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New York -- The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the disaster relief unit for the 9.5 million member United Methodist Church, is working with Methodist Church leaders in El Salvador to provide relief to victims of last Saturday's devastating earthquake there.
Eli Rivera, a staff executive for the General Board of Global Ministries, is in El Salvador working with church leaders to respond to the crisis. He said, "The damage is massive, but the people are trying to cope as best they can. We are asking United Methodists to include the people of El Salvador in their prayers and to give generously so that we can begin to help them puput their lives back together."
The earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, has killed more than 600 persons and more than 500 people are missing and feared dead. Thousands of people who lost their homes in mudslides caused by the earthquake are sleeping in churches or in the open. The Methodist Church in El Salvador has set up a response team in the city of Ahuachapán, near the Guatemalan border.
UMCOR is sending funds to help the churches in El Salvador minister to victims and assist with cleanup efforts and will send a consultant to assist with disaster response. The disaster relief agency is requesting donations of funds, which will be sent to the disaster area for purchase of necessary items in the area. In addition, UMCOR will contribute to ecumenical relief efforts organized by Action by Churches Together (ACT).
Because roads were destroyed and delivery of supplies is still difficult, if not impossible, donations of material resources are not being accepted at this time. UMCOR will send material resources as soon as church leaders in El Salvador are able to receive them. United Methodist volunteers will be needed within the next two months to help repair damage from the earthquake.
Donations to assist with disaster relief may be designated to El
Salvador Earthquake, Advance #511447-8 and placed in United Methodist Church offering
plates or sent to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, NY 10115.
URL: http://gbgm-umc.org/news/2001/jan/elsalvadornc1.stm