Telephone:1-800-841-1235
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/UMCOR-Hotline/
August 9, 2002: Torrential monsoon rains have caused massive flooding and landslides in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. UMCOR has sent a grant to the Friends Service Council in Nepal which will be used to provide food, cooking materials, and other relief materials. The floods and landslides in Nepal are being described as the worst ever. Nearly 300 people have been killed and more than 50,000 have been displaced. The national highway, which provides access to the mountainous region, has been washed away in more than 20 places. Much of the infrastructure and fertile farmland have been destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people in India and Bangladesh have been affected by flooding as well. To respond to this disaster, please give to UMCOR Advance #229650-4, "Asia Floods."
UMCOR is working with other agencies to develop long-term recovery plans in the wake of Typhoon Chata'an which caused extensive damage on Guam and Chuuk. On Guam, more than 700 homes were completely destroyed in the typhoon, and more than 1200 received major damage. Long-term recovery is complicated by the high expense of materials on Guam and the high airfares for volunteers to travel from the mainland United States. The California/Pacific annual conference is working with the district in Hawaii to explore options for building typhoon-resistant housing. They are also negotiating with an airline for reduced fares for volunteers and disaster response workers. To respond to this and other tropical storm damage this season, please give to Hurricanes 2002, Advance #901185-6.
In the San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas areas, the waters have finally receded from homes that were flooded. However, the rains associated with Tropical Storm Bertha may cause more flooding. Long-term recovery plans are delayed because FEMA is considering the possibility of buyouts for homes that have been flooded repeatedly. Rebuilding plans cannot be finalized until FEMA makes a decision. UMCOR has sent a grant to the Northwest Texas conference for the response to flooding in Abilene. Please give to Advance #901315-0 "Texas Floods" to join in this response.
Deadwood, South Dakota is in the area that was burned by the Black Hills fire a few weeks ago. They recently received 6 inches of rain in one and one-half hours. Erosion is always a problem after a fire because the vegatation holding the soil in place has been destroyed. As a result of the fire and subsequent rains, many homes are now full of mud, and conference disaster response workers are beginning to assess the damage and need. To respond to this and other domestic disasters, please give to Advance #901670-1.
Please remember to take special offerings for the Churchwide Appeal for Southern Africa Famine Relief. Because food aid is arriving, famine may be averted for millions of people. But without continued assistance nearly 13 million people in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are at risk of starvation. Please give generously to Advance #101250-4, Southern Africa Famine.
Gifts may be made through local United Methodist churches, or by calling 1-800-554-8583. Credit card donations are accepted. You can also make a a secure online gift at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ .
UMCOR is providing emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about current UMCOR ministries, please visit the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ .
And, please pray for those who are hungry, displaced, sick or in poverty because of these and other natural and human-made disasters, and for the workers who minister to them.