CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to disasters in India, Mexico and Taiwan, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are sending $150,000 to the church's International Disaster Response to support relief work in those countries.
Coordinated through the ELCA Division for Global Mission (DGM), International Disaster Response provides funds for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and other materials and supplies. Funds are used to rebuild communities and repair structures destroyed by major disasters.
"Two cyclones hit the coastal regions of Orissa and West Bengal, India, on Oct. 18 and 29, respectively," said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, ELCA director for international communication, DGM.
The second cyclone caused extensive damage in 10 districts in the capital of Orissa, Ishida said. The human death toll is 1,500 and rising. At least 13 million people have been affected. The cyclone flattened thousands of homes, uprooted trees and disrupted road and rail transportation, he said.
International Disaster Response provided an initial $100,000 in response to an appeal for $606,140 issued by Action by Churches Together (ACT). Funds from the appeal will support recovery efforts in India.
ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. It is based with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of the LWF and WCC.
"ACT, LWF/World Service-India and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India immediately rushed relief materials to some of the worst affected locations and proposed to continue its relief efforts," Ishida said.
Southeastern Mexico was hit by Tropical Storm San Francisco on Oct. 10-14. The storm caused serious damage in rural areas, said Ishida. "Crops have been destroyed, including 60 to 70 percent of corn and fruit trees."
"Storm-affected communities are isolated by the lack of transportation," said Ishida. With bridges destroyed, relief workers are having difficulty reaching victims and survivors, he said.
The Mexican Association for Rural and Urban Transformation (AMEXTRA), a church-related development agency supported in part by the ELCA, has made a special appeal to the church for extra support following the storm, Ishida said. ELCA International Disaster Response sent $15,000 to support AMEXTRA's recovery efforts in southeastern Mexico following the storm.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck Taiwan on Sept. 21. The epicenter of the earthquake was Nantou, which is located 120 miles south of the capital of Taipei.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by strong aftershocks; some registered a magnitude of 6.1. The aftershocks have triggered massive mudslides in the region and have caused cracks in the Sun Moon Lake Reservoir.
More than 2,000 people lost their lives and thousands were injured from collapsed buildings and landslides, said the Rev. David Chen, Taiwanese Lutheran Church, San Diego, Calif. Chen is president of the ELCA Association of Asian and Pacific Islanders.
The earthquake is "the most powerful in Taiwan's recorded history," said the Rev. Wendell Friest, Truth Lutheran Church, Taipei, Taiwan. "The people of Taiwan are pulling together wonderfully to help each other, and the Christians are at the forefront of the effort."
Reports received from ELCA missionaries in Taiwan said that all missionaries were fine. Many people have taken refuge in churches due to the destruction of their homes.
ELCA International Disaster Response sent $35,000 to Taiwan Lutheran Church for relief assistance.
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INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to
survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto Rico or
the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
Lutheran World Relief
PO Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832
1-800-LWR-LWR2
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For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
