ATLANTA (ABP) — As Lebanese citizens are relocated during the continued violence in the Middle East, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has donated $15,000 for relief efforts in the war-torn nation.
The Fellowship also recently gave $5,000 in relief funds for the July 17 tsunami that hit Indonesia, killing 600 people. A more devastating tsunami hit Indonesia and other Asian countries in December 2004. The money will be used by CBF staffers for water purification and to prepare for future natural disasters, especially in the Sumatra region.
In the Middle East, an estimated 800,000 residents left their homes in Lebanon, moving to schools and public places in less dangerous regions, according to CBF missionaries Chaouki and Maha Boulos.
The Bouloses received $10,000 of the $15,000 CBF disaster-relief grant, which they will use, along with local churches and other indigenous partners. Baptist World Aid, in conjunction with groups like the European Baptist Federation, received $5,000 of the donation.
“We are deeply concerned for those in the Middle East whose lives have been so radically impacted by the ongoing conflict,” Jack Snell, CBF's interim global missions coordinator, said in a release. “While we pray for peace, we are also reaching out in love to minister to those in greatest need. The situation, though tragic, is providing us an opportunity to demonstrate our love and compassion.”
The same goes for the victims of the July 17 tsunami that hit the Indonesian island of Java, leaving 10,000 people homeless and another 15,000 displaced. They continue to receive support from CBF workers, according to David Harding, the Fellowship's international coordinator for disaster relief. CBF officials said creating a clean water supply is first priority when it comes to disasters. Besides being necessary for life, clean water helps prevent the spread of disease.
“Our efforts will continue to look at water development for immediate and long-term purposes and offer the option of using compressed-earth blocks for building shelter,” he said.
The blocks can last for centuries and are built to withstand earthquakes. Made from soil, sand and cement, they're compressed by a hydraulic or manual press. As inexpensive building materials, builders also used them in regions ruined by the 2004 tsunami.
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