Bernie and Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta live in Yogyakarta, Central Java, just 10 miles or so miles north of the Bantul, the town most severely affected by the earthquake that struck early on Saturday morning, local time.

We share this report, with Bernie’s kind permission, as a way of helping others gain some sense of what that kind of disaster means "on the ground," and how some people of faith are responding. Bernie is professor of ethics and social sciences at Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta, and Farsijana is senior researcher for Duta Wacana's Center for Research and Social Service.

Karla Koll, Presbyterian mission co-worker in Quetzaltenango, was another participant in the recent Witherspoon mission conference, and one who contributed greatly to it.

She writes of the devastation wrought by yet another hurricane, "Stan" by name.

And she notes that a great deal of the destruction was caused by human action as much as by nature. A not unfamiliar reality.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has written a hymn of lament and hope, in observance of the terrible damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina.  

Disaster specialists traveling to affected areas to help survivors
[8-31-05]
by Evan Silverstein, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has issued a $10 million appeal for Hurricane Katrina relief.

PDA, the disaster-response agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), also has earmarked $500,000 from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and general relief funds for immediate response to the needs of hurricane survivors.

Some of the funds will be used to support the deployment of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) to assist the affected presbyteries, congregations and communities.

Katrina is one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States, according to PDA. Damage estimates range between $10 billion and $25 billion.

"I can tell you right now, it will be the biggest thing we’ve responded to domestically, in terms of the scope of the damage and the number of people involved," PDA Coordinator Susan Ryan said.

PDAT representatives, along with the Rev. John Robinson, national associate for PDA, have been in contact with middle governing bodies in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to assess the situation and offer assistance.

Eight PDAT members are now working in those states, and eight more have moved as close as possible to hard-hit areas and preparing to move in as conditions allow.

PDA staff members have been meeting each morning to discuss the disaster and get updates from PDAT members involved in the response, Ryan said. At least six PDAT members are committed to long-term recovery work, she said.

"We’ve got folks in there, and we’re doing the assessment now," Ryan said. "The (Florida) Keys are part of that. They’re going to take a trip down to all the churches in the Keys and give us an assessment report, so they’re on the road doing that."

A situation report issued by PDA on Tuesday described the post-hurricane damage in Mississippi and Louisiana as "massive and unprecedented."

Flooding in Mississippi was devastating for at least six miles inland, the situation report said. Biloxi and other coastal communities were hit by a 25-foot storm surge. PDA has been told that there are no undamaged houses in the city of Biloxi.

Two new breaks in levees sent water from Lake Pontchartrain coursing through the eastern part of New Orleans. Officials said about 80 percent of the city was flooded, some areas under 20 feet of water.

Ryan said the damage-assessment process may not get under way in some areas for several days because of extensive damage. She said it is already evident that Mississippi will be a primary focus.

"The poverty there, the communities, I think in Mississippi we’re going to find that’s where we’re going to be doing a ton of work," Ryan said. "I can tell you that right now they’ve got it the worst, and they were the poorest and the least able. You’ve got a lot of communities in Mississippi that don’t even have sewerage systems in their communities. They’re not going to have the kind of insurance that’s going to allow them to recover."

Robinson said he thinks the part of Florida hit hardest was the Presbytery of Tropical Florida, but said Florida Presbytery in the panhandle may have sustained considerable damage. Peace River Presbytery, which was hit hard last year by Hurricane Charley, appears to have escaped the brunt of this storm.

"I’m waiting for reports from the panhandle and from Florida Presbytery, because they had a very high storm surge today, and we have not heard what the results of that were," Robinson said Monday by phone. "Pensacola and that area and Navarre Beach were hit so heavily the last time (by Hurricane Ivan) that I really do have some concern about how well they may have weathered this storm."

Ryan said a toll-free number will soon become operational sometime this week for people who want to volunteer for relief work teams.

A bulletin insert is available at www.pcusa.org/pda

The journal Editor&Publisher carries an article by Will Bunch, showing how the terrible flooding in New Orleans has been caused partly by reductions in the budget for the Army Corps of Engineers on the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project. Because of tax cuts, along with the vast costs of the war in Iraq and expenditures for homeland security, the budget for such things as raising and reinforcing the dikes along the Mississippi River was sharply cut, and much needed work was not done.   Read the article >>

The New Orleans Times-Picayune cited the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control funds in at least nine articles during 2004 and 2005.

The media blitz is over, but the pain of thousands of tsunami survivors goes on. The Rev. Shanta Premawardhana, the National Council of Churches' Director of Interfaith Relations, has prepared a set of guidelines for U.S. churches that want to continue to be engaged with Asians in rebuilding their communities.

