Christian Groups Improve Relief Coordination after Past Disasters
Christian relief groups have shown greater coordination in providing care and distributing aid to the recent quake victims following a series of historically large natural disasters in Asia.
Following a series of historically large natural disasters in Asia – starting from the 2004 tsunami to Saturday’s 6.3-magnitude Indonesian quake – Christian relief groups have shown greater coordination in providing care and distributing aid to the recent quake victims.
As updates roll in on Christian relief efforts in Indonesia, one striking fact is the repeated names of Christian relief groups, local churches and organizations joining forces to help survivors.
Action by Churches Together, a global alliance of churches and agencies around the world, reported on Monday the efforts of three of its members in the hardest-hit city of Yogyakarta. Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU), Yayasan Tanggul Bencana (YTBI), and Church World Service (CWS) were on the grounds soon after the disaster trying to meet the critical needs of earthquake survivors.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The early morning quake last weekend was Indonesia’s worst disaster since the 2004 9.1 magnitude quake-tsunami that claimed some 223,000 lives. Saturday’s disaster flattened nearly all the buildings in the hardest-hit district of Bantul, possibly triggered a nearby volcano, and left thousands of residents homeless and injured.
The three ACT members currently working in Indonesia were also highly active during the 2004 tsunami and continue to be involved in post-tsunami works.
In addition, during the October 2005 South Asia quake, ACT member CWS was one of the first groups on the scene in Pakistan and played a large role in distributing tents and emergency supplies to the more than 2.5 million homeless victims.
The chaos and confusion surrounding these disasters demanded Christian relief organizations to work and communicate with each other to avoid repeating the same efforts. Moreover, the previous quakes provided opportunities for Christian groups to experiment and find the most effective relief method.
Major Dina Ismael, Salvation Army’s relief coordinator, would agree. He said in a report on Monday that the SA team was employing the methods which were successfully developed during the tsunami response last year.
“Our Compassion in Action teams will be on hand to offer continuous assistance to those who have suffered,” said Ismael, explaining SA’s plans that were developed during the tsunami. “Personnel will be rotated on a weekly basis to maintain the support program and sustain the assistance we are providing. In addition to the medical field hospitals, our teams will also provide tents and other urgently needed relief supplies.”
ACT’s recent report on Monday also indicated that it has learned valuable lessons from the previous events and that there is a relatively high level of coordination between the members, most notably between U.S.-based CWS and the local organizations.
YEU is focused on offering medical care and is distributing baby kits from fellow member YTBI to patients at Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta hospital. Meanwhile, YTBI is providing staff to help coordinate the distribution of food and medicine as CWS provides more than 500 blankets to Bethesda Hospital.
Furthermore, U.K.-based Christian Aid, also a member of ACT, although not present in Indonesia, is supporting efforts financially. The group posted on its website that it will channel donations it receives for the Indonesia quake victims to its partners in Indonesia.
Baptist World Aid in Australia said it has three partners responding to the disaster in Yogyakarta and around Mt. Merapi (the volcano that is feared to be triggered by the quake): Rescue 24, Indonesian Baptist Aid and Indonesian Holistic Ministries. The three partners have coordinated responses that includes a medical team; a public kitchen providing food and water; providing plastic tarps for shelter and blankets for warmth; assistance in the evacuation process; and providing respiratory masks and blankets to those affected by volcanic ash from Mt. Merapi.
Baptist World Aid Australia is also planning to send an initial AU $50,000 to the relief efforts of its three partners. Meanwhile, Baptist World Aid has made an initial grant of US $20,000 available for immediate relief. Local churches Anugrah Baptist Church and Prambanan Baptist Church are being set up as an operation center and a medical clinic, respectively.
Catholic Relief Service (CRS) also reports working alongside local partners to distribute shelter material for the homeless survivors.
