No one has been able to say specifically why * on February 4th fighting broke out at the disputed Preah Vihear between Thai and Cambodian military forces, but the outcome has been a handful of deaths and injuries on both sides and 1500+ families fleeing from their homes. In response to this displacement the ELCA, and partner organizations, have given financial support to Life With Dignity (LWD), our local partner on the ground. The funds will be used set up a camp to provide stable conditions for temporary housing, clean water, sanitation and food.

The hope is that the fighting will not escalate further and thankfully there has been a ceasefire in effect since February 8th. At the moment the goal is to help people momentarily displaced while they wait to return home. Please join us in praying for the people of the region that they may find peace in this period of uncertainty and that the two sides may find a peaceful and agreeable solution.

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* Though the reason for the recent outbreak of violence is not know the general reason for tensions stem from the Preah Vihear temple sitting on a disputed stretch of border between Cambodia and Thailand. The dispute has gone on since France withdrew from Cambodia in 1953, was heightened in 1962 when the International Court of Justice ruled the temple to be on the Cambodian side of the border and peaked in 2008 when UNESCO accepted Cambodia’s bid to list the temple as a World Historical Site, a move Thailand disagrees with.

The Editor of The Lutheran (Australia), Linda Macqueen, sent a positive message this afternoon regarding Cyclone Yasi that was threatening the northeast coast of Australia.  At one point, the storm was listed as a category 5, with some weather reports suggesting the size of the storm system to be roughly twice the size of Hurricane Katrina.  The eastern coastal region of Australia is currently recovering from record setting floods. ~Megan

Cairns and Townville, the major regional centres of North Queensland, have been spared from the anticipated massive destruction of Category 5 Cyclone Yasi, which crossed the coast at around midnight last night. Lutherans from those communities reported this morning that, while they experienced an uneasy night, the cyclone did not appear to be anything out of the ordinary.

“Thanks be to God that the cyclone did not cross the coast at a highly populated area’, LCA Queensland District President Noel Noack, said this morning. ‘While we feel for the people directly in its path, who have lost homes and property, we can thank God that there were no lives lost.’

This was the first cyclone Pastor Lou and Hazel Pfeiffer of Townsville had experienced. During the preparations they had felt anxious, but during the cyclone they were not afraid. ‘We were even relaxed enough to play cards’, said Hazel.

General Church Council member David Spanagel, of Cairns, said that he and wife Pam didn’t feel they needed to go to their bunker at any stage during the cyclone. At around midnight they felt that it posed no danger to them and they went to bed. ‘Here in Cairns, we’ve dodged a bullet’, he said.

There are small Lutheran communities at Mission Beach and Tully, which took the full blunt of Yasi, but at this stage it is not known how they fared.

Written by: Linda Macqueen, Editor of The Lutheran (Australia)

It was six months ago, at the end of July 2010, that the worst floods Pakistan has ever seen ravaged the country, leaving nearly 2,000 dead; 3,000 injured and millions without homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that over 20 million Pakistanis, around 10% of the population, have been affected. They report that there are still 170,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps, which does not even take into account the vast numbers of those who have returned to find their homes still under water and uninhabitable.

So the need is not over and we are reminded again that even after disasters leave the headlines they do not leave the lives of those affected. Thank God for those who continue to work after the cameras and reporters are gone. Thank God for those who plan with the foresight needed to meet the continuing needs of people after disasters strike. Please pray that God will continue to sustain both those whose lives have been affected by this flooding and those working on their behalf.

For more information read OCHA’s Humanitarian Community in Pakistan is Faced with New Challenges – Six Months into the Floods.

Flooding in Queensland. Image from LCA

Earlier this month the Australian state of Queensland, composing the northeast portion of the country, was hit with major flooding along its eastern sea border. It was considered some of the worst flooding the area has seen in over 35 years.  In reading the news coming out from the area I’m reminded of Katrina and the devastation ravaged on New Orleans.  What also reminded me of Katrina is reading about how the local churches and population as well as people from across the county have been volunteering time and talents to help those affected by the flood.

Below are two articles written by Linda MacQueen, editor of the Lutheran Church in Australia’s (LCA) magazine The Lutheran. The first one highlights the personal story of Trevor Ruthenberg as he lends a helping hand. The second describes how local churches are playing an immediate role while still looking forward to how they can address the long-term needs caused by the flooding.

Trevor’s Story: After Rains, Love Reigns

Role of Local Churches: Congregations Will Support Victims For Long Haul

To read more stories check out the LCA site’s coverage of the flooding and response: Floods Disaster 2011

Distributing Blankets in Bangladesh

Last week a cold spell moved through Bangladesh with temperatures getting as low as 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees F). In response, the ELCA partner RDRS Bangladesh has distributed blankets and wraps to people affected by the cold. Though no appeal has been raised at this point, RDRS will continue to monitor the situation.

To read more, check out this post on the Asian Lutheran Communion website.

Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) was founded in 1971 following the Bangladesh War of Independence by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Since 1997 it has been an autonomous organization but has continued to have close ties with the LWF /Department of World Services and its work in Bangladesh.

A 7.2 earthquake has hit a remote area of southwestern Pakistan. Today’s quake was centered in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s most sparsely populated area, according to the US Geological Service. The quake’s epicenter was centered in a remote area about 200 miles, or 320 kilometers, southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, the Associated Press reported. The quake was felt in several neighboring provinces and in major cities, including Karachi.  Police from Karachi report no damage or loss of life as of now.

The ELCA’s partner, CWS in Pakistan, has a long record of responding after earthquakes, including the 7.5-magnitude quake that hit Pakistan in 2005.  CWS will conduct assessments and prepare a response if needed.