FROM THE FIELD
In Today's Hotline:
SIERRE LEONE: SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT MALARIA
Henrietta Emmanuel has a big job - getting the word out about malaria throughout Sierre Leone, West Africa. She travels to several schools and villages as part of the Community-Based Malaria Control Program at Kissy United Methodist Hospital. In addition to teaching people about the importance of preventing malaria, she has developed a series of educational materials that explains malaria, its causes, symptoms, and treatments in simple, basic terms.
Public health posters decorate the walls at Taiama Clinic, one of the six clinics Kissy Hospital works with throughout Sierra Leone. Each poster displays prevention methods and treatment of malaria and illustrates how much medicine to administer a child. Patients are also encouraged to use treated bed nets.
Malaria kills one of five children in Africa. The Malaria Program however, is generating optimistic results with Kissy Hospital and a clinic in Manjama seeing a decrease in the number of patients that have malaria. Help programs like these continue by sending your gifts to Malaria Control, UMCOR Advance #982009.
*Mark, an asylee from Haiti, was separated from his family for two long years due to his immigration status. With guided counsel and support from UMCOR's Justice for Our Neighbors program (JFON), Mark completed the lengthy paperwork process and secured his legal status. Now that he has a green-card, his wife and two children have been able to join him in the US.
JFON works with entire families to help reunite family members. They help families stay in the US and make them aware of all the benefits and opportunities that are available to them. The program provides free, professional legal services to immigrants in monthly clinics and helps asylum seekers and immigrants navigate the rules and laws that affect their lives here in the US.
You can help support the JFON program and help families stay together by giving to Justice for Our Neighbors, UMCOR Advance #901285
* Not his real name.
WORLD MALARIA DAY: TAKE ACTION ON APRIL 25
Every year approximately 300-500 million people contract malaria worldwide. In Africa alone, the disease kills nearly one in five children. United Methodists are encouraged to observe *World Malaria Day on April 25 by taking action and supporting programs through UMCOR's Make Malaria History campaign.
The Community-Based Malaria Control Program provides life-protecting mosquito nets and offers education and training for communities to learn about malaria and its prevention. Free medication, consultations and nets are distributed to those who are most vulnerable, including pregnant women and families with young children.
Your gift can help us make malaria history: $5 provides medication to treat someone with malaria; $10 purchases one treated mosquito net; $50 buys 25 rapid diagnostic kits and $500 provides one day of malaria prevention training. Take action on World Malaria Day, April 25 and help save a life. Visit UMCOR's Make Malaria History web page for more information and download the World Malaria Day church bulletin insert to share with your local community or congregation. You can also support Malaria Control, UMCOR Advance #982009.
*World Malaria Day observed every year on April 25 was originally designated as Africa Malaria Day. It was a day set aside by African governments committed to preventing malaria and meeting the United Nations malaria-related Millennium Development Goals.
UMCOR is helping the California-Nevada Annual Conference with long-term recovery efforts following a 30-foot breach in a levee along the Truckee Canal in Fernley Nev. on Jan 5. The levee break sent approximately eight feet of water across a two square mile area.
UMCOR is providing case management for flooded homeowners and renters, as well as building materials and trained volunteers to repair damaged homes. Emotional support helping those affected cope with the trauma and recovery demands will also be provided.
The flood waters forced about 3,000 people out of their homes and approximately 600 acres of land were covered in water. Several homes were damaged by the floods. Please help with repairs and long-term recovery by sending your gifts to Domestic Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #901670.
US: REGISTER FOR LIGHTEN THE BURDEN II
Register for Lighten the Burden II, an HIV/AIDS awareness event on April 22. Sponsored by The United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee, the day-long briefing will take place at First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, Tex. from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. It will address the realities surrounding HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis and how the United Methodist Church is responding.
Among those addressing the forum will be Kay Warren, a two-time cancer survivor and wife of Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life," as the keynote speaker. A personal testimony about living with HIV/AIDS will be shared by Shane Stanford, author and teaching pastor for Main Street UMC in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Dr. Cherian Thomas, Health and Welfare executive will speak about accessing resources from the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund.
For more details and to register, click here. You can also send your gifts of support to the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, UMCOR Advance #982345.
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 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. ]
