Asia (MNN) — While it’s been more than a week since the tsunami killed thousands and left millions homeless, news of its impact continues flooding in. Because of the devastation, World Vision has set a $50 million goal to help the victims. That’s the largest single commitment in the organization’s 54-year history.
World Vision’s James East is in the region. He says their Sri Lankan ministry was hit hard. “In one area where we have on-going projects we’ve lost something like 100 sponsored children who have gone missing and are believed to be dead.”
East says the extent of the impact on children is unclear right now. “We’re so desperate to provide people with the basic needs, food and shelter, that we haven’t yet had a chance assess how many children have been orphaned. What we’ll be doing over the next few days is just assessing how many children (that) have been orphaned and how many of those children that have extended families.”
While the assessment hasn’t been completed yet, there are more needs especially in Thailand. East says, “This disaster did not hit an area where we have on-going sponsorship programs, so we have to create two new ones, one on the Myanmar border and one in a costal area north of Phuket.”
Because World Vision is a Christian based ministry, they’re doing all this work in the name of Christ. “I think in this situation you live by example. (I was) just talking to a woman yesterday about the response and she was saying, ‘we feel really loved’. I think there’s a time and a place for sharing your faith. And, sometimes in situations like this you have to be very delicate,” especially when you’re in a country where the majority religion is not Christian.
To help World Vision reach their $50-million goal, you can give on-line at WorldVision.org or send donations to:
World Vision
P.O. Box 70288
Tacoma, WA 98481-0288
