December 10, 1999

As Christmas approaches, calls from survivors of the flooding in North Carolina increase. Your gifts to the Churchwide Appeal for Major Storm Devastation '99, Advance #982460-1 are urgently needed to help people in North Carolina, Virginia, Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Kansas and the Bahamas recover from tornadoes and the flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd. The need is immense. UMCOR will need several million dollars for recovery work, and to date, less than one million dollars has been received through this appeal. UMCOR urges all United Methodist Churches to participate in this Churchwide Appeal.

Volunteers who were trained by UMCOR in the aftermath of the Oklahoma bombing are responding to the community of Fort Gibson where the latest school shooting occurred. These volunteers are trained to provide pastoral care and counseling to children who have been through traumatic experiences.

Volunteers continue to be needed in several disaster recovery sites, including Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Virginia. Senior highs and adults of all ages are encouraged to volunteer. People who can do general clean-up and rebuilding work as well as persons with specialized construction, electrical and plumbing skills are needed. Please call the Volunteer Line at (800) 918-3100.

Medicine Boxes are another urgent need. UMCOR currently needs 75 boxes for communities in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba, and the Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Please call (212) 870-3683 for further information or order a Medicine Box information packet from the Service Center at (800) 305-9857. We also have Medicine Box information online.

Gifts may be made through local United Methodist Churches, or by calling (800) 554-8583. Credit card donations are accepted at that number.

Please pray for all who suffer from natural and human-made disasters, hunger, and poverty.