India

In India, CASA (Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action) is targeting 50,000 families in three states: Andrah Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Using materials and food stuffs that were pre-stocked in CASA warehouses throughout the country, immediate food distribution has been set up through nine member church denominations located in the affected areas. Feeding programs with prepared food are being implemented in 10 centers in three states.

Non-food relief and shelter assistance includes blankets, clothing (saris and dohas), utensils, matches, candles, and plastic sheeting for immediate cover.

Note: CASA is a related agency of the National Council of Churches in India and counts 24 Protestant churches in its membership. Both the Church of North and South India are active in CASA.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the Council of Churches of Sri Lanka (CCSL) is providing dry ration food to 25,000 families. They are also constructing 100 temporary shelters for the worst hit regions. Each shelter will accommodate 10-15 family units. They have also begun distribution of non-food items.

PDA has provided $20,000 to Church World Service in support of a shipment of family shelter kits (500) and disaster medicine boxes (75) to Sri Lanka. The family shelter kits consist of a tent, plastic cover sheeting, and a ground sheet. The medicine boxes include sufficient key medicines to support a community of 1,000 people for one month. Both medicine and shelter supplies are in critical shortage in Sri Lanka.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, PDA is responding through Yakkum Emergency Unit (the emergency arm of the Christian Foundation for Public Health), Yayasan Tanggul Bencana (the emergency program of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia), and Church World Service. All are focusing on the islands of Sumatra, Aceh, and Nias.

Activities include shipments of tents and medicines into the area, emergency food shipments, health kits, blankets, mosquito nets and generators. Supplementary feeding is being started and a mobile health team is en route to begin a rapid assessment of sanitation and clean water needs. The team is also going prepared with materials that will assist in the handling of bodies.

Thailand

In Thailand, the Christian Church of Thailand has sent funds to its member churches in the south so that the can begin to provide assistance. Although the news has focused on the tourist islands of Phuket and Phi Phi, whole communities of local residents, particularly of the Chao Lay people (Muslim fishing village communities built on stilts over the sea on islands and coastal areas in the far south) have been destroyed. We are awaiting more specific information and plans from the churches in Thailand.

Maldives, Malaysia, Burma/Myanmar

We have not yet had contact with churches on the Maldives, Malaysia, or Burma/Myanmar all of whom have been affected by the Tsunamis.