World Emergency Relief Board member Gary Becks and disaster team specialist, Andrea Stone, and Wendell Cutting returned on January 13th from Thailand and Sri Lanka completing WER's first disaster assessment.

Part of a Join Task Force with WER partner charity Rescue Task Force, the team initially arrived in Thailand to establish logistics for 1.6 million pounds of aid now in WER's pipeline to tsunami victims in the region. While in the country, they also connected with high government officials and committed emergency commodities to local charities, including the Rotary Club of Phuket.

Working with the chief coroner in Pang Nga, Becks purchased local supplies desperately needed by rescue teams, including infection-resistant boots for the local coroner's staff to protect them from contamination by corpses. WER also purchased Hall's cough drops for the coroner's workers; consumed behind masks, the cough drops enables the workers to handle extreme odors so they can complete their jobs.

In Thailand our team also set up local committees to assist with both immediate and expected long term assistance.

In Sri Lanka our team provided direct financial relief to survivors. We established relationships with the local government and some foundations which will distribute WER's and RTF's future relief shipments to the country.

Stone and Becks also met with Sri Lanka's Prime Minister and donated funds to his foundation for orphans. Although the foundation existed before the tsunami, WER's donation will strenghten foster care and eventual internal adoption for children orphaned by the tsunami.

WER's job has only just begun in helping those victimized by the tsunami. We will continue our support by sending needed supplies and working to redevelop communities that were devastated by the tsunami.