Latest News #296 – Southeast Asia Tsunami

SOUTHEAST ASIA — In the aftermath of the tsunami that struck the region on December 26, local Bible Societies are gathering information about how they can respond to the humanitarian and spiritual needs of millions of people who have been bereaved and made homeless. In many cases, Bible Society staff are already directly involved in the massive relief effort. The following reports from some of the affected countries give an insight into local situations, the plans being developed by the Bible Societies and the particular needs for prayer. The reports conclude with general prayer guidelines.

India

Dr B K Pramanik, General Secretary of the Bible Society of India, reports:
The death and destruction caused by the tsunami are yet to be fully assessed as many affected areas have remained inaccessible. According to the government, India's death toll has reached 10,000, but it is increasing every day.

The tsunami affected two of our Auxiliary areas: Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. Both the Auxiliary Secretaries are collecting information from the affected areas. Car Nicobar island, which is mostly Christian, is worst hit. Our desire is to have a holistic approach to handle the situation: we want to partner with other Church/Christian organisations to meet both physical and spiritual needs as we did at the time of Gujarat earthquake.

Sri Lanka

Many children have been orphaned. The Bible society has provided all the children's activity material it had as well as Bibles and illustrated Portions.

Lakshani Fernando, Ceylon Bible Society (CBS) General Secretary, writes:
Please pray for staff who are providing relief support through their local churches and Christian relief agencies. Many have made a sacrificial financial contribution as well as many hours of time and energy.

The National Christian Council has asked me to serve on the Disaster Management Committee. We are monitoring the distribution of relief material and also planning for the future as many donors (local and foreign) are waiting for some concrete suggestions. A co-ordinating centre has been set up.

Several CBS staff members have been released for co-ordinating a CBS contribution with church organisations and relief groups. Melanie, the CBS receptionist, is playing a strategic role in telecommunications.

CBS is organising an Interdenominational Dedication Service for the Year for Youth on January 7. It will be an opportunity for united worship and prayer for the country.

Thailand

Seree Lorgunpai, General Secretary of the Thailand Bible Society, reports:
On January 1, I and two missionaries from Bangkok and three other local leaders from the south joined a group of monks and some Muslim clergy and went to Phi Phi Island, Krabi province, to conduct memorial services. We were able to sing, read Psalm 46:1-3 and say a prayer. It was good opportunity for us to represent Christians - in the south of Thailand, Christians are in a very clear minority.

In Phi Phi Island, the government has sent many staff to help and also there were many foreigners who have come to assist the rescue workers. I saw around 20 bodies being carried to the port to be shipped to the mainland. At the temporary morgue on the mainland in Krabi, rows of bulletin boards are covered with pictures of missing Europeans whose friends and loved ones have all but given up. A mass grave about 100 yards long had just been dug, and dozens of occupied coffins were awaiting burial. It seems that many bodies were not found. When I was in Phi Phi Island, I saw water being pumped from a hotel basement where there might still have been bodies.

At the moment the short term help is more than enough. Some of the survivors do not want food because they do not have home in which to cook it and they do not want clothes because they do not have a home to keep them in. What they need is a house to live in. A pastor from the south called me today and reported that he and a group of Christians and missionaries from Korea were helping some villagers to clear their houses. They were also able to pray with them. He said he wanted some Christian literature. I will try to send some to him tomorrow.

A pastor in Krabi used some money that the Bible Society had sent to purchase cooking utensils for a village on an island called Lanta. The people there live by fishing and need funds to rebuild their houses and purchase fishing equipment. Another pastor is going to take a team to visit another village and he will let me know what is needed.

I think we need to send some people to train Thai Christians how to counsel people who have been affected. One pastor told me that some would not "come down from the mountain" but others want to talk about the experience of that day. We need to train Thai Christians to do holistic ministry. The King is concerned about children who lost their parents. We may be able to set up some Child Care Centres in the south.
Pray for Etim, a UBS Bible translator working on the Urak Lawoi Old Testament. He lives in a village near Phuket. He is safe but he has lost his house and boat.

Indonesia

General Secretary Drs Supardan writes:
The Bible Society is concentrating its short-term response on the island of Nias. Here, Rev Zendrato, chief of the Banua Niho Karisto Protestant Church earthquake emergency team, estimates that 78 members of the congregation have died in the Sirombu and Mendehe sub-districts; 400 church families are suffering as a result of the tragedy and 2,200 people have been forced to flee from their homes. The Bible Society plans to distribute a range of printed and audio Scriptures, and it is also exploring a long-term plan to address post-traumatic syndrome.

Across the region

General prayer items

Photographs are available to accompany this story. For more information or to order, please contact the UBS Photo Department.

