- The January 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption and tsunami damaged church and school buildings
- About 90 per cent of small boats in the islands were destroyed
- The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga set up a three-stage response: respond, reconnect, rebuild
- The Methodist Church in Ireland’s World Mission Fund gave £15,000
The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga launched a three-stage recovery plan after the January 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami damaged church buildings, schools and other infrastructure, the Methodist Church in Ireland reported on April 6, 2022.
The underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted at 5.45pm on January 15, 2022, triggering a tsunami. Three people died in Tonga. Ash destroyed crops, and there was significant damage to church buildings, school buildings, island hospitals and utilities. About 90 per cent of small boats were destroyed. “The volcano brought dust and sand that covered our land (fanua) and ocean (moana) and destroyed about 70% of our livelihood,” the report quoted.
The church’s response, called Tekina-‘I-Moana, has three stages: respond, reconnect and rebuild. The second stage supplied 140 tents, 80 mobile toilets, 150 beds, 350 blankets, 345 school bags, 48 small boats with fishing gear, 75 generators, fuel, tools, chainsaws, water tanks and replanting supplies. The Methodist Church in Ireland’s World Mission Fund gave £15,000.
The third stage is to rebuild.
Jamaica’s churches face the same sequence after hurricanes: relief, reconnection, then the long work of rebuilding churches and homes. Tonga’s plan shows the value of setting out those stages clearly and linking with partner churches abroad. Jamaican denominations with overseas partners should agree in advance how emergency and rebuilding funds will be requested and used.
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