January 31, 2005

By Joe Isenhower Jr.

LCMS members and other Lutherans are giving record-breaking amounts and finding numerous ways to bring relief to the millions affected by the Dec. 26 South Asia earthquake and tsunami.

As of Jan. 19, the number of dead or missing in 11 countries whose coastlines felt the gigantic waves neared 300,000, and about 5 million remained homeless.

Within the first week after the disaster struck, LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick urged members to consider making donations for tsunami relief.

"In addition and of great importance," Kieschnick 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."

St. Louis-based LCMS World Relief/Human Care has counted more than $2 million in tsunami-relief donations, and Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, has received about $6 million for its "Wave of Giving" campaign.

The Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation matched the first $100,000 that came to LCMS World Relief/Human Care for tsunami aid. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans offered $3 million to LWR – an outright gift of $1 million and $2 million in funds to match tsunami-related gifts from Thrivent members.

"We thank all those who are giving so unselfishly in record amounts to bring Christian compassion after the tsunami," said Rev. Matthew Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief/Human Care.

But, he said that such amounts "are really just a drop in the bucket, when you consider the reality that long-term recovery needs in the affected countries will go on for at least another 10 years."

"Because the needs are so great," Harrison said, "it is important for World Relief/Human Care to involve many good Lutheran partners in the work."

Among those "partners" who are receiving tsunami-relief funds are:

* the Lanka Lutheran Church, in Sri Lanka. Members of that indigenous church body last month delivered to hard-hit coastal areas supplies they bought with a $10,000 LCMS World Relief/Human Care grant or had collected in their communities.

* Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM), St. Louis, which so far has raised almost $240,000 for relief supplies and for providing spiritual counseling, tracts, and booklets in India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, where LHM has offices. LCMS World Relief/Human Care gave LHM a $75,000 matching grant and a $75,000 outright grant.

* Orphan Grain Train, headquartered in Norfolk, Neb., which has raised about $96,000 (not including a $75,000 matching grant from LCMS World Relief/Human Care), for clothing and other essentials. Last year, Orphan Grain Train sent two 40-foot-long shipping containers filled with relief supplies to its warehouse in Bangalore, India – supplies now being distributed to those affected by the tsunami.

* Lutheran Church – Canada (LCC), for school supplies, children's clothing, and household goods in Thailand, where LCC seminary-faculty members have taught classes to indigenous Lutheran pastors. Harrison said LCMS World Relief/ Human Care is providing LCC a matching grant of "at least $50,000."

Lutheran Hour Ministries is an auxiliary of the Synod, Orphan Grain Train is an LCMS "Recognized Service Organization," and the Lanka Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church – Canada are partner churches with the Synod.

Harrison explained that "in the past, relief aid from the Synod was simply spent through Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore, with little or no assistance for LCMS partner churches." He described LWR as "an excellent inter-Lutheran international relief and development agency that often partners with numerous non-governmental organizations in relief, human rights, and sustainable development projects."

"LWR's mandate is not evangelization, nor can it be," Harrison said. "However," he said, "LCMS World Relief/Human Care can partner with LCMS World Mission, indigenous partner churches, auxiliaries and RSOs to keep relief and proclamation together.

"It's what Jesus did," Harrison said. "It's our Christian mandate to correlate compassion and Word and Sacrament ministry."

Harrison noted that LCMS World Relief/Human Care is sending part of tsunami-relief funds it receives to LWR's "Wave of Giving" campaign.

"LWR is the partner through which the LCMS cooperates with many others – Lutherans, other denominations, and organizations – and participates as a good world citizen," said Harrison.

LCMS World Mission and LCMS World Relief sent two joint medical-assessment teams to Sri Lanka and Indonesia last month to visit areas worst hit by the tsunami and to help determine ways the Synod can respond to survivors' long-term needs.

Dr. Herbert Hoefer, regional director for India and Sri Lanka with LCMS World Mission, and Rev. Ted Engelbrecht, an LCMS community development worker in Vietnam, headed the Sri Lanka and Indonesia teams, respectively.

On Jan. 26, leaders of Synod ministries, auxiliaries and other groups met in St. Louis for a "summit" to help form what President Kieschnick calls "the first-ever, comprehensive LCMS disaster-response plan."

Harrison was in Sri Lanka briefly last month to tour coastal areas the tsunami hit and to meet with Lutheran partners there, including Lanka Lutheran Church President Michael Sivalingam.

"That trip convinced me all the more of the need for us as Lutheran Christians with so many blessings to help people who have lost so much," Harrison said.

While in Sri Lanka, Harrison visited a refugee camp where he talked with fishermen who lost their boats, homes, and livelihoods to the tsunami – "just about everything of material importance to them," he said.

He also viewed the wreckage of "The Queen of the Sea," a passenger train that the waves knocked off its tracks – killing about 1,000 passengers and villagers who climbed on top of it.

Among the train's riders killed by the tsunami were Rev. Ranjith Fernando and his wife, Darshini. Ranjith Fernando was president of the Lutheran Church in Sri Lanka, a small emerging church body. Earlier last year, he had completed the first translation of "The Book of Concord" into Sinhala, one of two primary languages spoken in Sri Lanka. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF), a Missouri Synod RSO, sponsored that translation project.

Rev. Robert Rahn, executive director of LHF, said that 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."

LCMS World Mission staff members said that Synod missionaries in South Asia were all safe after the disaster.

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 http://catalog.lcms.org/, clicking on "LCMS World Relief" and then on "Help Tsunami Victims in Asia."

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