ACBM News: Vanuatu Cyclone Pam Appeal
Dear Recording Brother:
The CBMA/CBMC have been in contact with ACBM since the Cyclone Pam tragedy, and have committed $20,000 AUD of existing relief funds to Australia to help with relief efforts. If your ecclesia would like to help to replenish our relief funds, or to donate additional funds, please do so via the CBMA/CBMC website at https://cbma.net/help/donations.
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Cyclone Pam Devastates Vanuatu You will be aware from the news reports that Vanuatu has been devastated by the horrendous forces of Cyclone Pam. The ABC website reports: Vanuatu is warning it faces imminent food shortages, as accounts emerge of huge damage to a large outer island days after one of the fiercest cyclones on record pummeled the Pacific archipelago. Relief agencies said conditions were among the most challenging they have faced, with concerns mounting that disease and lack of clean water could add to the current toll of 11 confirmed fatalities. There are fears the toll will also rise once officials are able to reach outer islands to inspect the damage there. Communications were still down to many of Vanuatu’s 80 other islands and it is expected it will be at least a week before authorities have a total sense of the destruction.
A special appeal to help our brethren repair their devastated homes, provide temporary shelter and much needed food until crops regenerate. We have received several telephone reports of the devastation affecting our brothers and sisters in Port Vila but at this stage we have been unable to make direct contact with brethren in the outer islands where there is reports of extensive devastation. Our Vanuatu Area Team Secretary, Bro Nathan Taylor and his sister wife Lyne are flying to Vanuatu today to support our brethren and to assess the situation on the ground. Our early assessment is that we will need some $50,000 to repair/rebuild the homes of our brethren, provide temporary shelter and food which is in short supply until the crops regenerate. This is a large sum of money but we believe that with the generosity of us all and recognizing that our brethren are in desperate need of food and shelter, let us give generously to this appeal. We would appreciate individual and ecclesial donations either by direct deposit, cheque, cash or credit card. All donations will be acknowledged in writing (mail or email), however if you use the direct deposit facility it will be necessary to email details so that we can acknowledge your generous donation. Our brethren on Reef Islands (southern Solomon Is) were also affected and will need emergency food supplies for the period ahead until crops regenerate. Financial donations to help the brethren affected by cyclone Pam can be made online at https://cbma.net/help/donations |
