ASIA (December 30, 2004) – Covenant World Relief (CWR) is partnering with a number of relief agencies to aid victims of the tsunami disaster in 12 countries throughout Asia, according to Jim Sundholm, CWR director.
“CWR is partnering in the distribution of water, rice, cooking oil, tarps and mosquito nets,” Sundholm said. “The distribution is being done in part through local church volunteers and LEAD. Covenant World Relief is presently not making distributions in Thailand as Food for the Hungry, World Vision and the Thai Government are very involved with significant response. CWR is still researching partnerships in Indonesia and we expect to have resolution the first of the week.”
Evangelical Covenant Church missionaries Don and Lillian Dwight and their five children were vacationing on Phi Phi Island off the coast of Thailand when the massive waves struck the shore Sunday morning. To read a first-person account of that experience, please see First-Person Account.
Sundholm expects CWR to be invested in care for this region for months to come. “Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) was immediately released from our disaster funds through World Relief on Monday,” Sundholm noted, an action that drew public praise earlier in the week from World Relief International. “In all regions, military forces from local and various nations have become involved in distributions – no international volunteers are requested,” he added.
Areas from Thailand to Somalia are struggling in the aftermath of a massive tsunami that destroyed virtually everything in its path Monday morning, resulting in the loss of life that is estimated in excess of 117,000 people, according to CNN and the Associated Press.
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck about 7 a.m. Sunday and was centered about 100 miles off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island at a depth of about 6.2 miles. The quake triggered massive waves exceeding 30 feet in height, one news source reported.
Covenant World Relief (CWR) is accepting donations to assist the relief efforts. Those desiring to donate to the relief effort should direct checks to Tsunami Relief in area of Covenant World Relief, Evangelical Covenant Church, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625. Mark gifts in support of Tsunami Relief. More information will be posted to this online Covenant news report as it becomes available.
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