Fresno Bee, CA
Jan 3 2005
Valley churches call upon faith, compassion
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Fresno Bee
After the deadly combination of an earthquake and tsunami devastated
lives overseas, many people in the Valley who turn to their faith for
comfort are reaching out to victims who need help.
Last week, Bishop John T. Steinbock of the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Fresno asked each parish to conduct a special collection Sunday to
make clear the Catholic community’s response to the disaster that
struck countries from Malaysia to East Africa the day after
Christmas.
The death toll Sunday stood at more than 137,000, but thousands more
remain missing.
Other churches also are extending a helping hand, which adds to the
many donations coming from individuals and agencies that are fueling
the relief work overseas.
St. Paul Armenian Church in east-central Fresno, for example, held a
special collection Sunday at the direction of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America. “We had a tremendous response
and will repeat it next Sunday,” said the Rev. Arshen Aivazian.
Many churches, such as Aivazian’s, are offering heartfelt prayers for
the dead and the surviving. But it also is a natural response to send
monetary assistance.
In the case of his church, Aivazian said the Armenian people are
“very understanding and sympathetic,” especially since they have
suffered themselves. In 1988, an earthquake in northwestern Armenia
killed tens of thousands of people.
The Rev. John Coelho-Harguindeguy, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua
Catholic Church in northwest Fresno, said parishioners there Sunday
were very generous in responding to the special collection.
“They are good-hearted people,” he said. “People basically are good.
… People basically are very generous when they see a need.”
U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland said this past weekend that 1.8
million people would need food and that the figure could rise.
At Cornerstone Church in downtown Fresno, the Rev. Jim Franklin said
the congregation offered a special prayer at its New Year’s Eve night
service and that his church regularly supports the great disaster
relief fund conducted by the Assemblies of God.
“Any time there’s tragedy, you always want to respond in compassion,”
Franklin said, “because we recognize tragedy happens to every
individual, whether we’re there or here. As a minister, I deal with
the heartaches and the tragedies in people’s lives every day.”
Franklin said now is not the time to try to figure out why such
calamities happen: “We’ve got people who are hurting, and we want to
reach out to help them.”
Not far away in downtown Fresno at St. John’s Cathedral, parishioners
pondered the sheer breadth of what happened.
“I can’t comprehend it. I just can’t comprehend it,” said Terry-Lyn
A. Schmidt. She said her faith helps her and that “you just pray and
help as much as you can.”
Lorenzo Santos Vega, a lay minister for the church, said his
Christian faith also helps him in times such as these. He said all of
the parishes are donating funds to the relief cause, and “I guarantee
you this parish is very generous. … We’ll do everything we can.”
But he also looked at it in a spiritual way. He believes those who
died are in heaven, and he prays for them.
“Money can do so much and the aid that we’ve given them, but what’s
the best thing is spiritually and our faith. I believe that so much,”
Vega said. “I know they’re in a better place. All of them. The ones
still surviving, I pray for them, too, because you know what? The
Lord will be there for them.”
HOW TO HELP
Among those accepting donations:
American Red Cross, Fresno chapter: (559) 455-1000
Chinese American Heritage fund at Bank of America: (559) 433-1278
International Medical Corps (Doctors Without Borders): (800) 481-4462
Sri Lanka Fund at United Security Bank: (559) 225-0101
West Coast Mennonite Central Committee: (559) 638-6911;
earthquake; 1010 G St., Reedley, CA 93654
International Mission Board, SBC: (800) 999-3113;