Page 7 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

III. INTER-CHURCH AID On September 1s t , 1962 there occurred in a wide area
of Western Iran an earthquake which the Council o f
Churches of Iran described as "the most disastrous in the modem history of
the Middle East. More than 100 villages and towns, some with a population
up to 5,000 were to ta lly or very largely demolished. The number k illed in
the wreckage of their homes w ill probably exceed 10,000 men, women and
children. Fully 100,000 persons have been rendered homeless.”

It was reported by the World Council of Churches that the immediate
r e lie f situation is being adequately provided fo r, and that the Christian
churches round the world are concentrating their efforts in long-term help
for some of those who have lost everything. In particular it is proposed
to establish a new village with 500 houses at US$500 each, a school building,
well and water system, public bath and laundry fa c ilit ie s , seeds, tools and
livestock for farming purposes at a tota l cost of about US$350,000.

An appeal from.the East Asia Christian Conference fo r r e lie f aid on
behalf o f the earthquake v ictims in Iran was passed on t o a ll the loca l
churches.

This is a practical response from the Christian people of the world to
the suffering o f a people who are mostly of the Muslin fa ith , but to whom,
in such a time, we could reach out in the name o f Christ our Lord.

We are not unaware that some of our resources have been directed towards
relieving the victims of typhoon Wanda in Hongkong. Yet as Christians, we
fe e l that we should le t our churches here know of the disaster in Iran which
was much bigger than ours, and should give them an opportunity to extend,
a helping hand.

As the resu lt, a to ta l o f more than HK$3, 600 (or over US$630) was sent
to the World Council of Churches, designated for this r e lie f purpose.

lOr, ATTENDING ECUMENICAL CONFERENCES During the year, the Council appointed
delegates to attend the following
Conferences:

a) Rev. Franklin Woo to attend the Working Conference on ’’Christian
Witness in Industrial Society” held on August 29-31, 1962 in Kyoto,
Japan,

b) Dr. Timothy Chow and Rev. David Lew to attend the Assembly o f the
World Council of Christian Education and Sunday School Association
held in July 25-27, 1962 at Belfast College in N. Ireland.

c) Miss Wong Po Yiu and Miss Rita Luk to attend the Asia Church
Women’ s Conference sponsored by the East Asia Christian Conference
held in November 12-23, 1962 in Thailand.

d) Mr. Calvin Ngai to attend the Consultation on ’’Christian Home
in Changing Society” sponsored by East Asia Christian Conference
held in November 23-29, 1962 in Thailand.

e) Rev. Dr. Peter Wong, Very Rev. Dean Barry T ill, Rev. Wong Tsok,
Rev. Tong Shu Kee and Mr. Calvin Ngai to attend the ’’Situation
Conference” sponsored by the East Asia Christian Conference, held
in March 7- 14, 1963 in Japan.

These delegates on returning from the above-mentioned Conferences gave
reports either oral or written, explaining, encouraging and strengthening
the churches, deepening their awareness of their responsibilities in our
local situation and developing the desire for further co-operation among
the churches.

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