FROM THE FIELD
In Today's Hotline:
HAITI: BRINGING RELIEF TO HAITI
Haiti is enduring the blows of four successive storms to hit the country in less than a month. Tropical Storm Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Hurricane Ike caused extensive flooding and damage to thousands of homes while taking the lives of more than 500 people. The storms left the already impoverished nation in more distress.
UMCOR is working through its office in Cap Haitien and through partner, Action by Churches Together, conducting assessments and preparing response action. Emergency relief kits and materials will be distributed to displaced people and to orphanages in Cap Haitien. Depending on the needs of the communities, UMCOR Haiti will provide families access to potable water, school kits, and building materials and plans to distribute health and hygiene kits.
Please help bring relief to the people of Haiti in their critical time of need with your gifts to Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325.
US: RESPONDING AND PREPARING FOR UPCOMING STORMS
While Gulf Coast communities including Texas are keeping an eye on Hurricane Ike, Louisiana residents are still recovering from Hurricane Gustav. UMCOR's domestic disaster response coordinators are responding to Gustav-affected communities while anticipating incoming Ike.
UMCOR is working with Gulf Coast annual conferences affected by Hurricane Ike to offer relief support and disaster recovery guidance. Last week, UMCOR supplied the Louisiana Annual Conference with ice and water to residents left without electricity from Gustav. UMCOR is also helping the Florida Annual Conference train case managers to assist those affected by Hurricane Fay.
As the storm season develops, your help is needed to replenish supplies. There is a current shortage of flood buckets, school kits and layette kits. Learn more about sending kits on UMCOR's Relief Supplies webpage. You can also give generously to Hurricanes 2008, UMCOR Advance #3019695.
SAGER BROWN: RETURNING TO WORK
After evacuating in preparation for Hurricane Gustav, many Baldwin, La., residents including those at UMCOR Sager Brown, UMCOR's relief supply warehouse, breathed a sigh of relief when the storm damage proved minimal. Sager Brown is focusing on helping other communities that sustained greater damage from Gustav's wind and rain.
UMCOR Sager Brown returned to normal operations last week and is housing volunteers in mission to serve Morgan City, a community southeast of Baldwin that sustained significant damage from the hurricane.
There is an urgent need for flood buckets at UMCOR Sager Brown. Interested individuals and churches can either assemble and ship flood buckets or donate funds toward the purchase of supplies. Learn more on UMCOR's flood bucket webpage. You can also help secure the anticipated needs of storm survivors by giving to Material Resources, UMCOR Advance #901440.
CUBA: WHY UMCOR CAN'T HELP WITH STORM RELIEF
After watching Hurricane Gustav tear through Cuba and hearing reports on Hurricane Ike's approach, many are asking why UMCOR is not raising funds to assist with storm relief there.
UMCOR and most other church-related humanitarian organizations based in the US are prohibited by federal law from transferring to Cuba the funds that could assist survivors of disasters. This began in 2006 for the General Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR's parent agency, when the federal government failed to renew its license to send funds to Cuba.
Methodists in Cuba have responded to the damage done by hurricanes, although they are severely limited in their financial capacity. Reports on this work of the Methodist Church of Cuba can be found in Spanish and English on the church's internet site at http://imecu.org/index.php.
Download Hurricanes 2008 church bulletin for ways you can help serve affected communities. Share this bulletin with your local church or community and collect a special offering to help those most in need.
Visit UMCOR's Relief Supplies webpage to learn about assembling and preparing flood buckets, layette, school, or bedding kits. These UMCOR supply kits help the most vulnerable during times of crisis. The kits provided the daily, basic necessities to people who temporarily lack access to essential supplies.
Order Depot of Hope, a free informational DVD about UMCOR's relief supply warehouse UMCOR Sager Brown Depot. The DVD includes three short instructional videos illustrating how to assemble health, school and layette kits and includes instructional sheets for each kit. To order your free copy, send an email with your name and mailing address to umcor@gbgm-umc.org.
Volunteer: Contact your Jurisdictional Volunteer in Mission Coordinator for information about volunteering in storm-affected areas.
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. ]
