Title: Lutherans Support Famine Relief Efforts in Ethiopia
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 12, 2000

LUTHERANS SUPPORT FAMINE RELIEF EFFORTS IN ETHIOPIA
00-096-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $150,000 this
month to support famine relief efforts in Ethiopia, located in eastern
Africa.
     The famine is affecting more than 8 million people in Ethiopia,
according to the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international
communication, ELCA Division for Global Mission.  "The famine situation
is getting worse every day."
     Ishida said relief interventions need to speed up.  "If the
situation is allowed to worsen, the high-risk areas of Ethiopia face a
potentially major humanitarian disaster."
     A disaster of such magnitude will wipe out the modest
developmental gains of the last few years, requiring extensive resources
for recovery in years to come, he said.
     In addition to famine, there have been fires burning in forests of
the Oromia region, Ishida reported.  The fires are burning out of
control, destroying coffee plantations and other crops, and creating
more famine in regions that produce food, he said.
     The funds sent by the ELCA will help support a $12 million appeal
by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Action by Churches Together
(ACT).  ACT and LWF may increase the amount of the appeal in the near
future.
     ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies
meeting human need through coordinated emergency response.  ACT is based
with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and LWF in Switzerland.  The
ELCA is a member of both the WCC and LWF.
  Members of the ELCA contribute funds to the church's International
Disaster Response fund.  Coordinated through the ELCA Division for
Global Mission, International Disaster Response helps relief agencies
provide funds for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter, and
other materials and supplies.  Funds are also used to rebuild
communities and to repair structures destroyed by major disasters.
-- -- -- --
INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:

Editors:  When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to
survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto Rico or
the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:

Lutheran World Relief
PO Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832
1-800-LWR-LWR2

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html