ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 19, 2008  

Lutherans Support Relief Efforts in Colombia, Costa Rica
08-093-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) is providing emergency disaster relief with its companion
Lutheran churches in Colombia and Costa Rica after an earthquake
and a tropical storm struck the two countries respectively.
     Members of the ELCA and Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Colombia (Iglesia Evangelica Luterana de Colombia) (IELCO) are
providing emergency support for 100 families affected by a May 24
earthquake that struck central Colombia.  The ELCA and the Costa
Rican Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Costarricense) (ILCO) are
assisting 300 families in Costa Rica after Tropical Storm Alma
struck the Pacific coast of Costa Rica May 27.
     Financial assistance for IELCO's aid to survivors of the
earthquake and for ILCO's response to the tropical storm is
"being provided by the rapid response fund of Action by Churches
Together (ACT), a global alliance of churches and related
agencies working together to meet basic human needs in emergency
situations," said Dr. Belletech Deressa, director for
international development and disaster response, ELCA Global
Mission.
     "We are waiting for an appeal (for funds) from ACT to
address the reconstruction process for both Costa Rica and
Colombia," said Deressa.  She said the ELCA is "an active member
of ACT.  The IELCO and ILCO are implementing members of ACT."
ACT is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva.  The ELCA is a member
of the WCC and LWF.
     The epicenter of the earthquake hit the El Calvario
municipality in central Colombia.  Lutherans are helping families
in rural communities -- which have not been reached by other aid
efforts -- with food, clothing, plastic sheeting, hygiene kits,
water containers and medicines, said Deressa.
     Tropical Storm Alma struck the coastal areas of the
Guanacaste province and central and southern portions of Costa
Rica's Pacific coast.  "More than 20,000 people in hundreds of
communities were affected by the storm, which also severely
damaged homes, roads, bridges and crops.  The government of Costa
Rica declared a state of national emergency on June 2," Deressa
reported.
     Lutherans are assisting 300 families in 10 farm communities
of Nicoya in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, and two indigenous
communities of Corredores located along the southern coast of the
Puntarenas province.  Families in these areas have yet to receive
assistance due mainly to their remote locations, said Deressa.
     "The initial help provided by ILCO includes food and hygiene
kits.  Subsequently, longer-term needs will be assessed in the
areas of housing rehabilitation and agricultural recovery in
cooperation with local community organizations," Deressa said.

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:

ELCA International Disaster Response, PO Box 71764, Chicago, IL
60694-1764, 1-800-638-3522 and
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/idrgive on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog