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On December 26, 2004 the world grieved as stories and photographs of the massive earthquake in Southeast Asia, and the destruction left in its wake, began to circulate. In the midst of the mourning, YWAM teams in the regions banded together to aid rescue and relief efforts. Many of the teams were based on the coastal areas most affected by the tsunami: India, Indonesia, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka and Thailand. As the initial relief phase progresses into long term redevelopment, YWAM teams are hard at work, while also spreading the love of Jesus. Just a few ways teams are helping:
- Helping to set up stations for survivors looking for loved ones.
- Coordinating teams to go to local Thai temples where thousands of bodies are being kept for identification.
- Distributing food packs and water to fishing villages in India and Sri Lanka.
- Appealing for funds to replace fishing nets so families can start earning a living again.
- Arranging and repairing intact furniture and appliances and disposing the debris of the destroyed buildings.
- Coordinating all medical efforts in Indonesian villages.
- Collecting and inputting data of missing persons, DNA, hospital verifications and identified bodies on websites.
- Rebuilding homes.

For a more detailed account of YWAM’s involvement in the tsunami relief effort, please visit the website www.ywam.org. For further information about how you can help, please contact Molly Petersen at mpetersen@oval.com.

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