General Baptist Ministries raising funds to send overseas

Early reports from southeastern India to the General Baptist Ministries office in Poplar Bluff say the death toll of Indian General Baptists due to the tsunami tragedy of Dec. 26, 2004, caused by an undersea earthquake, had officially climbed to 200. Many thousands of tsunami victims in India were homeless, especially throughout the coastal Andhra Pradesh, in East Godavari district, where many General Baptist churches were swept away.

In 2004, before the tsunami, there were 116 General Baptist churches, plus preaching points, in India.

Dr. Suvarna Raj, executive director of the India Association of General Baptists, wrote just after New Year's that "The titanic, monster, massive tidal waves triggered by an earthquake" struck throughout the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Chennai areas in southeastern India.

Raj visited in Poplar Bluff last November while he was in the States to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana. His daughter visited in Poplar Bluff the year before. No one in his family was directly affected by the tsunami, however.

Raj said 84 fishermen had been killed and hundreds of fishermen made homeless in the Uppada village. Almost 100 fishermen in Uppada were missing.

Raj wrote that countless fishing nets were washed into the sea as strong currents rose suddenly to 20 feet above jetties.

The General Baptist church near the seashore and the thatched prayer hall at Uppada village were also washed away into the ocean.

Raj wrote, "Our General Baptist Christians from (the) fisherman community at Uppada village and coastal Andhra Pradesh have lost all their catamarans and fishing nets." People in the General Baptist churches at Uppada, Konapapa Peta, Rayuduvodu Podu, Kakinada, and Surya rao Pet were in terrible shock; and a number of persons were still missing, Raj said.

Denominational Executive Director Ron Black has announced that an India Relief Fund has been established to help those affected in India by the tsunami. Speaking of the Indian General Baptists affected in particular, he said, "These fellow Christians--General Baptists--in India will have needs for a long time. They will have personal needs. They will need to restore their livelihoods. Their churches will need to be replaced.

"We sent $5,000--all we had earmarked for such emergencies at the time--immediately to Pastor Raj." Black continued. Baptist World Alliance is sending several thousand dollars to Pastor Raj, too. "But those funds will not be nearly enough," Black said.

Black says the denomination welcomes donations, which may be made through a designated gift to General Baptists International, 100 Stinson Dr., Poplar Bluff, MO 63901. All money given to the India Relief Fund will be sent to India. General Baptist Ministries is the home office for the General Association of General Baptists, located in Poplar Bluff. Stateside, the denomination has about 62,000 members in 700 churches. The denomination also has work in several foreign countries.