As Quake Toll Rises, Church Relief Partners Move Ahead

Wednesday, May 31, A.D. 2006

As the death toll from Saturday's earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java continues to rise - now at more than 5,600 people - relief efforts by church partners in Indonesia are in full swing.

Church World Service is responding to the needs of more than 16,000 households by providing hygiene kits, baby kits, family shelter tents and blankets. Other immediate relief activities by CWS include food distribution, provision of water and sanitation facilities, psychosocial support and home repair assistance where possible. CWS has also begun to work with local organizations about livelihood recovery programs and other long-term rehabilitation efforts for quake survivors.

The two other Action by Churches Together (ACT) Indonesian members are also hard at work. YEU (the Christian Foundation for Public Health) was already well positioned in the quake area. Its biggest hospital, Bethesda in Yogyakarta, has been the center of many relief operations and is overflowing with injured survivors. According to Bernd Baucks of the German-based ACT partner, Diakonie Emergency Aid, "the hospital is full - far beyond its normal capacity. Nurses and doctors are overworked. They have been working since Saturday.

YTBI, the relief arm of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, is providing essential food and non-food items to more than 3,000 people and is expanding its crisis operation centers from two to three to accommodate additional survivors. YTBI has also recruited volunteers from local Javanese congregations and from the Islamic University in Indonesia to provide food through several public kitchens it has established.

Earlier today, ACT expanded its preliminary appeal on behalf of its members in Indonesia to $2.9 million, including $1.2 million for CWS. Week of Compassion has wired an initial $6000 grant to CWS and another $6000 to ACT to support the efforts of YEU and YTBI. Also, $5000 has been sent from WOC to Global Ministries' Southern Asia office to support relief efforts of local churches in the area.

The Week of Compassion Committee will be considering what response should be made to ensure a strong and compassionate response from Disciples. Designated contributions are needed and most welcomed and can be sent to WOC, attn: Elaine Cleveland, P.O. Box 1986, Indpls, IN 46206 or can be made safely and securely online via www.weekofcompassion.org. Please watch for WOC Updates and visit the WOC website site for additional stories, updates, photos, and other information from the region about the response of our church partners.