(PORTLAND, Ore., April 5, 2011)-Bas Vanderzalm, president of Medical Teams International, leaves today for Japan at the request of local partners on the scene who have been working to save lives since the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country's northern coastline Japan March 21.

Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope (CRASH Japan) requested Vanderzalm's 30-plus years experience in international aid to respond to the country's worst disaster since World War II. Vanderzalm will provide guidance in organizational development and strategic response to mobilize the most effective response that churches can provide to their neighbors in need. Vanderzalm will also visit the affected areas to assess the need for trauma counseling and other types of longer-term assistance. In addition, this coming weekend, a volunteer team of emergency response specialists will head for Japan to help CRASH volunteers with training in critical incident response techniques.

Medical Teams International's partners in Japan moved quickly to mobilize volunteers and help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami disasters. "Many people continue to need help with just basic[...]

[Published in AidNews - Read the original article]