FROM THE FIELD
In Today's Hotline:
US: "SUPER TUESDAY" TORNADO RECOVERY
UMCOR's early response teams have been hard at work removing debris caused by devastating tornadoes that struck five southern states on "Super Tuesday" Feb. 5. UMCOR will now assist in long-term recovery to help rebuild homes and lives in the Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee state areas.
As UMCOR continues to work with regional church partners to bring relief, your gifts are needed to assist the thousands of people affected by these damaging tornadoes.
The tornadoes were considered to be the worst outbreak in nearly 25 years. Dozens of people were killed and thousands of homes were destroyed. Help us rebuild by giving to Domestic Disaster Response - "Super Tuesday" Tornadoes, UMCOR Advance #901670.
KENYA: HELP KENYA INCREASE THEIR FOOD SUPPLY
The continued violence in Kenya has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and has disrupted the food supply, as reported in a Feb. 14 news release by the United Methodist News Service. UMCOR is appealing to United Methodists everywhere to donate money to help bolster the food supply in Kenya that is quickly being consumed.
Since early January, UMCOR has assisted more than 10,000 people in the region, but food supplies are quickly diminishing due to high demand. "There's just not enough food to feed people," said the Rev. Sam Dixon, UMCOR's chief executive.
Dixon stated that UMCOR is making arrangements with a private donor to ship 20 forty-foot containers of relief supplies for Kenya. The Methodist Church of Kenya and the US Embassy in Nairobi will help process the shipment when it arrives. Click here to read the full story. Please send your gifts to help Kenya in their time of need to International Disaster Response - Kenya, UMCOR Advance #982450.
US: THINK GREEN ON PALM SUNDAY
Palms are a symbol of worship for Christians. But in Guatemala and Mexico, palms represent fair trade and a better ecosystem. UMCOR is partnering with the University of Minnesota to build support in the US for the Eco-Palm Project that will help harvesters earn a fair income while helping to sustain forestry, protect local jobs and preserve livelihoods.
More than 300 million palm fronds are harvested each year for the US alone mostly for Palm Sunday or church-related events. Families in Guatemala and Mexico rely heavily on the palm harvest for income. Although purchases of palms may reach as high as $4.5 million in the US - harvesters earn very little.
March 16 is Palm Sunday and United Methodists are encouraged to support this social and environmental justice project through the purchase of Eco-Palms. Learn more about Eco-Palms here. You can download a church bulletin insert and order form to purchase your Eco-Palms today. The deadline is February 20. You can also support sustainable agricultural projects by giving to Sustainable Agricultural and Development, UMCOR Advance # 982188.
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling
1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. You can also give online at href="http://www.givetomission.org">givetomission.org. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors.United Methodist Committee on Relief
General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church
Room 330, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115
Voice Phone: 1-212-870-3816; FAX: 1-212-870-3624
Email: umcor@gbgm-umc.org
Web: http://www.umcor.org
UMCOR. Be There. Be Hope.
UMCOR's mission is to alleviate human suffering-whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster-with open minds and hearts to all people.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
