Couldn't Help Noticing

Tsunami relief

Many Christians are no doubt anxious to channel some funds towards the relief efforts in SE Asia. The names of several well-known aid agencies have been well promoted in the media.

However, some of you will know that Matthias Media has supported Samaritans Purse's ‘Operation Christmas Child’ in the past, and I commend Samaritan's Purse to you for your consideration as a Christian aid organisation. Their concern and commitment to providing aid and emergency relief services is a great testimony to the Gospel of Jesus, a message which they endeavour to take with them as they go. As their Mission Statement says:

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Below is the text of a Press Release from the Australian Director of Samaritan's Purse and details of how you can make a donation should you wish.

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29th December, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

“This May Be the Worst Natural Disaster in Recent History”

Samaritan's Purse is sending emergency workers and supplies to Sri Lanka and Indonesia to help meet the needs of survivors of the earthquake and tidal waves that devastated the Indian Ocean coastline on Boxing Day.

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake that triggered the tidal waves was the most powerful in the world in the last 40 years. “This may be the worst natural disaster in recent history,” said Jan Egeland, the emergency relief coordinator for the United Nations. More than 44,000 people were killed and the death toll continues to rise. The eight countries surrounding that area of the Indian Ocean have all been affected (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives), as have several countries with coasts on the Indian Ocean in Africa.

According to preliminary reports, the death toll was worst in Sri Lanka, an island southeast of India. But there are fears the toll might be even worse on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the coast closest to the quake.

Samaritan's Purse staff and partners in Southeast Asia have been mobilised to assess the damage and meet critical needs in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and possibly other countries. They are prepared to distribute emergency food, cooking supplies, temporary shelter, water filtration units, and medicine.

Samaritan's Purse is a non-denominational evangelical Christian relief and development agency that is often one of the first on the scene in situations of natural disasters. Since 1970, they have helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ. Recently they have provided emergency assistance in Darfur, Sudan; after the hurricanes that devastated the Caribbean and the US in 2004, and after the earthquake in Iran in 2003.

Samaritan's Purse Australia is collecting donations to help with the emergency relief. Tax deductible donations can be sent to Samaritan's Purse Australia at PO Box 6544, Blacktown BC, NSW 2147. Credit card donations can be made by fax at (02) 8811 5556 or by phone at (02) 8811 5544 or 1800 684 300. Please include your name, address, and phone number and for credit card donations include the name on the card, the number, and the expiry date of the card. Mark your donations for "Indian Ocean Tsunami Relief.

Or donate online at the Samaritan's Purse website.

Samaritan's Purse also has offices in Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, USA, Ireland and Germany. See their web site for contact details of these offices and to make donations in those countries.

Leigh Brown
Executive Director
Samaritan's Purse Australia Limited
ABN 84 070 722 404
PO Box 6544
Blacktown Business Centre NSW, 2148
Australia
Phone: 61 2 8811 5544 Fax: 61 2 8811 5556

http://www.samaritanspurse.org
Franklin Graham -International President