Last week the World Council of Churches issued a Pastoral Letter concerning the events in Southeast Asia and began relief efforts with member denominations. Ecumenical News International reports:

" We are greatly encouraged by the exemplary efforts of our member churches in responding even with meagre resources to bandage the wounded," said WCC general secretary Sam Kobia and the council's moderator Catholicos Aram I in a joint message to member churches in Asia and other countries affected by the tidal waves.

The WCC leaders urged their member churches to "let us know in what other ways you would wish the global ecumenical community to be in solidarity with you as you try to come to terms with this unprecedented catastrophe".

They said, "One lesson to learn from this tsunami tragedy is the need for the international community and the religious communities to unite in one spirit and reinvent the capacity for preparedness to face such tragedies together. It is also a moment to be re-awakened to our God-given responsibility to care not only for one another but for the health of the creation as well."

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The World Council of Churches responds to such disasters through their partner agency ACT International.

“ACT is a global alliance of Protestant and Orthodox churches and their related agencies from the membership of the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation,” according to their web site.

ACT provided over $50 million in relief aid during 2003. Figures for 2004 are not yet available. Visit their web site to learn more about the international church response to this crisis.