ANR News Release
Adventist News Review
Trans-European Division of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church

4 January 2005

ADRA RESPONSE TO ASIA TSUNAMI

ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND [ANR] ? Following the huge loss of lives and
massive destruction of infrastructure by the Tsunami that hit many
Asian countries on 26 December 2004, the people and governments of
the region have struggled to cope with the physical devastation and
sheer human loss. To date the total death toll may now be as high as
155,000 with tens of thousands still missing. The current confirmed
death tolls are: Indonesia 94,081; Sri Lanka 30,196; India 9,479;
Thailand 5,046; Somalia 142; Burma 53; Maldives 74; Malaysia 67;
Tanzania 10; Seychelles 1; Bangladesh 2; and Kenya 1. The United
Nations states that the total death toll may never be known.

To deal with this mega crisis, Adventist Development and Relief
Agency (ADRA) has established a crisis command center in Bangkok,
Thailand to coordinate its network-wide response. ADRA has very
active offices in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka that have
immediately responded to the needs. More than $3 million has been
committed from ADRA donors. In Thailand, ADRA is already working with
a local hospital to distribute personal care packages and provide
relief assistance to nearly 3,000 people in Phuket Province. In
India, ADRA is providing shelter, blankets, drinking water, water
containers, chlorine tablets, and mosquito nets. In Sri Lanka, 3 tons
of medicines have been distributed and water specialists from South
Africa are assisting to rehabilitate the bulk water supplies. They
also have health teams on standby in case of a major epidemic break
out. In Indonesia, food has been distributed including 15 tons of
rice and 800 boxes of instant noodles as well as 500 blankets and
40,000 water purifying tablets.

ADRA donors in the Trans-European region have been very active in
raising funds to support this crisis. ADRA-Denmark is working on
funding of over $1m for Indonesia and the churches have raised over
$35,000 to date. ADRA-Finland is still collecting and is waiting on
proposals for funding. ADRA-Netherlands has planned a major
collection for January 8 and is writing a proposal for India.
ADRA-Norway has committed $150,000 for projects in Asia and is
actively fund raising among its churches and the public. ADRA-Sweden
has already sent $75,000 to Thailand for immediate use and is waiting
for a proposal for a further $150,000. ADRA-UK organized a church
wide fund raising appeal on January 1, has allocated $100,000 to the
response and has met with the British Government for further major
funding for projects. They have also sent consultant Conrad Vine to
Sri Lanka. ADRA-Hungary has organized a medical team of doctors who
will leave on January 7 for Sri Lanka.

ADRA assessment teams are currently in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri
Lanka, the Andaman Islands and India conducting longer term needs
assessments. As soon as these assessments are completed, much more in
the way of supplies and support will be provided. A group of
fishermen from a totally wiped-out village in Thailand said, ?We
don?t need food, or houses, but please help us to replace our boats.
Once we can start fishing again, we can look after ourselves.? Many
people are not looking for hand-outs but for a new start for their
livelihood. For people still wanting to give to help all those
affected, please do so in cash through your local ADRA office or on
the ADRA websites.

?Again we have been painfully reminded of how fragile human life is
in our world." says Dr. Bertil Wiklander, president for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European region (TED). "The
devastating and senseless loss of the lives of so many people,
including many defenceless and innocent children, is beyond our
understanding. We must bring our grief and lack of comprehension to
the Lord and address with utmost determination the enormous and
desperate need to support those who have survived, so that the
effects of this disaster may be reduced. The TED is committed to work
through ADRA with governments and all organisations of good will to
respond to these needs. Many people within our church are giving
funds through various channels, and this is a good thing to do. Let
us remember in our daily prayers all the victims and those who have
lost loved ones. Pray that God will hasten the day of his coming to
put an end to the suffering and sorrow in this world.?

[Roy Richardson/ANR]


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ANR Staff: Miroslav Pujic, news director, Beverly Coysten, editor
ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org

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