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United Methodist Delegation to Take Concern and Medicine to Tsunami Ravaged Area of Indonesia |
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Top mission and communications leaders of The United Methodist Church leave on January 10 to convey Christian love and medicine to people near the center of the earthquake that triggered devastating tidal waves (tsunamis) December 26 in the Indian Ocean area. “We are going primarily to Sumatra, a part of Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim country on earth, but where Methodists also died,” said the Rev. R. Randy Day, chief executive of the General Board of Global Ministries, an international agency that includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). The death toll from the tsunamis may reach 300,000 and many millions have been left in destitute conditions. “It is essential that we show our concern for our own and for all the people affected by one of the greatest natural disasters of all times,” Day stated. “Going to the heart of the destruction speaks strongly about the presence of our Church among those who are suffering.” More than 94,000 deaths have been reported in Indonesia alone. In addition to Day, the delegation will include Bishop Joel N. Martinez of San Antonio, president of the mission board; Mrs. Kyung Za Yim, a director and president of the Women’s Division; the Rev. Larry Hollon, head of United Methodist Communications; the Rev. Paul Dirdak, director of UMCOR; the Rev. Dr. David Wu, an Asian specialist with the mission agency; the Rev. Henry Leono, a pastor in Willingboro, NJ, who is a native of Indonesia; Linda Bloom, a reporter with United Methodist News Service, and Mike Dubose, a photographer with United Methodist Communications. The delegation, which will visit both northern and southern Sumatra, including the cities of Medan and Banda Aceh, will be will be taking 100,000 doses of antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medicine. “This is a small part of our response but we wanted to arrive with tangible expressions our concern,” said Day. As of January 7, UMCOR had sent $750,000 for emergency relief assistance and was planning additional shipments of medicine to several Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. More than $1.1 million had been contributed to the agency through telephone and online donations as of January 6. (This figure does not include the substantial relief contributions that come through congregations.) An appeal for United Methodist contributions to emergency relief efforts was made only a few hours after news of the tidal waves (tsunamis) was received. Response has been strong. “Our United Methodist people around the world are always generous in times of natural disasters,” said Bishop Martinez. “We are going to Sumatra on behalf of them—taking their heartfelt concern in the form of healing medicine, pastoral care, and humanitarian outreach.” United Methodist Communications and its news operation play a major role in promoting church response to major disasters. “We want to tell the story of what is happening to people both in terms of the tragedy and in terms of our responses,” said Hollon of the communications agency. “Our visit will help us to achieve those goals.” The United Methodist Church has links with two denominations with many
congregations on the island of Sumatra. These are the Methodist Church of
Indonesia, which has been autonomous since 1964, and the Karo Batak Protestant
Church. Methodist missionaries went to Sumatra from Singapore in 1905. The
Methodist Church of Indonesia serves some 100,000 people.
Date posted: Jan 07, 2005 |
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