FOR MORE INFORMATION (working media only) : Pamela Burdine: 502-569-5839 or pburdine@ctr.pcusa.org

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct.10, 2005)--Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has provided an initial $60,000 and dispatched a disaster specialist to the Pakistan region rocked by a powerful earthquake on October 8th. The PDA response joins an international relief effort by members of Action by Churches Together (ACT), including Church World Service (CWS).

"We have a strong presence in hospitals, colleges and seminaries in that area, so we hope to use that network in many ways," said Susan Ryan, PDA coordinator. "Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) currently has eleven mission coworkers serving in Pakistan; as of this moment, all but two of our mission workers in the region have been reported safe."

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Team member and PC(USA) mission coworker Rev. Kathy Angi is being sent from Hungary to Pakistan to work with Norwegian Church Aid and Church of Sweden volunteers to provide psychosocial care for survivors. PDA hopes to partner with the Gujranwala Theological Seminar in Gujranwala Pakistan to provide students who can train with the PDA team and serve as translators for the international team.

"Our goal is to look ahead to the immediate and long-term needs of survivors and caregivers," said Ryan. "We're supporting the people who are providing food, shelter and health care."

PDA also is soliciting donations for earthquake relief. Contributions can be made by calling 1-800-872-3283 or via the website, www.pcusaorg/pda.

PDA is a non-profit relief and recovery program of the 2.4-million member Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Since 1946, it has provided field-trained disaster teams, financial assistance and human services annually to disasters in 55 countries on six continents.

In addition to the Pakistan earthquake response, PDA is currently providing financial assistance, materials and manpower to responses in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Malawi, Niger, Sudan, the tsunami region, and hurricane recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast of the U.S., Mexico and Central America. More information on these efforts can be found at www.pcusa.org

ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION (working media only):

Overall coordinator: Susan Ryan: (888) 728-7228 x5840 (sryan@ctr.pcusa.org)

Field Coordinator: John Robinson