ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 6, 2008  

ELCA Develops Plan to Help Reconstruct Sichuan, China, after Earthquake
08-184-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) has developed a $1.6 million plan to help reconstruct
areas of China's Sichuan Province devastated by an earthquake
that struck earlier this year.  The earthquake killed 69,227
people, left an estimated 18,222 people missing and some five
million people homeless.
     Long before the earthquake, the ELCA had been engaged in
ministry and accompaniment with Chinese Christians, particularly
in the cities of Chengdu and Luzhou, Sichuan, according to the
Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for the Asia Pacific desk, ELCA
Global Mission.
     Many Christian places of worship in Sichuan and surrounding
areas were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake.  Ishida
traveled to Sichuan in August.  He said, although the earthquake
struck in May, aftershocks are still occurring and hampering
rebuilding efforts.
     The purpose of the plan is to heal and reconstruct
communities in Sichuan "so that churches (in the province) can
rebuild for mission and ministry among people for an even
stronger community witnessing to the love of God," said Ishida.
     The plan -- ELCA Global Mission Sichuan Earthquake
Reconstruction Plan -- is organized into three phases to be
completed by 2012.  From May to December 2008, characterized as
the first phase, the ELCA will have provided $201,820 to help in
the relocation of earthquake-injured people; support hospital
medical teams; care for orphans and people living with
disabilities; provide spiritual care and support for various
local church ministries; and supply vehicles for medical,
community and church service teams.
     In the second and third phase, the ELCA will invest in
rebuilding churches and worship points, homes, bridges and roads;
providing psychosocial care; training volunteers and providing
pastoral care; caring for orphans and the elderly; supporting
medical teams; providing agricultural development; and repairing
water and sanitation systems.  The ELCA will provide $757,000 to
support this work in 2009 and $670,000 from 2010 to 2012.
     An ELCA China Earthquake Trust Fund has been established in
Luzhou, said Ishida.  An advisory group -- made up of
representatives from the China Christian Council, Sichuan
Christian Council, the Luzhou Christian Council and the local
government -- will oversee the trust.  Other key partners for the
implementation of funds from the ELCA include the Taiwan Lutheran
Church (TLC) -- which will help provide health care serves and
medical training -- and the Norwegian Mission Society, a mission
partner of the ELCA and TLC.
     "It is through our relationships that the ELCA is able to
put forth a reconstruction assistance plan as a means to engage
in deeper ministry with Chinese Christians," said Ishida.  "The
ELCA's work in Sichuan comes at the invitation of the China
Christian Council (CCC), which is the umbrella organization for
Protestant Christians in China," he said.
     The CCC promotes theological education, publication of the
Bible, hymn books and Christian literature, the exchange of
information among churches and relationships with churches
overseas.  More than 12,000 church buildings are open for public
worship in China, and some 25,000 groups of Protestant Christians
meet in private homes.
     The Luzhou Christian Church has 15,000 registered members in
four counties and two districts in and surrounding Luzhou.  There
are four congregations and 15 "worship points" in the church.
Each worship point reaches a large number of "non-registered"
members meeting in "house units."
     The ministries of the Luzhou Church "are multifaceted and
holistic," said Ishida.  Ministries include health and education
services, and support for people living with disabilities and
"people who have been marginalized."  Although Luzhou is located
some distance away from where the earthquake struck, the Luzhou
Church responded to help meet immediate needs. The church
continues to participate in relief and rebuilding efforts
supported by the ELCA, he said.
     The Luzhou Church "is recognized as a new model for
partnership through networking and establishing collaborative
initiatives, vision and implementation of faith-based community
social services in southwest China.  Through this, the ELCA
receives the gifts of mission and ministry with our companions in
China," said Ishida.

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