Tsunamiupdate

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Tsunamiupdate
Nine months on
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Sunday 26 December 2004 is a day that will
forever remain in the memory of this generation.
As we watched the widespread devastation caused
by the tsunami from Indonesia to East Africa we
started to sense that the response to this
disaster would be different from any previous
one.
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Firstly the response from the local Salvation
Army was immediate. The staff from Catherine
Booth Hospital in Tamil Nadu were on the beach at
the tip of India on the 26th pulling the bodies
of those lost from the sea. Across India, Sri
Lanka and Indonesia the response was the same
The Salvation Army set out with its local
resources and started to respond to the need at
its back door.
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In different places The Salvation Army was
feeding people, providing medical care, helping
with all the immediate things. The most important
thing was an arm around the shoulders of those
who had lost so much. The trauma communities
suffered is a wound that is still healing.
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The response to this global disaster was a unique
outflowing of generosity by the public in
developed countries. The funds that flowed to
groups like The Salvation Army have placed a huge
responsibility on us all to ensure that those who
survived the tsunami are assisted in an
appropriate manner.
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While The Salvation Army has helped the people in
the tsunami-stricken areas to make tremendous
steps forward, there are many communities where
much remains to be done. More houses need to be
constructed. Community buildings need to be
repaired. Livelihoods need to be restored.
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The Salvation Army can never replace the lives
that were lost. But for those who survived the
disaster, The Salvation Army will be there for
the long haul. Thats what The Salvation Army
does.
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INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
making a difference
For more information or a full Tsunami
update44 (0)20 7367 4777 international.developm
ent_at_salvationarmy.org.uk www.salvationarmy.org.uk/
internationaldevelopment