For further information please contact Andrew Mathewson, UBS Editor.
Alternatively, write to:

Andrew Mathewson
UBS Editor,
UBS World Service Center
Reading Bridge House, 7th Floor
Reading
RG1 8PJ
England



	Latest News #296 January 7, 2005 The following news concerns Southeast Asia. Bible Societies develop responses to Asian tsunami SOUTHEAST ASIA — In the aftermath of the tsunami that struck the region on December 26, local Bible Societies are gathering information about how they can respond to the humanitarian and spiritual needs of millions of people who have been bereaved and made homeless. In many cases, Bible Society staff are already directly involved in the massive relief effort. The following reports from some of the affected countries give an insight into local situations, the plans being developed by the Bible Societies and the particular needs for prayer. The reports conclude with general prayer guidelines. India *Dr B K Pramanik, General Secretary of the Bible Society of India, reports:* The death and destruction caused by the tsunami are yet to be fully assessed as many affected areas have remained inaccessible. According to the government, India's death toll has reached 10,000, but it is increasing every day. The tsunami affected two of our Auxiliary areas: Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. Both the Auxiliary Secretaries are collecting information from the affected areas. Car Nicobar island, which is mostly Christian, is worst hit. Our desire is to have a holistic approach to handle the situation: we want to partner with other Church/Christian organisations to meet both physical and spiritual needs as we did at the time of Gujarat earthquake. Sri Lanka *David Thorne, Asia-Pacific Area Secretary, reports:* Many children have been orphaned. The Bible society has provided all the children's activity material it had as well as Bibles and illustrated Portions. *Lakshani Fernando, Ceylon Bible Society (CBS) General Secretary, writes:* Please pray for staff who are providing relief support through their local churches and Christian relief agencies. Many have made a sacrificial financial contribution as well as many hours of time and energy. The National Christian Council has asked me to serve on the Disaster Management Committee. We are monitoring the distribution of relief material and also planning for the future as many donors (local and foreign) are waiting for some concrete suggestions. A co-ordinating centre has been set up. Several CBS staff members have been released for co-ordinating a CBS contribution with church organisations and relief groups. Melanie, the CBS receptionist, is playing a strategic role in telecommunications. CBS is organising an Interdenominational Dedication Service for the Year for Youth on January 7. It will be an opportunity for united worship and prayer for the country. Thailand *Seree Lorgunpai, General Secretary of the Thailand Bible Society, reports:* On January 1, I and two missionaries from Bangkok and three other local leaders from the south joined a group of monks and some Muslim clergy and went to Phi Phi Island, Krabi province, to conduct memorial services. We were able to sing, read Psalm 46:1-3 and say a prayer. It was good opportunity for us to represent Christians - in the south of Thailand, Christians are in a very clear minority. In Phi Phi Island, the government has sent many staff to help and also there were many foreigners who have come to assist the rescue workers. I saw around 20 bodies being carried to the port to be shipped to the mainland. At the temporary morgue on the mainland in Krabi, rows of bulletin boards are covered with pictures of missing Europeans whose friends and loved ones have all but given up. A mass grave about 100 yards long had just been dug, and dozens of occupied coffins were awaiting burial. It seems that many bodies were not found. When I was in Phi Phi Island, I saw water being pumped from a hotel basement where there might still have been bodies. At the moment the short term help is more than enough. Some of the survivors do not want food because they do not have home in which to cook it and they do not want clothes because they do not have a home to keep them in. What they need is a house to live in. A pastor from the south called me today and reported that he and a group of Christians and missionaries from Korea were helping some villagers to clear their houses. They were also able to pray with them. He said he wanted some Christian literature. I will try to send some to him tomorrow. A pastor in Krabi used some money that the Bible Society had sent to purchase cooking utensils for a village on an island called Lanta. The people there live by fishing and need funds to rebuild their houses and purchase fishing equipment. Another pastor is going to take a team to visit another village and he will let me know what is needed. I think we need to send some people to train Thai Christians how to counsel people who have been affected. One pastor told me that some would not "come down from the mountain" but others want to talk about the experience of that day. We need to train Thai Christians to do holistic ministry. The King is concerned about children who lost their parents. We may be able to set up some Child Care Centres in the south. Pray for Etim, a UBS Bible translator working on the Urak Lawoi Old Testament. He lives in a village near Phuket. He is safe but he has lost his house and boat. Indonesia *General Secretary Drs Supardan writes:* The Bible Society is concentrating its short-term response on the island of Nias. Here, Rev Zendrato, chief of the Banua Niho Karisto Protestant Church earthquake emergency team, estimates that 78 members of the congregation have died in the Sirombu and Mendehe sub-districts; 400 church families are suffering as a result of the tragedy and 2,200 people have been forced to flee from their homes. The Bible Society plans to distribute a range of printed and audio Scriptures, and it is also exploring a long-term plan to address post-traumatic syndrome. Across the region Lynell Zogbo, UBS Translation Consultant based in Cote d'Ivoire, has sent samples of a Selection called Hope in the Midst of Suffering to some of the Bible Societies in the affected countries. This was published by the Bible Society of Côte d'Ivoire in 2002 to encourage people who were displaced by the war and was well received. Dr Zogbo is going to make a pdf file of the Selection available which will offer an easy way for Societies to decide if they want to use parts of it in the context of the tsunami disaster. General prayer items For all those who are grieving the loss of friends and relatives, particularly children who have lost their parents. For those who are homeless and in danger from hunger and disease. For compassion and strength for all those working to bring relief. For relief workers offering advice and support to local organisations, helping to co-ordinate relief efforts. For the health and wellbeing of Bible Society staff seeking to contribute to the relief effort through their churches. (1,163 words - SOUTHEAST ASIA.07.01.05) Photographs are available to accompany this story. For more information or to order, please contact the UBS Photo Department. For further information please contact Andrew Mathewson, UBS Editor. Alternatively, write to: Andrew Mathewson UBS Editor, UBS World Service Center Reading Bridge House, 7th Floor Reading RG1 8PJ England *Back to index page*