Meanwhile, the devastated province of Aceh in North Sumatra is apparently facing the threat of new tightening of control by the Indonesian government, now that many of the foreign agencies are leaving.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has received $3.26 million in individual contributions for tsunami relief aid following the devastating Dec. 26 disaster in Southeast Asia, and expects to receive over $500,000 more from congregations and presbyteries.

The total means the disaster response arm of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has surpassed its tsunami aid goal of $2.5 million, which it set in an appeal issued in early January.

PDA is dispatching a three-person team of South Asians to begin working in Sri Lanka with the fishing industry and looking at issues related to vulnerable women and widows.  

Manly Olson has written words to be sung to the tune 'Finlandia.'    [1-24-05]

Will the Bush Administration's actions move Aceh towards peace or a continued descent into destruction?

The tsunami disaster in South Asia has given new urgency to questions of foreign aid, both governmental and non-governmental, both for disaster relief and for long-term development.   [1-18-05]

First, know what we give and how we give it

A recent editorial article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune compares the rates of giving per day, per person for 14 of the world's wealthiest nations.

Norway ranks first, with $1.02 per person being given in government aid, and another $.24 in private giving. The United States comes in 13^th of the 14, giving $.13 in government funds and another $.05 per person in private contributions.

Click here for the article.

NOTE: The print version of this article includes a graphic depiction of the rates of giving per day, per person in each of the 14 nations. If you're really interested in seeing that, send a note and your WebWeaver will try to send you a graphic file with a photo if the graph.

UN study says world poverty can be halved by 2015

The Independent (U.K.) gathers a number of very good articles on questions of foreign aid and development, highlighting a report by the United Nations Millennium Project which which suggests that, if it chose to, the West could reduce world poverty by half by 2015, and thus prevent millions of unnecessary and premature deaths.

Three articles posted by The International Relations Center offer three differing analyses of America's response to the disaster in South Asia.

It's not how much we give, but why we give it

Tom Barry, policy director of the International Relations Center, says the amount of aid being promised by the US is not the main issue. Rather, we need to pay attention to the fact that international aid is now being managed with one goal in mind: America's strategic interests in the "war on terrorism."

The real issue is long-term development needs

David Bryden, Communications Director of Global AIDS Alliance, says too much attention is being focused on how much the US is giving in comparison to other nations. The real issue, though, in whether enough aid will be given to deal with the massive, long-term problems. It will be enough "only if the U.S. provides its fair share of what's required to tackle the problem, addressing not only the tsunami emergency but longer-term development challenges, including the lack of access to healthcare. Once the U.S. uses its clout to get all donor nations to do their fair share, it will be able to claim leadership in global assistance."

Public health will be a major concern

The two faces of America

Progressives have often criticized the Bush administration for dividing the world in two: good and evil, us and them, our friends and the terrorists. But since the presidential election, some progressives seem to think it's just that kind of sharp - yes, dualistic - thinking that's needed if the progressive vision is to gain any credibility in American politics.

Robyn Blumner, writing in the St. Petersburgh Times, takes that approach, suggesting that the real dualism lies in America itself: "America as Jekyll and Hyde. We have our truly altruistic, highly principled and virtuous side, and then there is the side of self-dealing, malevolence and hypocrisy."

So what do you think? Is this kind of good-vs.-evil thinking helpful in today's political setting, or do progressives need a different way of understanding the situation?

Just send a note, and we'll share it here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Other, Man-made Tsunami

The aid being promised to the nations devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami is put in perspective by John Pilger, who compares it to the huge expenditures by the Bush and Blair governments to wreak untold damage and loss of life in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. He also traces the links between British and Australian aid and the repressive policies and activities of the Indonesian military in Aceh.

Summing up his charges, he writes:

This other tsunami is worldwide, causing 24,000 deaths every day from poverty and debt and division that are the products of a supercult called neo-liberalism. This was acknowledged by the United Nations in 1991 when it called a conference in Paris of the richest states with the aim of implementing a "programme of action" to rescue the world's poorest nations. A decade later, virtually every commitment made by western governments had been broken, making the waffle of the British Chancellor (Treasurer) Gordon Brown about the Group of Eight "sharing Britain's dream" in ending poverty as just that: waffle.

But on the bright side, he adds:

The current outpouring of help for the tsunami victims among ordinary people in the west is a spectacular reclaiming of the politics of community, morality and internationalism denied them by governments and corporate propaganda.

