January 18, 2005

GENEVA - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has sent an assessment team to Indonesia to determine ways of assisting LWF member churches there and respond in concrete ways to the devastating impact of the tsunami disaster that struck on 26 December 2004.

The seven-person LWF Pastoral Team appointed by LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, will also provide pastoral care and support to the affected churches in visible expression of the solidarity of the global Lutheran communion.

The team led by Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) Secretary and Mission Director, Rev. Wayne Zweck, gathered in Sumatra's northern city of Medan on January 16 prior to the two-week mission.

Indonesia is the worst affected among South East Asian and East African countries that were struck by the massive tidal waves (tsunamis) triggered by a strong undersea earthquake of which the epicenter was near the north western coastline of Sumatra. Indonesian authorities say the country's death toll from the catastrophe has risen to 110,229, representing more than two thirds of the over 158,000 total deaths reported so far.

According to its terms of reference, the assessment team will among other tasks look into the needs of children, large numbers of whom have been orphaned, and women, both of whom even in normal times are among the most vulnerable. It will also explore the potential role of the LWF Departments for World Service (DWS) and for Mission and Development (DMD) both in the short and long term. In addition to determining the churches' capacity to effectively respond to the crisis, the team will verify how best their programs and people's needs can be met through Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, the Geneva-based global network of churches and their partners responding to emergencies worldwide. A report of the group's finding with recommendations will be delivered to the LWF general secretary by 3 February 2005.

"Although immediate relief is the priority, it is also critical that we continue to support our neighbors as they begin to recover from this tragedy," Zweck says. "Too often in the past after the initial emergency phase has passed and the TV crews have gone the funding has dried up leaving communities to struggle to fully recover. That is why we are so pleased that Lutheran members have opened their hearts so generously."

Others on the team include LWF Council members Rev. Dr Jubil R. Hutauruk (Indonesia) and Ms Diadem Depayso (Philippines); Mr Peter Schirmer, executive secretary of the LCA overseas aid and resettlement agency, Australian Lutheran World Service; and LWF staff persons Rev. Ginda Harahap, DMD Area Secretary for Asia; Mr David Mueller, LWF/DWS representative in Cambodia; and Mr Neville Pradhan, DWS program officer for emergencies, refugees and internally displaced persons.

The LWF has 12 member churches in Indonesia including three located in the worst affected areas of Aceh, Sumatra Utara and Nias where some entire congregations have been completely wiped out.

In India, the LWF/DWS program and United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India are collaborating in their response to the needs of affected people in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. In Sri Lanka, the Lanka Lutheran Church is part of the ACT response, coordinated by the National Council of Churches. Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand and its congregations are not directly affected by the disaster, the church is providing resources for others who are implementing assistance programs.

LWF member churches from the Asian region, as well as from other continents, are visiting the affected countries.

Lutheran World Information