With donations still continuing to come in, the Presbyterian Church's Tsunami Appeal this week topped the million pound mark and presently stands at £1,082,000.
Presbyterian Moderator Dr Ken Newell has expressed his thanks to the 280,000 Presbyterians around Ireland for their 'amazing generosity' and described their response as 'absolutely superb'.
"The last months have seen unprecedented requests for financial help and Presbyterians have been consistently generous in their giving," said Dr Newell. "I would thank them for their wonderful and amazing support.
"We all know of the generosity of people in Ireland to various appeals over the years but this recent response has been truly staggering with everyone from diverse parts of our community wanting to do what ever they can to help the victims of the Tsunami.
"However, appeals like this are not just about money," continued the Moderator. "They demonstrate in the strongest way Christian commitment to the world's poor and vulnerable. This will be further emphasised throughout 2005 with support for the 'Make Poverty History' campaign which aims to convince world leaders that we need a change towards more and better aid, a real end to debt and a commitment to trade justice."
The Presbyterian Church plans to hold a special event on Thursday 19 May in Church House, Belfast, to thank people for their generosity and allow them to hear first hand from the relief agencies how their money has been used for emergency relief and long term development in the countries effected by the Tsunami.
In the last seven months Presbyterian financial generosity to help third world development programmes and disaster relief appeals has amounted to a staggering £2.0m.
In July Dr Newell encouraged support for the situation in Darfur, Sudan and that appeal has reached £392,000.
Then during Advent, the Presbyterian Church launched its annual appeal for development projects in third world countries. This year it focussed on the continuing aftermaths to the war in Cambodia 30 years ago, the famine in Ethiopia 20 years ago and the genocide in Rwanda 10 years ago. So far that has raised £590,000, an increase of £90,000 on last year.
The Presbyterian Church has no relief and development programme of its own but works in partnership with Christian Aid and Tearfund who will each receive equal amounts of all that has been donated.
"I can assure Presbyterians that their money donated to the Tsunami Appeal is already being used by Christian Aid and Tearfund to help communities in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. This has included provision of food, clothing, cooking equipment, clean water, emergency shelter and sanitation, candles, matches and medical assistance," added Dr Newell.
Another partner of the Presbyterian Church is the Church of North India. No request has yet been received but the Presbyterian Church may give some financial support to help it in rebuilding communities in tsunami hit parishes. Four years ago Presbyterians donated almost £750,000 through the Church of North India to help rebuild church property and homes destroyed in the Gujarat earthquake.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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