CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $10,000 Nov. 21 to support recovery efforts in Cuba, after Hurricane Michelle struck the island Nov. 4.
Five people died, said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international communication, ELCA Division for Global Mission. "About 45 percent of the island and 5,899,000 inhabitants -- 35 percent of the population -- were affected," he said.
Packing winds of more than 215 kilometers per hour, Hurricane Michelle traversed Cuba from south to north in six hours, Ishida said.
"A total of 1,500 schools were partly damaged, 50 were razed to the ground or suffered major damages to installations. Medical clinics, primary health care centers, pharmacies and nursing homes were also damaged," he said.
About 80 percent of the people in Jaguey Grande, located in south Matanzas, lost their homes. The population in Jaguey is 57,000 with an urban population of 19,000, said Ishida. "Fifty of the most vulnerable families, comprising a large number of children, women and elderly, whose houses were completely destroyed, have been selected for assistance. Another 3,000 people who remain evacuated will be provided with food, clothing and medicines," he said.
In Perico, located in the central part of Matanzas, some families lost their houses. Many there are residing in evacuation centers, Ishida said.
The Cuban Council of Churches is providing food, medicines and clothing to many families in need of aid. The council is composed of 24 churches, 12 ecumenical movements and two fraternal associations. The Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession of Cuba is not a member of the council, but relates as a "fraternal associate," Ishida said.
The council is a member of Action by Churches Together (ACT), a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of both the WCC and LWF.
Funds sent by the ELCA will help support the relief efforts of ACT. Members of the ELCA contribute funds to the church's International Disaster Response for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and other materials and supplies. Funds are also sent to rebuild communities and to repair structures destroyed by major disasters.
For the next year food, canned meat and milk, and non-food items such as medicines, hygiene products, clothes, sheets and blankets will be provided to residents in Cuba, said Ishida. Housing and reconstruction of homes for elderly people will also take place over the next year, he said. ---- 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:
ELCA International Disaster Response
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
1-800-638-3522
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
