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06386 August 2, 2006
PDA sends $50,000 to war-torn Lebanon
Funds will be used for humanitarian aid
by Evan Silverstein
LOUISVILLE - As the battle between Israel and Hezbollah rages on, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has sent an initial $50,000 in humanitarian assistance to war-ravaged Lebanon.
The money, which comes from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and designated disaster funds, is in response to a $4.6 million appeal issued by Action by Churches Together International (ACT), a Geneva-based international alliance of churches and relief agencies of which PDA is a member.
ACT has already sent $55,000 in rapid response funds to the region through the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), which are the implementing partners in Lebanon.
"The humanitarian assistance will be used to help sustain the lives of displaced persons," said Susan Ryan, coordinator of PDA, the relief and recovery program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
She said the money will go for securing food supplies and supplementary nutrition for children; contributing to basic shelter by providing mattresses and bedding; enabling cooking by providing kitchen utensils; and ensuring healthy surroundings through the provision of cleaning supplies, water tanks, and sanitary supplies for women and children.
MECC's Inter-Church Network for Development and Relief (ICNDR) is heading up the relief operation, which includes distributing food and non-food items to the most vulnerable families seeking shelter in schools and on church property in Beirut.
"Safe passage for aid convoys remains a major problem," Guirgis Saleh, the MECC's general secretary, was quoted as saying in a PDA situation report. "Similarly, fuel availability, rising prices and clean water in south Lebanon are of growing concern to each and everyone."
Saleh, reported that the ICNDR relief staff were able to distribute 390 food parcels and hygiene items on July 30 to families who have fled the conflict from the south and southern Beirut.
NCA's Tor Valla, who is part of an assessment team to Saida, Lebanon and other villages, told PDA by phone that the aid organization had started trucking water to some of the centers for some 1,700 displaced people in Beirut and have also started work on the construction of shower facilities.
"I think this is a just a beautiful example of how well the whole network can work to support a member in a crisis," Ryan said. "They have the church organizing, they've got the relief departments when water sanitation comes in, assessment teams come in, communicators come in. We provide a whole network around that partner to facilitate the best response possible."
The latest conflict was incited July 12, when Hezbollah guerillas crossed the Israel-Lebanon border and snatched two Israeli soldiers. Israel in response launched attacks on Lebanon, to which Hezbollah fighters have responded with missile attacks on northern Israel.
As of Wednesday (Aug. 2), 570 Lebanese civilians and soldiers have died and 2,131 have been wounded in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon, according to Lebanese security forces. Israel has reported 55 deaths - including 19 civilians - and 580 injuries during the conflict, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Contributions for Lebanon relief may be sent through normal mission-giving channels by designating gifts for the following account: Labanon, DR000007. Gifts by credit card can be made by calling PresbyTel at (800)872-3283, or online at www.pcusa.org/pda. Checks payable to the PC(USA) marked with the designated account numbers can be mailed to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Central Receiving, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY, 40202.
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