Christian groups worldwide were quick to mobilize a massive relief effort to southeast Asia in the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami, which has swept away the lives of at least 150,000 people. As there were thousands of missionaries already ministering among the devastated populations, these Christians were among the first to respond, perhaps in place “for such as time as this” (Esther 4:14). The articles and essays below examine the world’s massive philanthropic response—as well as highlight the church’s urgent opportunity to model Christ’s generosity to those who are suffering and watching.
Purpose Driven Churches Multiply Relief Efforts
Mark Kelly. News release by Purpose Driven, n.d.
Contributions from churches in the Purpose Driven network have been swift and leveraged in the wake of the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean tsunami. “The relief work done so far was largely effective due to the national network [of sister congregations]. The information came in fast and accurately.” The pastors “responded like Christian leaders ought to in a moment of crisis—quickly and totally immersing themselves in serving others.” The disaster has given Sri Lankan Christians the opportunity to provide immediate relief to many around them, even in the midst of their own terrible suffering. Christians in the area have even had the opportunity to give supplies to Muslims in ravaged areas.
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US Churches Rush to Fill Void from Tsunami: Believers Have Raised Funds and Packed Boxes While Struggling to Understand Why Disasters Happen
G. Jeffrey MacDonald. The Christian Science Monitor, January 10, 2005.
Churches, synagogues and mosques across the United States have responded to the tsunami devastation by donating millions of dollars in material aid. But the writer’s concentration on nominally religious leaders for this story reveals a varied and confused response to the spiritual crisis at hand. Some see the disaster as a reason to doubt God’s existence, or an opportunity to assuage personal guilt. Others view the event as God’s judgment on mankind. Still others focus on meeting immediate needs, indifferent to any higher purpose behind the tsunami. Consider yet another view articulated elsewhere by John Piper: God’s merciful call for the living to repent.
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Tsunami Survivors Desperate for Aid: Christian Groups Worldwide Mobilize Massive Relief Effort to South Asia
Agnieszka Tennant. Christianity Today, December 27, 2004.
After the Indian Ocean tsunami killed tens of thousands of people, many Christian organizations began receiving record-breaking levels of donations. Several ministry leaders participating in the relief effort view generosity as a way for believers to model the love of Jesus Christ to a hurting and watching world. While the donated money will help restore some order and provide some material relief to those who have lost families, homes and livelihoods, prayer on behalf of the workers and victims is also needed. One ministry leader said, “We’re asking people to pray for families of the victims because the trauma they’ve suffered likely will be lifelong, and God’s extraordinary and immeasurable mercy will be needed to soothe the wounds that people have suffered.”
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Tsunami Giving: Waiting for the Second Wave
Excellence in Giving Special Bulletin (January 2005).
Millions of dollars have been donated to help countries that were hit by the southeast Asian tsunami. The majority of the funds has been collected through foundations, charities and the Internet. For individuals giving privately, it may be difficult to know how to respond: Which foundations, which charities or which Web sites are the best for making donations? How much is enough? What is the fastest way to give? In responding to this devastating natural disaster, this bulletin urges givers to “proceed with wisdom as well as compassion” and to “exercise patience.” “[T]he quality and appropriateness of the assistance is more important than its size, monetary value or the speed with which it arrives.” The author advocates waiting to give for these reasons: (1) To be most effective, efforts must be coordinated. (2) Immediate aid is sufficient. (3) The needs of victims are long-term. (4) Funds should be designated for a specific purpose.
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Aid and Comfort: Wise—Not Impulsive—Giving Is the Way to Help Tsunami Victims
Lynn Vincent. World, January 15, 2005.
Though many people give with good intentions, donations often are not used in the most helpful ways. This article explains how givers can give to the tsunami relief efforts wisely, also listing local relief and ministry groups that already have existing networks in the affected areas.
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Relief Aid Abounds, but Not a Consensus on Its Use: Expert Warns of Doing More Harm than Good
Interview with Riccardo Cascioli. Zenit News, January 16, 2005.
Zenit’s interview with Riccardo Cascioli, director of the European Center of Studies on Environment, Population and Development, and an expert on Asian issues. Cassioli gives helpful information about the potential harm relief agencies could cause, and he offers a sobering look at where much relief aid may be spent.
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Private Acts of Giving
Robert A. Sirico. The Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2005.
Donations to tsunami relief efforts display a trend: The bulk of foreign aid comes from private dollars. The author, who heads the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, in Grand Rapids, Mich., argues that private aid tends to go to private organizations rather than to governments and, therefore, can respond to disasters in ways that government cannot.
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Analysis: Will Post-Tsunami Generosity Spread?
United Press International. Reprinted in The Washington Times, January 6, 2005.
The earthquake that caused the deadly tsunami in southeast Asia has produced huge relief efforts especially in the area of donations. In light of the fast response from countries, many people hope that the financial generosity toward a common cause will encourage greater generosity across the board to other worthy causes. Meanwhile, others hold to the “fixed pie” view that other areas of need will experience funding shortages due to the sudden increase toward tsunami relief.
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Tsunami and Repentance
John Piper. Fresh Words, January, 5, 2005.
How do we respond to the tsunami that devastated southeast Asia on December 26, 2004? Pastor John Piper argues that we should weep for those who died, but we should also weep for ourselves. “The point of every deadly calamity is this: Repent.” As creatures of a glorious and all-powerful Creator, we should respond to this natural disaster by allowing our hearts to break, relying on the mercy of God, and realizing that we need to be full of reverence for the Creator, not respect for creation.
