wfn.org | ABCUSA--Emergency Funds Sent in Response to Beslan Tragedy

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

Title: ABCUSA: Emergency Funds Sent in Response to Beslan Tragedy

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 9/9/04)--The American Baptist Churches USA World Relief Office will be releasing $7,500 in emergency One Great Hour of Sharing funds to aid the Russian Baptist Union as it ministers to those affected by the hostage tragedy in Beslan that took at least 340 lives last week.

Children of Baptist clergy and lay leaders were among the dead and injured. The Baptist Union has indicated its work will include funding for funeral costs, emergency medical treatment and subsequent medical care costs, and grief and trauma counseling.

American Baptists wishing to support relief efforts in response to the Beslan tragedy can do so through their church's monthly report of mission support, designating contributions "OGHS-Beslan, Russia."  Those wishing to contribute online can do so by accessing the "American Baptist Missions" or "Give Now" pages of the ABCUSA Web site -- www.abc-usa.org - again designating where their contributions should go.

World Relief Officer Lisa Rothenberger said, "We are deeply moved by the terrible suffering and grief thrust upon the people of Beslan.  It is hard to imagine the depth of suffering that this deliberate attack on school children has brought to the families in Beslan and to all of Russia.  We are releasing these funds to support our partner in Russia and encourage American Baptist churches to join us in this time of great need by sending their donations through One Great Hour of Sharing."

Dr. Reid Trulson, American Baptist International Ministries' area director for Europe and the Middle East, has been in touch with Yuri Sipko, president of the Russian Baptist Union, and Peter Mitskevich, vice-president, who is still in Beslan. 

Sipko urged prayer for specific needs: 

"for families who lost their loved ones...;

"for those who are in the hospitals--346 are in the hospitals of Beslan, Vladikavkaz, Rostov-Don and other cities;

"for children who are in the stage of shock...some of the kids still cannot speak....;

"for those families who are still missing their loved ones.... there are over 200 bodies and remains that have not been identified....;

"for a little boy, Boris, the son of Pastor Sergey and Sister Bella Totiev, who was shot into the eye...
the family will need money for this expensive surgery...;

for the entire Totiev family; they buried a daughter, Anna, and another daughter is still missing;

for Pastor Temuraz and Raya Totiev; their daughter, Luba, was buried, and their other four children are still missing;

"for the Beslan Baptist Church as they try to cope with the loss of the relatives and church members."

K/2004ABNS/04ABN106

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077 / (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org; richard.schramm@abc-usa.org