Ministry's Leader: Christianity's Uniqueness Shines Forth in Tsunami Response
by Allie Martin
April 13, 2005
(AgapePress) - An international evangelist is living out the call of Christians to help the needy by assisting those devastated by the destructive waves of December's Asian tsunami. He believes the disaster victims are able to see a real difference in how believers respond to others' need.RREACH International, the ministry of Ramesh Richard, has focused efforts in Sri Lanka and India on helping both believers and non-believers who were victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami that created such destruction in southern Asia late last year. Although much of the ministry's target area is dominated by Muslims, Richard says many opportunities for Christian witness exist.
RREACH, whose acronym stands for "Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps," describes itself as a "global proclamation ministry." It was founded to evangelize intellectuals as well as the inhabitants of distant and Third World nations and is now working to extend its outreach through Asian tsunami relief and recovery assistance.
As these efforts go forward, Richard notes that a majority of those affected by the disaster in the region are not Christians themselves but are being helped by Christians. "We've all been pleasantly surprised," he says, "because the people who have actually been hurt by the tsunami and are being helped by believers say, 'You're the first ones to come by.' We forget how distinctive and unique the Christian faith is except in these contexts."
Many of the world religions lack the love of neighbor ethic that is so central to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the ministry spokesman explains. "Their traditions do not have a tradition of generosity," he says, but, on the other hand, "Christian generosity is something that is built into us. It is really more blessed to give than to receive."
Richard says, for instance, that he knows of monks who might be extremely disciplined adherents to their religious traditions but who "do not have a philosophy of distribution -- they only have a philosophy of hoarding." And these monks, he submits, "are looking at us and saying, 'Boy, this [generosity] is something distinctive about the Christian faith.'"
As a result, RREACH's founder points out, many people from other religions are attracted to Christianity, even though the Christian ministry workers are only witnessing by sharing and showing mercy. "We do not proselytize; we go in the name of Jesus," he says, "But if they ask why their own Buddhist brothers or own Muslim brothers or own Hindu brothers didn't come to their rescue and only Christians came to their rescue, that's an opportunity for us to present the good news."
While RREACH International's workers have sought to share the gospel in deed, Richard says the evangelical organization has utilized an extensive Internet campaign to spread the Word -- the gospel of Jesus Christ -- to tsunami survivors. Meanwhile, he says the ministry plans to continue its partnership with a number of organizations to bring relief to pastors, their churches, and other Asian tsunami victims throughout the summer.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
