Church members in Taiwan rallied around priesthood leaders to provide assistance for those in need following the destructive earthquake of Sept. 21 and its aftershocks.

The Church has already provided food, tents, medical supplies, water, blankets, generators and other emergency needs to members in quake-affected areas, according to information provided by Elder Harold D. Howe, executive secretary to the Asia Area presidency.

The supplies were distributed by Church members from meetinghouses that served as assistance bases. Members, whose homes were destroyed or have been declared unsafe, are being housed in Church buildings, in tents, or with relatives and friends, said Elder Howe.

Also, the Church donated $25,000 in cash assistance to the Taipei Economics & Cultural Representative Office for the United States, it was reported in a press release by the Church's International Affairs office in Washington, D.C .

Taiwan's top-ranking representative in the U.S. office, Stephen Cheen, accepted the donation presented on behalf of the Church by Pres. Ralph Hardy, president of the Washington D.C. Stake, and Ann Santini, Director of International Affairs for the Church. The money is in advance of other relief efforts following the earthquake.

"Once again, the Church has responded immediately to people in need," Sister Santini said. "Representative Cheen was very appreciative of our assistance and assured us it would be put to good use."

"We are grateful that the Church is in a position to provide aid when and where it is needed," the press release quoted Presiding Bishop H. David Burton as saying. "We value our friendship with the people of Taiwan and make this donation as an expression of our concern for their well-being at this difficult time. Our humanitarian assistance mission extends to all of God's children, not just to our Church members."

In addition to the cash donation, the Church will continue to monitor the situation in Taiwan and assess where it can best provide assistance, the press release said.

The epicenter of the earthquake was near the city of Pu Li, north and east of Taichung. Pu Li experienced some of the most serious property damage and loss of life. It is reported that nearly 50 percent of the buildings in the city were destroyed.

Elder Howe said six missionaries were serving there: Elders Kyle Woodruff, Nathaniel Hancock, Jeffrey Chang, Matthew Harding and Sisters Amanda Meacham and Sarah Stewart.

Because of the extensive damage, there was no means of communication available to the Taiwan Taichung Mission president, Dennis Kim, to determine whether or not the missionaries were safe. After the president waited several hours for some word on their condition, two missionaries, Elders Benjamin Didericksen and Jay Strickling, volunteered to search for them.

The drive by car into the mountainous region of Pu Li normally takes only an hour or less. The two missionaries knew that some roads and bridges were impassable, and that the tunnels had been closed. So they loaded their bicycles onto a car, drove as far as they could, and walked and rode their bikes the remaining 18 miles until they reached Pu Li and found the missionaries safe and rendering service.

The elders were pulling earthquake victims from the debris while the sister missionaries were tending to some of the injured in a medical facility. After some 30 minutes of searching, Elders Didericksen and Strickling found a working telephone and reported to Pres. Kim that the six missionaries were safe.

Similar stories of selfless service were repeated by the members in Taiwan every day, Elder Howe said. There is a great outpouring of love and concern for those who have suffered losses — and most have.

It's still very early into this disaster to assess all the damage, he added. Aftershocks of a significant scale continue to occur, numerous homeless people need yet to be housed, temporarily and permanently. The fabric of life needs to be mended and made whole for the tens of thousands affected. There is much Christlike service yet to be rendered.

Priesthood leaders developed, and are implementing, plans to address the needs of the membership and others in the communities where they live.