wfn.org | [LCMSNews] Kieschnick calls for tsunami aid

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	January 4, 2005 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 1

	Kieschnick urges members to donate
	to tsunami relief, pray for victims

	LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick is urging Missouri Synod
Lutherans to consider opportunities for donating toward disaster relief
in the wake of the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami in South Asia, and to
pray for ?those so deeply devastated by this horrific event.

	In a Dec. 30 electronic letter to pastors, Kieschnick noted that
the death toll had climbed from 20,000 to more than 100,000 in the two
days since his electronic letter to congregations about the need for
prayer after the disaster.

	By today (Jan. 4), that figure approached 140,000.

	Kieschnick specifically mentioned giving opportunities through
LCMS World Relief/Human Care, Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Hour
Ministries, and a donation-matching program from Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans.

	?You may be aware of other Lutheran organizations that are
providing assistance as well,? he wrote.

	?In addition and of great importance,? he said, ?is the need
for
our daily prayers for divine guidance, hope, comfort, and renewal in the
lives of those so deeply devastated by this horrific disaster. Many of
the survivors have no knowledge or assurance of eternal salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Pray that our
proclamation of the Good News of Christ will touch lives that have been
and continue to be shattered by bad news, even devastating news.

	LCMS World Relief/Human Care

	LCMS World Relief/Human Care is working to provide safe water,
food, and shelter for survivors through the Lutheran World Relief
network and through LCMS World Mission?s staff and Lutheran partner
churches in the region.

	?As the Synod?s disaster-response arm, LCMS World Relief/Human
Care is the sole U.S. agency providing physical care along with
spiritual care through LCMS missionaries and LCMS national church
partners,? said Greg Koenig, communications manager for LCMS World
Relief/Human Care.

	Koenig said that LCMS World Relief/Human Care is working with
LCMS World Mission to develop four medical-mission teams ?to primarily
assess human-care needs resulting from the earthquake and tsunami? in
Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and Indonesia ? where the earthquake and
tsunami caused the most casualties.

	To contribute, make checks payable to ?LCMS World Relief? and
earmark them ?Asia Tsunami? on the memo line. Mail donations to LCMS
World Relief/Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-9810. Or,
call the credit-card gift line at (888) 930-4438. Donations also may be
made through the Synod?s Web-based ?Mission and Ministry Giving
Catalog
by going to catalog.lcms.org/ <http://catalog.lcms.org/>  , clicking on
?LCMS World Relief? and then on ?Help Tsunami Victims in Asia.

	The Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation is providing a
matching grant to match dollar-for-dollar a total of $100,000 in
donations to LCMS World Relief/Human Care for tsunami relief.

	Lutheran World Relief

	Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, announced Dec. 29 that
it has launched what it calls the ?Wave of Giving? campaign? to
raise at
least $5 million dollars in ?a long-term rebuilding effort for the
countries of South Asia affected by what some people have termed the
worst disaster in history,? says an LWR news release. It goes on to
say
that the aim of the campaign is ?to rebuild lives, create livelihoods
and restore dignity to millions.

	The LWR release says that funds raised will provide ?elevated
disaster shelters,? building materials, psychological counseling,
disaster preparedness, and first aid, and help repair or rebuild health
clinics, schools, and community centers.

	Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announced Dec. 31 that it is
providing an immediate $1 million grant to the ?Wave of Giving
campaign, and a $2 million matching grant (dollar-for-dollar) for
Thrivent-member gifts to the campaign.

	For the matching grant, Thrivent members must complete a
disaster-response form to accompany their gifts. To download the form
from the Web, go to www.thrivent.com <http://www.thrivent.com>	, click
on ?Help Tsunami Victims,? and then on ?Thrivent Financial Tsunami
Response Form.? To receive the form by mail, call Thrivent at (800)
847-4836, select option 1, then option 5, and finally option 2. The form
also may be available locally from Lutheran congregations or Thrivent
representatives.

