wfn.org | ELCA Answers Call for Help after Colombia Earthquake

[NEWS <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 29, 1999

ELCA ANSWERS CALL FOR HELP AFTER COLOMBIA EARTHQUAKE
99-17-FI

  CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
sent $15,000 to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (Iglesia
Evangelica Luterana de Colombia) Jan. 28 in response to a request that
Lutheran churches around the world provide $73,000 in immediate assistance
for survivors of a major earthquake and aftershocks.
  The Jan. 25 earthquake killed about 1,000 people, injured thousands
more and left large numbers of people homeless.  The quake measured 6 on
the Richter scale and centered in a mountainous coffee-growing region of
western Colombia.
  Belletech Deressa, director for international development and
disaster response in the ELCA Division for Global Mission, said it has
been very difficult for relief workers to reach areas directly affected by
the earthquakes.  Staff of the Colombian and U.S. churches are working to
solve this problem.
  Lutheran World Relief (LWR) -- the overseas relief and development
arm of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod -- sent an initial
grant to a Baptist congregation in the capital city of Bogota.  That
congregation is a position to purchase and distribute food for those in
need.
  LWR is working with Lutheran churches in Colombia to assess needs. 
LWR is a member of Action by Churches Together (ACT).
  ACT is providing $50,000 of "rapid response funds" to ACT members in
Colombia.  ACT is a worldwide network of churches, including the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF), meeting human need through coordinated emergency
response.  The ELCA is one of 124 church members of the LWF.
  "The ACT funds will be utilized for the most critical needs
including food, shelter, medicines, clean-up equipment and tools, and
transportation," ACT reported.  "These funds will be sent through the
Christian Aid program" which is working with Swedish Diaconia and other
ACT partners in Colombia.
  There are 3,000 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Colombia in 11 congregations and 27 "mission points."

Editors:  When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors
of major disasters *outside* the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S.
Virgin Islands, please include:
     Lutheran World Relief
     Church Street Station
     P.O. Box 6186
     New York, NY 10277-1738
     1-800-LWR-LWR-2
     1-800-597-5972

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html