CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a "remarkable act of accompaniment," the Lutheran Church in Malaysia sent $10,000 to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to help meet the needs of survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines Nov. 8.
"This is an extraordinary and remarkable act of accompaniment. It is a privilege for the ELCA to count on the support of its companions," said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, ELCA executive director for global mission. "We are being church together for the sake of the world, particularly the Philippines as they try to recover from this natural disaster."
The ELCA and Lutheran Church in Malaysia are members of The Lutheran World Federation, a global communion of 142 member churches. The ELCA is the communion's only member church from the United States.
"It is this togetherness in mission that brings us together as we embrace our respective church's gifts and engagements in mission," said Franklin Ishida, ELCA area program director for Asia-Pacific.
"Our accompaniment with the Lutheran Church in Malaysia runs deep," said Ishida. The Lutheran Church in Malaysia contributed funds to the ELCA in 2008 to help survivors of an earthquake in Sichuan, China, and in 2011 to support earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in Japan.
The Lutheran Church in Malaysia's recent gift to support relief efforts "in the Philippines is an expression of [that church's] profound concern in the midst of tragedy and its commitment to accompanying the ELCA by utilizing Lutheran Disaster Response in channeling these disaster relief funds," said Ishida.
Through Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA members gave $1 million to Lutheran World Relief for the distribution of cooking utensils, shelter repair kits and debris removal in typhoon-affected communities. Lutheran Disaster Response International is also providing assistance to the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, an ELCA companion. This response is being coordinated with The Lutheran World Federation.
Financial gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response will be used 100 percent to support relief efforts for survivors of the typhoon. Information about Lutheran Disaster Response is available at www.ELCA.org/typhoon.
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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
