ACT Alliance has posted a new video from Church World Services (CWS) outlining their work in Japan. This work has entailed distributing materials, setting up stationary clinics, making connections between those seeking shelter and those offering shelter and providing psychological care for women and children affected by the disaster. To date the ELCA has pledged $175,000 to help CWS with its work. To learn more about the ELCA’s response check out the page ELCA Disaster Response: Japan.

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Who is paying [for all these supplies].

“We’re paying, of course. And our friends and family back home.”

“How long will you continue?”

“For as long as the money lasts.”

This is an exceprt from a conversation with Aomed Aowel, an ordinary Tunisian who left his home in the capital city of Tunis to drive (if my estimates are correct) around 7 hours to bring food and water to refugees crossing the border from Libya. And as the days have progressed he, his friends and others Tunisians they have recruited, have been bringing supplies of food and water to help meet the basic needs of people coming into Sousha camp.

“We’re not heroes. We’re just helping our brothers.” This is the response he gives to what they are doing. Heroes or not they are helping to do God’s work and for that we give thanks.

To read more about Aomed’s story as well as the work being done by the ACT Alliance read their update Solidarity without borders.

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During an interview with Orion Samuelson for “This Week in Agribusiness” (video), Bishop Hanson took time to speak about his experiences visiting Haiti in February. He told stories of seeing a people “defined not by the rubble, but by restoration,” a quote he got from the president of the Lutheran Church in Haiti, Rev. Joseph Livenson Lauvanus. He shared of the forest restoration project funded by the ELCA and partners like Lutheran World Federation and the Lutheran Church in Haiti to replace trees cut down for survival after the earthquake, of a coffee cooperative that was funded in part by the ELCA prior to the earthquake that still thrives after, and of other farming, vocational and housing projects underway.

To learn more read the ELCA News Release.

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In a reflection on the situation in Japan by Church World Service Asia/Pacific Emergency Response Director Takeshi Komino, he describes how the situation is understood by those making the decisions and those living the realities in the villages. The opening paragraph is a sobering reminder that human-made security is never absolute.

“Is this really happening in my country of Japan?” was my initial thought. Japan is considered one of the richest nations in the world with probably the best disaster risk reduction measures in the region. And this was certainly my first time responding to an emergency in Japan as a staff member of CWS. As the extent of damage became clearer, I learned that this is actually four disasters happening at once. First a 9.0 Richter scale earthquake, then 20m+ tsunami, then nuclear power plant reactor explosion, all happening in the harsh winter weather of Tohoku region where temperatures nowadays go down below freezing point on daily basis. Can my government respond adequately? The answer, unfortunately, is no.

He goes on later to share about how volunteers are stepping up to help fill the gaps and meet the needs of those affected by this disaster. In the coming days please pray for those in leadership that they may be guided by a spirit of justice and led to decisions of equity. Pray also for these volunteers as they give of time and talent to serve the neighbor.

Read his full report: Takeshi Reflection On Japan (pdf).

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.

A March 22 fire broke out in the Nepalese refugee camps of Goldhap and Sanischare displacing about 6,000 Bhutanese refugees. The ELCA, through its World Hunger program, supports human rights advocacy and development in the region. For more information please read this partial report from Marceline P Rozario, Lutheran World Federation Country Representative for Nepal. Let us pray for those who have been affected by this tragedy that the Lord may keep them safe, calm their fears and give strength to those who seek to meet their needs.

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Dear friends,

About 6,000 Bhutanese refugees, including women and children, were rendered homeless yesterday (Tuesday) after a deadly fire that broke out in Goldhap and Sanischare camps. This is the second deadly outbreak of fire in Gholdap camp in the last three years.

Nearly six hours after a massive fire swept through Gholdap camp of Jhapa, gutting down 516 huts and displacing about 3,500 Bhutanese refugees, another deadly fire on the same day broke out in Sanishchare camp of Morang, burning down 200 huts to ashes and leaving around 2,500 Bhutanese refugees displaced. At least 29 refugees were injured in a stampede triggered by the fire in Gholdhap. No case of injury has been reported in Sanishchare camp.

The fire destroyed Gholdhap camp about two weeks before its planned merger with another refugee camp in Beldangi. Following the departure of many refugees for third country resettlement program initiated by the United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR), Gholdap camp was all set to be merged with Beldangi.

Most of the refugees could not save their properties because the fire, triggered by a cooking gas leak in one of the huts, swiftly swept through Gholdap camp. The fire was spurred by forceful wind. It took nearly four hours for locals, refugees. agency staffs and firefighters to douse the fire.

All refugees, displaced by the fire, have been kept in nearby schools. The fire has partly damaged local offices of the UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP), In Sanischare camp, apart from refugees´ huts, offices of Camp Management Committee (CMC), Refugee Coordination Unit (RCU) and Reconciliation Center have been badly damaged. The office of Lutheran World Federation has also been partly damaged.

We are holding urgent meetings with all agencies including the government. We shall inform you about our actions in this emergency.

Best regards.

Marceline

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As news and rumors about the situation in Japan after the earthquake, tsunami and continued potential for nuclear crisis there have been mixed reactions and responses from Japan’s neighbors in the region. The following reports from the Rev. Franklin Ishida show the breadth of these two.
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Prayers in Hong Kong

During my visit to Hong Kong, I encountered two instances of public display of prayers for Japan.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong has a newly established school, Lutheran Academy. A special assembly was called on March 17, where students and teachers stood for a moment of prayer. One of this schools expressed values is a global perspective. The students I talked to, without prompting, spoke with eagerness that they had engaged in this prayer for those who lost lives and for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami.

Meanwhile, at a shopping mall in Shatin, a place to hang “ema” (see photo – prayers or wishes written on a small wooden plaque, often seen in Japanese shrines and temples) was located in a prominent place. Children and adults were adding their prayers for the Japanese people, expressed in this Japanese form of prayer.

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Radiation, Salt and Formula

In many parts of China, there has been panic buying of salt. This is with the rumored [and mistaken] understanding that iodized salt can help ward off radiation poisoning. This is in reaction to the radioactive plume coming from the tsunami-damaged nuclear reactor in Japan. Store shelves of salt supplies have been emptied in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities.

In southern China, this buying fenzy has spilled over into Hong Kong, causing hysteria and even violent struggles over supplies. In Hong Kong, at least, wild purchasing has stabilized. But newspaper reports point to a lack of trust in the government by Chinese people and a succumbing to a “herd mentality” in such crises.

In a similar way, infant formula, which was widely tainted in China in 2008, is still feared in that country. Even after the problem was resolved, people have tended to purchase Japanese-made formula. Now, with fears of radiation, people are scrambling to secure formula that was produced before the tsunami. Again, many southern Chinese are flooding into Hong Kong to buy up these pre-disaster Japanese formula stock. Stores are keeping formula behind the counter so as to avoid fights over remaining items.

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Gifts to ELCA International Disaster Response allow the church to respond globally in times of need. Donate now.