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Organizations with Ties to South Asia Pitch in with Fund-Raising Drives
Nicole Lewis. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
The author chronicles some of the tsunami relief aid that has been raised by religious groups, schools and communities across America. A number of these organizations had pre-existing connections to the disaster areas, which were used to ensure proper distribution of the donated funds. Students have joined the effort by taking creative initiatives to raise money, some of which has supported the construction of schools in the affected areas.
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How Much Americans Give Isn’t the Real Issue
Leslie Lenkowsky. Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
The media’s attention has focused largely on how much Western nations have given toward tsunami relief efforts in southeast Asia, but little consideration has been given to the more important matter of long-term development in the affected areas. The real issue is what happens after the initial crisis passes, argues Leslie Lenkowsky, professor of public affairs and philanthropic studies at Indiana University. The author raises important questions worthy of consideration.
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Profound Shift in U.S. Culture of Giving: Deluge of Private Donations Hits $163 Million; Media Coverage, Web Fuel Unprecedented Aid
Peter Grier, Faye Bowers and Amanda Paulson. The Christian Science Monitor, January 5, 2005.
Private donations to the tsunami relief effort have reached an unprecedented $163 million. What exactly has brought about such a tremendous response to the south Asian natural disaster? A number of factors come into play, including the large-scale nature of the tragedy, media coverage and the convenience of Internet giving.
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After the Devastation: Nonprofit Groups Raise Money, Mobilize Workers to Help Victims of Asia’s Catastrophe
Nicole Wallace. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 6, 2005.
The disaster in south Asia has met with a massive response on the part of American relief organizations, which have been rushing to raise the funds needed to provide aid to the thousands of victims. Most relief organizations received a rapid response to their appeals for aid. Challenges include dealing with the disaster’s impact on poverty-stricken areas, fending off waterborne diseases, and raising the long-term support necessary for a sustained effort.
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Generosity—Public and Private
Ben Sikma. Acton Commentary, January 12, 2005.
United Nations spokesman Jan Egeland declared the $15 million in aid pledged by the United States in the hours immediately following the tsunami disaster to be stingy. Such a response is indicative of the growing tendency in the United Nations, Western Europe and some circles in the United States to measure generosity solely by government aid as a percentage of national income. Sikma argues that such a standard does not accurately represent national giving because it ignores the massive amounts of money donated by the nongovernmental private sector such as individuals and churches.
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Saudis and Tsunamis: Not Everyone Worked Together to Help the Earthquake Victims
Paul Marshall. The Weekly Standard, January 17, 2005.
Most of the world’s political and religious bodies are harmoniously engaged in the humanitarian effort to aid tsunami disaster victims, with one exception: radical Islam, especially Saudi. Prominent Islamic Web sites have published material maintaining that the tsunami was Allah’s judgment on the people of these countries for “supporting Christian crusaders” and disregarding Allah’s laws. These statements reflect official Saudi government positions, also displayed in Saudi Arabia’s financial response of $30 million. By comparison, the author states, the Saudis have given $150 million per year to the families of suicide bombers.
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Philanthropy Races to Heal the Victims of the Tsunamis: More Than $400-Million Has Been Contributed to U.S. Relief Groups, but Charities Face Daunting Challenges As They Help South Asia Recover
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
Relief efforts in tsunami-ravaged areas have met with a record amount of charitable aid, which has come from a wide range of sources both private and public. Private households, businesses, foundations, schoolchildren and churches have given an unprecedented amount to the ongoing relief efforts in southeast Asia. The U.S. government has taken initiatives to encourage donations to the relief efforts, even allowing taxpayers to claim relief donations on their 2004 returns.
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An Unprecedented Show of Support: Driven by Internet Donations, Charities Large and Small Raise Record Amounts for Tsunami Victims
Nicole Wallace. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
Contributions to the Tsunami relief efforts have surpassed fund-raising records for international disasters, a phenomenon in large part facilitated by the Internet. Smaller organizations in particular have benefited from the publicity and convenience afforded through online giving. In the coming weeks, these organizations will face the challenge of maintaining ongoing support, a process in which good communication is key.
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Stars Hope to Set Example with Big Donations to Help Tsunami Victims
Caroline Preston. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
Many Hollywood entertainers have gotten involved with efforts to raise money for tsunami victims, hoping to encourage others to support the relief efforts as well. Professional athletes, musicians and actors have held benefit concerts, contributed through personal donations, and given items for online auctions, in hopes that others would be inspired to give.
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TV Footage of Disaster ‘As It Happened’ Fueled Donations, Relief Experts Say
Nicole Wallace. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
As donations to tsunami relief efforts have poured in, many charity officials have sought to explain the enormous response. Media coverage of the destruction as it happened, as well as the timing of the event, and the fact that it was a natural disaster are all part of donors’ motivations, this report states.
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Grant Makers Move Swiftly: Giving by Private, Corporate, and Community Foundations Tops $150-Million in Cash and Supplies
Debra E. Blum. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
Pledges to emergency relief for southeast Asian tsunami victims by national foundations have reached a total of $150 million, a number which is expected to grow. Many organizations are still waiting to see where their dollars can best be used in the disaster relief efforts, while others have already split their donations between short- and long-term needs.
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Charities Not Involved in Relief Efforts Hope Donors Will Stick with Them
Holly Hall. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 20, 2005.
As the amount given toward the tsunami relief effort grows, many are concerned about how this giving could affect nonprofit organizations not related to the southeast Asian crisis. Charities are responding with caution though a number of nonprofits have reported no noticeable difference in giving.
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Christian Poverty
Relief
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