FOR MORE INFORMATION (working media only) : Pamela Burdine: 502-569-5839 or pburdine@ctr.pcusa.org

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 20, 2006)--Eight survivors of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami disaster will arrive in the U.S. this week for a two-week visit of Gulf Coast areas devastated by last fall's hurricanes.

Organized by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), the visit will allow responders and survivors of both tragedies for the first time to work alongside each other and share stories of loss, hope and recovery.

Starting in Mobile, Ala., on Friday, the visit will include hands-on work at PDA Volunteer Villages in Mississippi and Louisiana, meetings with church congregations and meetings with hurricane survivors. The group also will travel to Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis to meet with church leaders, volunteers and other disaster response personnel.

PDA organized the working visit to connect two groups that have so much in common, yet couldn't be more different, and to better understand how such common bonds impact its worldwide disaster response efforts.

"This trip reaches across cultural, class and international barriers to allow people most often the recipients of charity to become benefactors instead," said PDA coordinator Susan Ryan. "Despite their own tragedy, tsunami survivors were incredibly moved by the devastation of Katrina. They connected immediately with their sense of loss and their need for hope. They want to help."

Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Young, PDA's Indonesia liaison, will accompany the tsunami delegation.

"These are people who have been in the field since the tsunami hit," said Dr. Young.

"In their recovery efforts they've been empowered to take control of their situation and return some sense of normalcy to their lives. They can't offer money, food or building materials to Katrina survivors, but their message here is incredibly important. "

The group will also tour the Ferncliff Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ferncliff houses the PDA's volunteer dispatch operation which assigns volunteer work groups to the various Volunteer Villages.

[See itinerary]