Billions in Aid Needed for Devastated Areas..."

A note to ScrappleFace readers from Scott Ott:

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami which has struck people around the Bay of Bengal, in addition to your prayers for the victims' families you may be looking for a trustworthy organization through which you can help with disaster relief. Other bloggers have provided links to the Red Cross, UN agencies and Indian government agencies, but if you're interested in giving through an agency that is committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through effective disaster relief, read on...

I have worked, briefly, side-by-side with crews from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief during a flood in Missouri and after the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief crews are organized, energetic and effective. They bring not only food, water, shelter and cleaning supplies to victims quickly, but they bring the kind of comfort that can only come from a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They do not discriminate on any basis. Their help is freely available to all, without a litmus test or sermon.

Although I'm no longer a Southern Baptist, this morning I spoke with Terry Henderson, director of disaster relief for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and with an employee of the International Missions Board of the SBC. As of about 10:30 a.m. Eastern they told me that the SBC has people on the ground in the disaster region conducting needs assessment. Their work is complicated by the fact that many Christian missionaries in predominantly-Muslim countries must be discrete in order to avoid arrest and even death.

I encouraged Mr. Henderson to set up a PayPal account to receive donations, however, I'm guessing that a large organization like the SBC is unlikely to do this.

UPDATE: Here's the link where you can make a donation to Disaster Relief using your credit card.

Here's the link to the Disaster Relief website (It's technically part of the SBC's North American Missions Board (NAMB) but its ministry is global).

In the meantime, if you want to give now through an evangelical disaster relief agency, here are two options--one offline and one online:

1) Send a check to Disaster Relief (memo: "Asia Tsunami") to the following address:
Disaster Relief
Southern Baptist Convention
Box 6767
Richmond, VA 23233

100 percent of your tax-deductible contribution will go to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.

2) If you would rather give by PayPal now, instead of waiting for SBC to get a PayPal link (which, as I said, may not happen), I have prevailed upon the board of missions of the Bible Fellowship Church, the denomination to which I belong, to set up a PayPal link and then forward contributions to SBC Disaster Relief and/or other reliable Christian disaster relief organizations. Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions will keep none of the money and will send you a receipt for tax purposes.

Here's a link to the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions homepage.

Here's a link to the Bible Fellowship Church overall homepage

Here's a link to Victory Valley Camp's homepage.

This morning I also contacted Samaritan's Purse, an effective international Christian aid agency headed by Franklin Graham. As of this morning, they were planning their response as well.

Here's the link to Samaritan's Purse.

Many people worldwide have a distorted, inaccurate view of Americans and Christians. Let's show them the truth with our deeds.

You may use the comments section below this note to express your prayers for, and encouragement to, the afflicted in South Asia.