	Donations to LWR may be made online at www.lwr.org
<http://www.lwr.org>  , by phone at (800) 597-5972, or by check or money
order mailed to Lutheran World Relief, South Asia Tsunami, P.O. Box
17061, Baltimore, MD 21298-9832.

	Koenig said that LCMS World Relief would reserve a portion of
tsunami-relief donations for LWR?s ?Wave of Giving? campaign. In
addition, he said that donors to tsunami relief through LCMS World
Relief/Human Care may designate a specific amount or percentage of their
gift for that campaign, but that Thrivent matching funds are only
available for direct gifts to LWR.

	Lutheran Hour Ministries

	LCMS World Relief also has pledged $75,000 to Lutheran Hour
Ministries (LHM) for relief in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, where LHM
has offices.

	On Dec. 30, LHM announced it was launching an appeal to provide
spiritual counseling, tracts, and booklets to affected families, along
with food and drinking water.

	A news release that day from LHM said that in addition to its
$75,000 pledge for food, water, and blankets, LCMS World Relief/Human
Care would match dollar-for-dollar contributions that individuals and
church groups give to LHM for food, water, and blankets in those
countries.

	To donate to LHM?s Asian Disaster Ministry Fund, call (877)
333-1963 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., CST); or mail checks to
Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO
63141-8557. Or, for donations via credit card, go to www.lhmgift.org
<http://www.lhmgift.org>  and click on the ?Asian Disaster Ministry
Fund? drop-down box.

	RSOs

	Orphan Grain Train, headquartered in Norfolk, Neb., announced
Dec. 29 that it is sending a 40-foot-long shipping container filled with
relief supplies to its warehouse in Bangalore, India.

	It will take six to eight weeks for the ocean-freight container
to reach Asia, according to an Orphan Grain Train news release. For more
short-term response needs, Orphan Grain Train is accepting cash
donations to buy disaster-relief supplies from Asian suppliers.

	Make checks payable to ?Orphan Grain Train Asian Disaster Relief
Fund? and send them to Orphan Grain Train, P.O. Box 1466, Norfolk, NE
68702-1466.

	LCMS World Relief/Human Care also will provide dollar-for-dollar
matching funds for monetary gifts to Orphan Grain Train?s response
efforts in Asia.

	Officials of LCMS World Mission indicated that Synod
missionaries in South Asia are all safe after the Dec. 26 disaster.

	However, Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) reported that its
chief translator in Sri Lanka, Rev. Ranjith Fernando, and his wife,
Darshini, were killed Dec. 26 when the train in which they were riding
to visit relatives was slammed off its track by a monstrous tsunami
wave.

	Rev. Fernando earlier this year completed a translation of ?The
Book of Concord? into Sinhala, a primary language in Sri Lanka. At the
time of his death, he was working on several other translations,
including ?Luther?s Small Catechism.?

	A funeral service for the Fernandos was held Dec. 29 at Lamb of
God Lutheran Church in Gampaha.

	Rev. Robert Rahn, executive director of LHF, said that Ranjith
Fernando ?made a long-lasting effect on Lutheranism in that part of
the
world. Through his faithful service, God extended His kingdom to many
who would not otherwise have heard the Gospel message.?

	Lutheran World Relief is an inter-Lutheran agency; LCMS World
Relief/Human Care is a ministry of the Synod; Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans is a not-for-profit financial-services organization; Lutheran
Hour Ministries is one of two Missouri Synod auxiliaries; and Orphan
Grain Train and Lutheran Heritage Foundation are ?recognized service
organizations? (RSOs) of the Synod.

	***************************************

	If you have questions or comments about this LCMSNews release,
contact Joe Isenhower Jr. at joe.isenhower@lcms.org or (314) 996-1231,
or Paula Schlueter Ross at paula.ross@lcms.org or (314) 996-1230.

	***************************************

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