wfn.org | ABCUSA: UPDATE--TERRORIST ATTACKS RESPONSE

[RICH.SCHRAMM@ecunet.org]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE 
Office of Communication  
American Baptist Churches USA 
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320 
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director 
 E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

UPDATE: RESPONDING TO THE TERRORIST 
ATTACKS
 American Baptists are responding in many ways to 
support relief efforts in the wake of the terrorist suicide 
airplane crashes Sept. 11 that claimed more than 6,500 
lives in New York City, Virginia and southwestern 
Pennsylvania. 
 To date financial assistance through One Great 
Hour of Sharing emergency funds has included: 
$10,000 to assist churches within the American Baptist 
Churches of Metro New York region in providing for 
families or individuals impacted by the World Trade Center 
destruction; $4,500 to Church World Service to support 
grief counseling ministries for victims' survivors; and 
$5,000 to Church World Service to support its shelter 
assistance program for the increasing number of Afghan 
refugees (see below).
 American Baptist chaplains were deployed in New 
York and Virginia shortly after the attacks, and American 
Baptist-supported ecumenical responses to victims are 
focusing at present on necessary long-term pastoral care 
assistance.  As federal and civic authorities continue the 
recovery endeavors, American Baptists and others are 
assessing other probable specific relief and assistance 
needs that will arise.

Supporting Relief Efforts
 American Baptists wishing to support relief efforts 
in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks can do so through 
normal channels--One Great Hour of Sharing (line 7 of the 
Monthly Report of Mission Support), designating 
contributions "OGHS-Relief Fund for Victims of Terrorist 
Attacks."  Those wishing to contribute online can do so 
through a special OGHS Fund established to help the 
victims and their families.  This can be done by accessing 
the "American Baptist Missions" page of the ABCUSA Web 
site-www.abc-usa.org.

Refugee Assistance
 Even before thousands of Afghans massed on the 
Pakistan border following the Sept. 11 attacks, Afghans 
already comprised one of the largest refugee/displaced 
persons group in the world.  More than 2.5 million Afghans 
are refugees, another one million are internally displaced 
and an estimated additional 1 to 1.5 million are expected 
to attempt to cross into Pakistan. 
 The situation within the country is critical, 
exacerbated by ongoing drought and decades of war.  The 
United Nations has declared the conditions in Afghanistan 
the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.  Fully half of 
the children there are suffering malnutrition; the country 
has the second highest child mortality rate in the world.  
The severe food shortage in the country and the soaring 
price of food may accelerate the flow of Afghans towards 
Pakistan.
 Church World Service, one of the few remaining 
relief agencies operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan, 
plans to respond to the situation with a large shelter 
assistance program. CWS is providing more than 8,000 
family shelter kits for new arrivals in the border cities.  
Each kit includes a tent, tarp, ground sheet and six 
blankets.  To financially support this specific effort give to 
"One Great Hour of Sharing--Relief Fund for Afghan 
Refugees" (line 7 of the Monthly Report of Mission 
Support).      

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