NCCI offers support to quake victims in India, Tibet, Sikkim and Nepal

(September 22, 2011) The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the earthquake that hit eastern India and neighbouring countries of Nepal and Tibet. “Natural calamities are occurrences that can’t be prevented; nevertheless faith enables us to rebuild life and communities in the wake of such painful catastrophes,” said Samuel Jayakumar, secretary of NCCI Commission on Policy, Governance. He urged the development agencies to speed up relief work and extend all possible help to the affected people. Several churches led by Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries were also destroyed in the quake. “We have literally hundreds of missionaries serving throughout this area, as well as dozens of Bridge of Hope centres,” K.P. Yohannan, President of Gospel for Asia said. “The earthquake cut off electricity and took out the normal communications channels, so we don’t know the full extent of the damage,” he added. Gospel for Asia’s Compassion Services team is gearing up to bring emergency humanitarian relief to the affected. “The people who suffered through this quake are desperate for help. Our compassion services teams will give them the practical things they need, like food and blankets,” Yohannan said. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck the border of India’s north-eastern state of Sikkim and neighbouring countries of Nepal and Tibet September 18, claiming 93 lives thus far.