
On Tuesday 17th of December, Vanuatu was struck by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Most of the human injury and damage appears to have occurred in the nation’s capital city, Port Vila. Vanuatu is a nation with 80+ islands and Port Vila has the highest concentration of people. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred the following day. There are no reports on the earthquake’s impact on islands near Port Vila.
The latest news from Port Vila is:
* At least 14 people have died.
* Hundreds have been injured.
* The road to the shipping wharves has been closed or restricted due to a landslide.
APWM has been in contact with the Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, and with communications problems in Vanuatu, no response has been received.
APWM has two missionary families in Vanuatu: Rob and El Falls at Talua and Jared and Bethany Killey serving with Wycliffe. Both families are on Vanuatu’s largest island, Santo, which is 275 km from Port Vila.
The Rev David Burke, the Presbyterian Church of Australia’s Moderator-General, has issued a call to prayer for Vanuatu.
Dear Church Family,
As you may be aware, Port Vila (the capital city of Vanuatu) suffered two earthquakes on December 17th and 18th. Early reports suggest significant damage and some loss of life.
The Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu has been a major gospel partner of the Presbyterian Church of Australia over many decades. For now, we are waiting for updates from the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu as to how we in the Presbyterian Church of Australia can help.
In the meantime, I ask that we pray for the nation of Vanuatu and the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu in our churches this coming Sunday.
Please pray for:
· Generous hands from the global and regional community to provide effective help in rescue, recovery and rebuilding.
· Gospel generosity by churches in Vanuatu to help affected people and churches
· Wisdom and generosity by the Australian church as we respond to any calls for help by our Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu partners.
David Burke
Moderator-General
18th December 2024