Press Releases05 Jan 05

"Families for Families" Appeal - An Amazing Response

The Church Mission Society Ireland (CMSI) has been amazed by the response to the “Families for Families� Appeal, in aid of Tsunami victims in Asia.

Speaking today about the appeal Canon Cecil Wilson, CMS Ireland’s General Secretary, said, “There has been an wonderful generosity of spirit shown by the people of Ireland in response to this tragedy. As well as essential direct financial aid sent through other charities people have also been responding in practical ways by providing clothes and supplies to be air-freighted and shipped out to Thailand through the “Families for Families� appeal.

“The “Families for Families� appeal for clothes will stop this Friday (7th January) but other goods will be needed to support the local church as it reaches out to the victims of this devastating tragedy. These needs and our response will obviously have to change over time and we are listening to the needs of those who are dealing with the consequences on a daily basis. We will keep people informed about any information relating to future needs.

“Under normal circumstances something like this just wouldn’t be possible – it would be too expensive to set up collection centres, staff them, ship the goods and too difficult to make sure they cleared customs at the far side. But we have been amazed by the lengths people are going to in order to make this possible. The collection centres based mostly in local churches are free, the volunteers are free, the donations are free and even the air-freight is free! Airlines have been incredibly generous with their offers and that is what has allowed this to happen. Already there are 3 plane-loads of donations to be shipped immediately.

“We have even had substantial assistance from local authorities and churches to make sure that the goods get to exactly where they are needed when they arrive in Thailand. Again without this “on the ground work� this appeal would be pointless…but its not - it will make a real difference in the days, weeks and months ahead as people rebuild their lives again.

“We would want to thank all of those who have helped or offered to help in the past week, without your support this would just not have worked�.

Writing from Thailand, Rev. Andrew Dircks says that work in the worst affected areas is ongoing and will be for a long time ahead.

His church has already been involved in counselling and personal supporting foreign tourists in hospitals in Bangkok - tourists who were physically caught up in the tsunamis.

Rev Andrew Dircks writes: “Most of these people have lost close relatives and friends. Typically only a minority of any group of people who were physically hit by the tsunamis have survived. This support has also included donating immediate clothing necessities to such people, many of whom survived only with tattered clothes, or with no clothes at all. This work has included negotiating with hospitals to supply appropriate volunteers who are endorsed by the church, as well as coordination of the volunteers themselves�.

The local church has also been involved in the collection of donated goods, purchase of most needed goods, transportation (by air and land) and free distribution of these goods to Thai locals in the devastated coastal villages in the Phuket region. Some Christian churches in Phuket have assisted this process by providing church-hall accommodation for volunteers, and making some vehicles available for local transport.

The Church of Ireland and CMS Ireland, in partnership with the church in Thailand, continues to meet the needs of people in practical ways and is looking ahead to plan a longer term response as communities and individuals look to rebuild their lives again.