The Nonviolent Peaceforce is a voluntary organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in Brussels, Belgium. Started a few years, they aim to train teams of people to work in areas of conflict, building on Ghandi's principles of nonviolence to bring peace between warring groups.

Presbyterian minister Dr. Charles Henderson, who holds the modest title of "Your Guide to Christianity" on the vast website About.com, offers a brief and helpful consideration of the question that is plaguing many Christians in the wake of the tsunami disaster: Did God do it?

Noting that there are many passages in the Bible that suggest that God does "micromanage the forces of nature," he acknowledges that this was "the majority view" in biblical times, and is still very strong today, in spite of the challenges of science to such a view. But he says there is also a "minority view" in the Bible - shown by Job and Isaiah and Jesus - that such events are not "God's will," but that they do present an invitation and a challenge to people of faith to love others, even their "enemies."

He concludes that "it is the good news of God's love for the world that inspires Christians not to wonder what tsunami or hurricane victims may have done to bring the wrath of God upon themselves, but instead to join with others in bringing comfort and relief to the afflicted."

Click here to read his essay

Or to miss the really annoying ads, click here for the "print this page" version.

Witherspooner Bill LeMosy sends this "thought for the day"

We Americans are proud of committing 350 million dollars to tsunami relief. That's after spending 130+ billion in Iraq, or about 370 times as much.

I wonder what this 370:1 ratio portends for our national security. We assume that military and economic domination make us safer. But while we assert our supremacy we too often violate the well-being of others, thereby breeding terrorism.

Now, imagine what could be done to heal the wounds of the world if we spent the larger sum on helping people instead of creating enemies. Shades of John Lennon. Imagine.

That leaves me with the following question: Is our true national security not the extent to which we value life throughout the human family? The Muslim world is watching. And Indonesia, so devastated by this disaster, is the most populous Islamic nation on the planet.

Presbyterians join in sending relief aid to areas devastated by tsunami

Click here for this report on the PCUSA website.

To send help, we encourage you to go to the report linked above (or click here), then (pay attention, now!):

It's more blessed to give than to receive.  It may also be more difficult -- at least online.  But we hope you'll try!!

Or you can call Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at 1-800-872-3283, and give by credit card.
[Updated 12-30-04]

December 27th, 2004
[12-28-04]

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) joins with the world in expressing concerns for those devastated by the recent earthquake and tsunami. Through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program the church is committing $100,000 initially to the relief effort and has established an account to which funds can be sent for Disaster Relief DR000167. (Funds can be send through local Presbyterian churches or to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Remittance Processing, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700) In such disasters the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), through its Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program, works through ecumenical networks around the world that have established procedures and trained personnel. It also works in cooperation with partner churches in the countries involved in the disaster.

The staff of the of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Worldwide Ministries Division is in the process of contacting all PC(USA) mission workers who serve in the region affected by Sunday's earthquake. All mission workers who have been reached have reported they were not harmed. Many mission workers are away from their homes for the holidays, complicating efforts to get in touch with them. The Worldwide Ministries Staff is working diligently to locate them. Worldwide Ministries leaders are also contacting PC(USA)church partners in the region to see how they were affected and how the PC(USA) might be of assistance.

Presbyterian mission personnel serving in the region include 10 Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) who work in Thailand. The PC(USA) has received word that all of them are safe. The YAV program is for people ages 19-30 who serve for one year in a variety of ministries in the United States and around the world.

Monday, December 27, 2004
10 a.m. Eastern Time

NCC reports on faith community's responses to Asia disaster

Mourners in Sri Lanka used their bare hands to dig graves for 28,000 of their fellow citizens Tuesday while survivors in Indonesia uncovered entire villages wiped out in the wake of last Sunday's devastating tsunamis -- giant tidal waves -- produced by massive earthquakes beneath the sea. The death toll across 11 nations, already 85,000 and rising, makes this one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. The international Red Cross said that it believes the death toll could rise to more than 100,000, with one official calling it "a disaster of unprecedented proportion." In addition to the dead, by some reports one third children, millions have been left homeless across the region. Church World Service, the global humanitarian arm of NCC's 36 member communions, is rushing aid to the region, working with ecumenical partners in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Indonesia to minister to especially hard-hit areas. FaithfulAmerica.org, the internet service sponsored by the NCC, is actively seeking support for the emergency efforts, and will keep the FaithfulAmerica website updated as more news is available. Check the following links for additional background:

Millions of lives are on the line. The U.S. government can lead billions of dollars of aid into the tsunami relief effort, if it chooses. Let Congress and the President know that Americans are supporting strong leadership in this relief effort.   Take Action

Their letter to MoveOn members reads in part:

Dear MoveOn member,

The tsunami in southern Asia and Africa may be the worst natural disaster of our time. More than 116,000 lives were wiped out within hours. The toll in death and suffering from smashed cities, broken families, rampant disease, and crippled economies cannot even be calculated. In the face of this horror, MoveOn members have poured in requests to help, asking how we can push through our sadness and lend a hand.

