Tsunami

I know all of you must have heard about this terrible catastrophy that has taken place in what is known as "the ring of fire." It boggles my mind...I just cant grasp what has happened because it is simply unbelieveable. I urge you to give, in some way shape or form, even $10. These people are left with nothing, they have lost family, friends, homes, identities, food, clothes, everything.

I dont know if you listen much to Christmas music, but out of many favorites, there is one that always strikes me as a pure example of why Christ came. It is one of those collaborative efforts by many famous singers called "Feed The World." One line Bono sings says "their biggest gift this Christmas will be life." Another line says, "do they know it's Christmas time at all?." I think it strikes to the heart of what we take so for granted in our fabulously wealthy, privileged, supersized, comfy lives. If your family had lost everything, and you were sitting on a hillside with no clothes on, no water to drink or food to eat, no shelter to hide yourself from the weather, wouldnt you hope and pray someone somewhere would help. Please help. Even if you have to take back a few of the gifts you got this Christmas. Even if you have to give up your daily latte or special night out to the movies. Let these people know the world feels their pain. Let them know that you share their pain and that you care.

Here is some information I saw posted on a message board about organizations that are gathering funds for the relief. There are many to choose from, and remember, $20 US goes a long way. God will remember your kindness, it says in his word, "Whatever you have done unto the least of these you have done to me."

Here is the information

Posted: Dec 30 2004, 10:26 AM




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Asian disaster: How to help

So far the British government has given £15m ($29m) and the British public has matched that with an additional £15m ($29m).

Here's something from the BBC website on more ways to donate. Agree with you Elias, that we need to go beyond giving now - on into the future..


Global aid organisations have launched urgent appeals for donations to help survivors of Sunday's Indian Ocean earthquake disaster.

Nearly 80,000 people are confirmed killed by the waves and millions more are homeless.

Many governments and organisations - including the US, Canada, Australia, the EU and the UN - are sending aid.

The UN has warned that supplies are urgently needed to support the survivors and to try and prevent disease which, it says, could double the death toll.

The Disasters Emergency Committee - www.dec.org.uk - is an umbrella group of UK aid organisations - including ActionAid, British Red Cross, Oxfam - working to provide clean water, food and shelter to thousands.

The United Nations World Food Programme - www.wfp.org - is seeking donations to feed victims of the earthquake.

Medecins Sans Frontieres - www.msf.org - is sending aid workers to the region, focusing on medical care for survivors and displaced people after the rescue operations.

Oxfam - www.oxfam.org.uk - is providing emergency supplies, including water tanks, pumps, taps and temporary toilets for families left homeless by the floods. The charity raised £600,000 in the three days after the disaster, including £200,000 on Tuesday - the most it has raised in one day.

Islamic Relief - www.islamic-relief.com - has also launched an appeal to provide medical supplies, tents and sanitation facilities for those affected.

The United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef - www.unicef.org.uk - is working to meet the "urgent needs of hundreds of thousands of people" affected by the tsunami disaster.

Save the Children - www.savethechildren.org.uk - has already flown a plane out to Sri Lanka carrying plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, tents to run children's services from, and essentials such as clothing and cooking utensils.

Anti-poverty organisation Care International - www.care.org - has already provided food for thousands of affected people in Sri Lanka.

Cafod, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development - www.cafod.org.uk - is working with partners across Asia to provide shelter, food aid and medical assistance, and assessing what further relief is needed.

The Islamic Aid Emergency Relief Fund - www.islamicaid.org.uk - aims to provide immediate relief and long-term support to people in the affected areas.

Another Islamic charity, Muslim Hands - www.muslimhands.org- is collecting money and sending volunteers to help in Indonesia and Malaysia.

UK residents can donate via the British Red Cross - www.redcross.org.uk - which has launched an appeal to fund supplies including blankets and cooking utensils.

Medair - www.medair.org - is providing emergency support to agencies with a long term presence in Sri Lanka and its medical experts are assessing the likelihood of malaria and diarrhoea.

World Vision - www.worldvision.org.uk - has also launched an appeal and has already delivered relief goods to thousands.

Christian Aid - www.christianaid.org.uk - has already allocated £250,000 from its emergency fund to help the victims of this disaster but says more money is needed.

Christian charity Tearfund - www.tearfund.org - and its partners in Sri Lanka and India are helping devastated fishing communities and coastal villages get back on their feet.

Concern - www.concern.net - is working with local partners to meet the needs of families in the devastated coastal villages of Tamil Nadu, the worst affected state in India.

The International Rescue Committee - www.theirc.org - is providing emergency supplies and materials to "people most affected by the crisis".

The Salvation Army - www.salvationarmy.org.uk has local teams working in a number of affected areas and is sending a team from its international headquarters on Wednesday evening.

Muslim Aid - www.muslimaid.org - has already donated £100,000 towards the purchase of food, clothing and medicine in the region but wants to raise more.

Asia Quake Relief Appeal UK, a UK-based Sri Lankan organisation, is also raising money and can be emailed at asia-quakerelief@europe.com

You can donate to all the campaigns via their websites.