I would like to introduce you to an orphanage that is very close to where the Tsunamis hit in India: Hebron Orphanage.

Richard Swannell, the man behind who is driving the support for this ministry has set up a unique program to help those who are orphaned by the disaster that struck India recently. The aim is to take care of these orphans, educate them and skill them until they are old enough to help themselves so that they can go out and make a difference in their world. It is an awesome vision, and I invite you to check out the Swannell Foundation, the Hebron Orphanage and the Tsunami Disaster Rescue. You can donate through this link.

This ministry has been entirely supported by the one man, through his business links. I happen to be on his mailing list, and in fact, I would like to share with you the e-mail I received today because he made a passionate plea through it, and his words would probably be much more effective than mine:

Hello (to everyone on my personal email list)

(I would normally write to each of you individually, but there is simply no time…)

You have seen the pictures on the news. You have heard the stories. You have followed the unfolding disaster in stunned disbelief.

And if you are like me, you have asked yourself: "What in the world can I do to help?"

Here’s your answer:

Help us help them. Now; before it is too late.

I have a team on the ground right now in Andhra Pradesh, India, searching and rescuing children newly orphaned by the recent tsunami disaster.

But we need your help - urgently.

(If you are able to donate, please go immediately to the end of this email for instructions.)

As you may know, we operate and fund an orphanage for 200 children just 20 miles inland from the coast in Andhra Pradesh, Southern India - close enough to the disaster zone to be of assistance, but far enough away to retain full infrastructure, access to medical supplies and uninhibited ability to provide life-saving support.

I have personally co-managed and funded this orphanage for the past five years. See www.hebronorphanage.org, www.swannellfoundation.org, and
www.elliottician.com/showpage.asp?p=206 for more details.

The location and situation of our orphanage is absolutely perfect for us to save the maximum number of newly orphaned children.

In addition, we have recently purchased an additional 2.5 acres of land - tripling what we currently have - so that we can protect, house and educate hundreds of additional children.

Maybe it was meant to be…

DIRE URGENT NEED: Countless children are strewn along the coast of India who have lost everything - even their parents have been killed. They have nowhere to go, no safe water, no food, no shelter, and no one to protect them. In most cases, aid agencies are nowhere near.

DIRE URGENT NEED: Many of these children have injuries that have not been treated. They lie under the tropical sun amidst the devastation without medical aid of any type. Each passing hour sees treatable injuries become life threatening as they fester and become gangrene.

DIRE URGENT NEED: Unless these children are immediately given urgent medical attention and evacuated from the affected areas, many - if not most - will die of diseases caused by contaminated water and rotting bodies.

My team, on the ground right now in southern India, is searching for and rescuing these children. We are providing emergency medical assistance and shelter. And in the long term, we will support and educate them until adulthood.

As I mentioned above, we are perfectly positioned in Andhra Pradesh. My people speak the local language, Telegu. We are near enough to the disaster zone to get in and out quickly (20 miles), but far enough away to have full access to medical and other facilities. We have the land to put up temporary shelters and have the infrastructure to take on hundreds of children if necessary - and keep them indefinitely until adulthood.

The desperate need is not just the immediate emergency; it is the long term problem of no support. What are these children going to do with no parents, no shelter and no education?

With your support, we can help.

We can help now, but time is against us.

As I write this, children are dying right now because of injuries that are not been attended to. More children are about to die because of contaminated water, disease, and lack of food. We are sending in teams from our orphanage - today and in the weeks to come - to rescue these precious children in desperate need.

Your donation will make a huge difference.

The many aid agencies around the world are doing a fantastic job. But their limitation is that they are foreigners working in a foreign land - they don’t speak the local language, don’t understand local customs or have local knowledge. They are unable to provide long term shelter and facilities. And they have nowhere to send the multitude of people who have no homes and no support.

In contrast, we are able to help - albeit in a small way - by taking orphaned children right now, right out of the disaster zone, give them quality shelter, and access to full medical supplies.

