January 22, 2008

CHICAGO – Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $50,000 to support humanitarian efforts in Darfur, Sudan, and $50,000 to support continued earthquake recovery in Peru through the church's International Disaster Response on Jan. 17.

"The civil war in Darfur continues to be a major humanitarian crisis," said Dr. Belletech Deressa, director for international development and disaster response, ELCA Global Mission.

"The humanitarian situation deteriorated further in 2007 with increasing numbers of people displaced from their homes and unable to return. The security situation has also worsened, narrowing the humanitarian space and access by nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations to those affected by the conflict. With the crisis entering its fifth year, Darfur has become a protracted emergency with a need to focus on provision not only of life-saving services but also on short- to medium- term livelihood solutions for those who are still unable to return home safely," she said.

ELCA funds were sent to the Darfur Emergency Response Operation – a consortium of secular, Protestant and Catholic partners – to help survivors of the civil war, particularly in south and west Darfur, said Deressa. Action by Churches Together (ACT) formed the consortium. ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergency situations worldwide. It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva. The ELCA is a member of the WCC and LWF.

There is tremendous financial need in Darfur, and income is low for International Disaster Response, said Deressa. "As we pray for peace and stability in Darfur, I wish to express the financial challenge we face in responding to international disasters," she said.

Coordinated by ELCA Global Mission, International Disaster Response channels its funds through international church organizations and relief agencies. Funds provide for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and other materials for survivors of disasters.

In August 2007 an earthquake hit Peru, killing more than 550 people. Houses, schools and hospitals were destroyed. Initially the ELCA sent $38,773 to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru to support relief work among survivors of the earthquake.

With an office in Peru, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is engaged in rehabilitation work by providing mental health counseling to 1,200 people and constructing temporary housing for 200 families. The ELCA sent $50,000 to LWR to support this work.

Based in Baltimore, LWR is a ministry of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, individuals and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy and social responsibility.

ELCA News Service