Ginny Underwood, United Methodist News Service, Nashville, Tenn., 615-742-5124, or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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