Some may say that the third in this series of devastating earthquakes is a certain sign of the end of times.

I’m not convinced that’s what Jesus meant in Matthew 24:6-7 when he said; “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (NIV)  I believe that this was more of an admonition to tend to the business of “kingdom-building” and to refrain from concerns about when the “end of times” will come.

But, regardless of how those verses are interpreted, there is one thing of which I am certainly confident; there is a growing need for aid, both around the globe, and here locally in Marshfield.  Over the past 3 years I have served as the president of the Marshfield Ministerial Alliance.  The past few months have seen a record in the calls for assistance I have received.  That might not be as daunting if those three months didn’t fall on the heels of a year of record need as well.  I would encourage everyone to look deeply at their own financial situation and see how they might be able to help alleviate need somewhere in the world.  Whether that is a donation to the local ministerial alliance, another local benevolent organization, or to an international relief group like Week of Compassion, I pray that you will hear and follow Jesus in the ministry he claimed for himself in Luke 4:18b-19.  Now is the time “to preach the Message of good news to the poor,” “to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free,” and “to announce, ‘This is God’s year to act!’” (The Message).

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WoC, Partners Rush Aid to China Earthquake Survivors

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Northwest China early on April 14. Amity Foundation, our on-the-ground partner through Global Ministries, Church World Service, and ACT International, reports the quake struck Yushu County at 7:49 a.m. with a depth of about 33 km. The epicenter was only 30 km away from the downtown area of Yushu County of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. And there have been many aftershocks. A multitude of schools and homes have collapsed. The initial death toll is reported to be 400, with over 10,000 injured.

The China Earthquake Administration has initiated Grade II emergency response and dispatched rescue teams to the affected area.

An Amity emergency assessment team is preparing to travel and will reach the Yushu area tomorrow morning. There, they will be met by Qinghai Science and Technology Association, Amity’s local partner in the area, and travel nonstop to the quake-hit area. The group will put up tents and carry out needs-based assessment.

Amity has begun preparing a preliminary appeal proposal which will be submitted to the ACT Secretariat within the next few days.

A Week of Compassion Response Fund grant was immediately wired to Global Ministries for the Amity Foundation. If you would like to make a donation, you may do so online, or you may send a check to WoC, PO Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Thank you!