Rising to this challenge is at the heart of global leadership, and the world is depending on us. The U.S. government can lead billions of dollars of aid into this relief effort, if it chooses. Americans are generous and ready to step forward, but the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration have made a weak initial contribution to the effort -- first offering $15 million and then $35 million when they came under pressure. Clearly, we can do more.

Let Congress and the President know that Americans are supporting strong leadership in this relief effort -- that millions of lives are at stake and we have to help. In this hour of need, if America chooses to embrace our role as a world leader, we can have an unparalleled impact. Send a message to our leaders at:  http://www.moveon.org/tsunamirelief/

But we can't just wait for this Congress to move. We can help directly, as individuals, and save lives today. Our friends at Oxfam are already scrambling on the front lines to fight off starvation and disease -- and beginning to rebuild. Because Oxfam has worked for years with grassroots groups in the hardest hit areas, they were able to mobilize local leadership to help survivors immediately after the tsunami hit. And Oxfam will be there for the long-term, helping communities recover and regain their ability to meet basic needs. Oxfam needs to raise $5 million immediately to provide safe water, sanitation, food, shelter, and clothing to 36,000 families in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. Your contribution can make this possible.

Please give what you can, at:  http://www.moveon.org/r?r=631

Of course, Oxfam is only one of dozens of great organizations, like UNICEF, CARE, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent, rushing to help with the immediate need. Their efforts give the victims a head start, but it won't be enough unless the great nations of the world step forward in a big way for the long-term challenges.

Indonesia, by far the hardest hit country, is also the world's largest Muslim nation. Their estimated death toll stands at 85,000 -- in some areas, 1 out of 4 people have already been killed. Now it's time for America to show its true colors. We want to be known as a nation that leads the world with compassion, generosity, and community -- not with disastrous foreign military adventures. We are a nation that values human life, family, and extending freedom and opportunity to where it is most needed. We must now reach out in a serious way to do just that.

The $35 million offered by the Bush administration seems like a lot of money, but it's insignificant compared to what's needed in a disaster relief effort than spans continents and is expected to be the most expensive in history. To put it in perspective, we're spending $35 million in Iraq every 7 hours. (The Bush administration is about to ask for another $80 billion to cover the next installment of this tragic occupation.)¹

We can and will do better. Thanks for doing your part to show the true generosity of the American spirit.

Sincerely,

--Adam, Ben, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Justin, Laura, Mari, Noah, Rosalyn, and Wes
The MoveOn.org Team
December 30th, 2004

Footnote:
1. Bush Says America Will Lead Global Relief Effort, Washington Post, December 30, 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33290-2004Dec29.html

Even with all the coverage of the terrible toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Asia, it may be helpful to see what the press is saying in the countries directly affected.

Here are two early reports from Indonesia and India.


From Indonesia

Indonesia quake toll hits 21,000 as disease threatens

The report, filed in Banda Aceh, North Sumatra, the city nearest the epicenter of the quake, begins:

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (AFP): The rotting corpses of quake victims piled up Tuesday on Indonesia's Sumatra island where at least 21,000 were dead and more lives were threatened by the possibility of disease outbreaks.

There were apocalyptic scenes in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh where the stench of death hung over the rubble of demolished houses as survivors from Sunday's earthquake and tsunami struggled to dig graves in tropical heat.

From the obliterated western shoreline of Sumatra's Aceh province there was only eerie silence pierced by an SOS call from what remained of the main town where police said looting had broken out as starvation loomed.  ...


From India

23,000 and still counting

Rescuers hunt for tourists in sea as troops rush to find rotting bodies

Posted online: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 at 0137 hours IST

COLOMBO, DECEMBER 27: The death toll in a tsunami that slammed into the Asian coast from India to Indonesia topped 23,266 on Monday as rescuers scoured the sea for missing tourists and fears of disease grew as soldiers raced to recover rotting bodies. ...

"We are used to dealing with disasters in one country. But I think something like this spread across many countries and islands is unprecedented. We have not had this before," UN emergency relief official Yvette Stevens said in Geneva. ...

If you see other helpful reports from Asia,
please send a note
so we can share them here.