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Methodists to Assist Fishing Societies in Sri Lanka

By Linda Bloom

Posted: March 23, 2005

NEW YORK, UMNS, March 18, 2005: Methodists are working with fishing societies in Sri Lanka to help those whose livelihoods were destroyed by the Dec. 26 tsunami. The collaborative effort, funded at $100,000, is between the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka and the United Methodist Committee on Relief, according to the Rev. Kristin Sachen, UMCOR's head of disaster response.

"The church, through its network, has identified 16 villages that basically have been destroyed," she said.

A pastor who has a good rapport with those villagers has organized them into fishing societies, which are legal entities, she explained. The money will be used to help the societies purchase boats, nets and other equipment for their work.

"They (villagers) were all clear that they wanted their livelihoods restored even before their homes were restored," Sachen said.

As of mid-March, United Methodists had contributed more than $15 million to assist people in South Asian countries affected by the tsunami.

UMCOR is allocating another $100,000 to the Methodist Church there to build its "capacity to be involved in long-term work" by training staff and securing equipment. One purchase will be a four-wheel drive vehicle "to get to places that are accessible now only by motorbike," she said.

David Sadoo, field staff for UMCOR's emergency services, has been stationed as a liaison in Sri Lanka since early February and has helped put the projects together.

Sachen said the progress made by the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka with tsunami relief has been remarkable, given the size of the denomination. "They are small but mighty," she noted.

"They talk about being a minority church of a minority faith. And yet their attitude, their openness, their sacrificial response has been tremendous."

Missionaries arrived in Sri Lanka in 1814, and the oldest Methodist church in Asia can be found in Colombo, the capital. The Sri Lankan church, which became autonomous in 1964, consists of three districts and 32 circuits, serving a community of roughly 28,000.

At one time, Methodists managed more than 120 schools, which were later taken over by the government. The current educational focus is on preschool education, particularly for poor children. The church also manages two colleges. Since the tsunami struck, Methodist Central College in Batticaloa has served as a refugee camp for nearby villagers. Camps were set up in churches and other buildings as well.

In his report for the World Methodist Council handbook, the Rev. Duleep R. Fernando noted the Sri Lankan church's commitment to peace in the midst of that country's civil conflict over the past two decades.

"The peace and reconciliation committee of the church is involved in a peace education program to educate youth to understand the need for multi-ethnic co-existence," he wrote. "Exchange programs for young people belonging to different ethnic communities are being organized as a contribution to peace education. It [the church] has tried to mediate between the conflicting parties in the war and has urged them to take steps towards a negotiated settlement to the ethnic crisis."

How to Participate in This Response

Please give to Advance #274305 and designate "South Asia Emergency" on the memo line of your check. Give through your local United Methodist church or mail contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation. One hundred percent of every donation to this appeal goes to support recovery efforts in the disaster-stricken regions. UMCOR also needs donations of health kits, school kits, and Medicine Boxes for this response.

A Medicine Box^® contains enough over the counter and prescription medicines to treat 1,000 people for about three months. Congregations can assemble the over-the-counter drugs and contribute $350 for the remainder, or donate $425 per Medicine Box. Interchurch Medical Association assembles and ships the boxes for UMCOR. Requirements are online.

Health Kits focus on personal hygiene as a method of improving overall health. They contain soap-- the number one barrier to the spread of bacterial disease-- washcloth, sterile bandage strips, and other items. Requirements are online.

School kits contain ruled paper, blunt scissors, an eraser, a ruler, six pencils, a pencil sharpener, crayons and construction paper. Requirements are online.

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Linda Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

Source: United Methodist News Service.