31 Jan 2005

In the month following the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Christian churches have collected millions of dollars of aid to help victims living in the affected countries.

Reported funds from some of the mainline and larger denominations total nearly $40 million, with more arriving every day.

According to a news release, in addition to delivering medical and mental health services to tsunami victims, Church World Service (www.churchworldservice.org) delivered more than $1.5 million in food, shelter, hygiene and school kits, blankets and other aid supplies throughout South Asia.

The agency is continuing its campaign to raise $5 million from among the 36 denominations represented by the National Council of Churches with which CWS is affiliated. Churches participating include: United Church of Christ, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Reformed Church of America and Church of the Brethren.

Mainline denominations such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have also donated through denominational bodies. According to a news release, the International Disaster Response group of the ELCA (www.elca.org/disaster/idrgive) has received more than $1 million to support relief efforts in southern Asia. To date ELCA International Disaster Response provided a total of $415,000 for immediate relief efforts.

In the first two and a half weeks following the tsunamis, Episcopal Relief and Development (www.er-d.org) raised $2.1 million for its South Asia Relief Fund and donations continue to come in daily.

The United Methodist Church reports some $6 million in donations to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

The Presbyterian Church USA reports $320,000 raised for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and a commitment to fund medical shipments through a partnership with CWS. PDA also pledges to raise $2.5 million.

According to Religion Journal, the Assemblies of God churches have sent $25,000 of relief supplies to Indonesia in addition to an undisclosed amount of financial aid. AG General Superintendent Thomas Trask is encouraging churches to take special offerings for relief efforts.

By New Year's Eve, more than $300,000 in aid had been contributed online to The Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board (www.imb.org). That amount nearly doubles the $170,000 given online to the mission board for all of 2003. By Jan. 12, Southern Baptists reported additional contributions that brought the denominational total to $2.7 million.

According to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Nazarenes have now donated $1.1 million in tsunami disaster aid.

Catholic Relief Services announced a commitment of $25 million for emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation programs, according to Religion Journal.