Waves of Support for Tsunami Victims

IN response to the Tsunami catastrophe, NECF Malaysia contributed a total of RM136,000 to four separate groups coordinating relief work in their regions.

The Sri Lanka Evangelical Alliance and Indonesia Evangelical Alliance each received an initial sum of RM38,000. NECF is considering giving more as it awaits reports from its two counterparts on the progress of relief work in their regions.

Locally, RM50,000 was distributed to victims in Penang, Kedah and Perlis. The amount was handed over to NECF’s official representative, Rev. Lim Soon Hock, who is coordinating relief work with the various aid organisations and churches. Rev. Lim is senior pastor of Georgetown Baptist Church and also an NECF council member. NECF also handed RM10,000 to CREST (Crisis Relief Services and Training).

Meanwhile, northern churches are pooling their resources together to help the victims. The Love Penang Network (LPN) together with the Penang Pastors Fellowship (PPF) immediately established a fund to help the affected ones in Penang island.
Both PPF and LPN comprise some 50 churches from various denominations. On Jan 6, the representatives visited Pulau Betong in Balik Pulau and distributed RM60,000 to 40 fishermen whose boats were destroyed in the incident.

LPN has also suggested to churches to “adopt” villages for better follow-up and “holistic” support. “I believe the churches here will cooperate to make this a reality in the near future,” said LPN chairman Pr Koe Choon Huan. He added that currently, two churches are working together to visit the affected families in one village, while a few churches are working on another village.

Because of the help rendered, many homes have been opened for visits and counselling, Pr Koe commented. “I thank God for the excellent spirit of Christian love and cooperation (among the churches). My prayer would be for the Church of Christ to rise up to this occasion to be involved in the lives of the affected villages, sharing the kindness and love of God with no strings attached.”

Over in Sungei Petani, Kedah, the pastors fellowship met on Jan 12 and decided to pool resources together to further help the victims in Kuala Muda. Earlier, individual churches visited the relief centres on their own and distributed food, clothings and cash. Trinity Baptist Church distributed food aid to victims with the support of NECF, which contributed over RM1,700 to encourage the church in its relief effort.

Charismatic Christian Assembly (CCC) members visited the disaster area at least seven times and has thus far given out over RM8,000 in cash and kind to some 50 families. The church’s elder, Dr Sunny Tneoh, said that besides cash, they gave the families cooking utensils and gas cylinders so that they could cook for Hari Raya Haji.

He added that his church has committed to visit the families monthly for the next 12 months, and are also raising funds to help the fishermen repair their damaged boats.

Left pix: Trinity Baptist Church members donated food items to the Kuala Muda relief centre in Sg Petani, Kedah. Their donations were received by volunteers manning the centre. Right pix: Members from Charismatic Christian Assembly with some of the affected families after one of their visits.