I have personally donated $10,000 to commence our initial rescue efforts, and arrange temporary shelters on our grounds at Hebron Orphanage.

What can you do to help?

In a word; Donate.

It doesn’t matter whether you can donate a large or small amount. Whatever you are able to give will make a direct and immediate impact on the rescue efforts.

If you are able to help, please do so today. Don’t delay. The money will be delivered to our rescue team at the orphanage within hours, and used to immediately rescue children who are in the most astounding and life-threatening situation.

What YOU can do NOW:

You can make a donation directly at our web site, at
www.elliottician.com/donation. You can also email me personally at orphans@elliottician.com, and make a donation. Email or fax your credit card details, or send me your phone number and we will call you to arrange a donation by credit card over the phone. Alternatively, call us anytime - 24 hours a day (weekdays) - on our toll free number: +1 888 565 9283 and make a donation. We can also arrange bank to bank transfers, but it takes longer than a credit card donation - and time is short. Very short.

Your money is not going to get lost in a giant aid agency’s infrastructure. It will immediately be used to fund the rescue of children this week while they are still amongst the living. It will then fund the ongoing support and education of these children until they are old enough to leave school and support themselves.

100% of the money will be used to rescue children from the disaster area. Absolutely no infrastructure costs will be deducted.

I will send you pictures. I will keep you in contact with progress. I am going to India myself within a few weeks from now to support the rescue effort personally. You may even wish to visit the area sometime in the future with us.

Please don’t ignore this plea. Lives literally depend on YOU acting TODAY.

With dire urgency, like I have never written before.

Rich Swannell

PS. Latest tsunami pictures near Hebron Orphanage, at
www.swannellfoundation.org/tsunami.asp

PPS. Help our team rescue newly orphaned children today. You can make a donation directly at our web site, at www.elliottician.com/donation. You can also email me personally at orphans@elliottician.com, and make a donation.
Email or fax your credit card details, or send me your phone number and we will call you to arrange a donation by credit card over the phone. Alternatively, call us anytime - 24 hours a day (weekdays) - on our toll free number: +1 888 565 9283 and make a donation. We can also arrange bank to bank transfers, but it takes longer than a credit card donation - and time is short. Very short.

Make contact today on:

Email: orphans@elliottician.com
Toll Free: +1 888 565 9283 (24 hours a day, weekdays)
Phone: +1 212 354 2324
Fax: +1 888 565 0990

If you prefer to give to a charity that you know, I urge you to do so either via Amazon to the Red Cross or to something like World Vision. But if I urge you not to dismiss this plea, until you have checked them out. Thank you.

From the Desk of Jeff King comes a thoughtful follow-up to my own reflection on John Chapter 11 in light of the tragedy unfolding around the Indian Ocean, Jesus Wept, a beautifully written post of the same title. Jeff King concludes his study with these poignant words:

Thousands, if not millions, of people worldwide are crushed and agonizing over the deadly tsunamis. Many are like the Jews at Lazarus’ funeral, wondering aloud why God didn’t intervene to prevent suffering and death. We may never get that answer on this side of eternity. But I believe Jesus is weeping with us. He shares our grief over the staggering death toll. And His anguish is multiplied by the fact that most of humanity fails to recognize and receive Him as the resurrection and the life. They fail to see that Christ defeated death, our last enemy.

Indeed.

"Lord, as we continue to deal with the devastation, death, and destitution, we ask for your forgiveness. Forgive us for our arrogance, for assuming that we have the power within us to conquer the forces of nature and the forces of irrationality that is this world. May we acknowledge not just your love, but also your compassion and your strength, power and mercy to enable all of us not just to rebuild and recover from the destruction, but also to renew and heal from the brokenness and the pain. Thank you for doing your work right now through your creatures and we ask for continued mercy that we can all catch a glimpse of your insurmountable love and grace. Amen."