Template:Humanitarian Aid Updates
LDS Church Gets Aid into Japan
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a world-recognized pattern for quickly providing emergency response in cases of disaster. Latter-day Saints do not choose congregations to attend, but are assigned to "wards" organized geographically. A system of leadership organized among its lay clergy enables fast communication from the bottom up (Home Teaching, Visiting Teaching) and the top down. The Mormon leadership in Northeastern Japan worked tirelessly after the 9.0 earthquake of March, 2011, to account for missionaries serving in the area, members, and facilities of the Church, and then to assess needs of all citizens and decide how to quickly get aid in to stricken areas. First, it was determined that no LDS missionaries were killed, injured, or missing. In fact, many missionaries assigned to Sendai were attending a zone conference inland when the tsunami hit. Leaders worked day and night to account for members and to see if church meetinghouses were in good enough condition to serve as shelters (they were). Church members are encouraged to lay aside a year's supply of food, clothing, and fuel, plus 72-hour emergency kits for family members. Those who were able to leave ahead of the tsunami would have taken these kits with them. Even those who lost their long-term storage would have been able to rely on the promise of the Lord that He will bless the obedient. Spiritual preparedness is part of the gospel.
The LDS Church quickly managed to provide more than 135,000 pounds of food and water, 8,000 liters of fuel and 15,000 blankets. The Church is working with the local prefectural governments to coordinate their distribution. These items are being purchased in Japan and shipped to Sendai and surrounding areas where they are most needed. The blankets have been purchased in China and are now being distributed in Japan. Local Church leaders have created an emergency response committee, which is meeting daily to identify and respond to member and community needs and to organize volunteer efforts. Thousands of Church members from hundreds of congregations in Japan have established plans to assemble hygiene and cleaning kits, with this effort likely to continue over the next few weeks. The Church has also made a substantial financial donation to the Japan Red Cross.
In the meantime, the LDS Church has sent out a call to its members not only to donate to relief, but to make up for a shortage in homemade quilts.
The Church requests that calls not be made to Japan area LDS offices, as the volume of calls is hindering relief efforts.
Donations for LDS Church relief efforts can be made at LDS Emergency Response.
