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September 27, 2002: Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isidore has caused significant flooding and damage along the southern coast of the United States and in the Caribbean. The Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama-West Florida Conferences are doing assessments to determine the appropriate response of UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response network. Flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies have been sent to the Slidell area of Louisiana. More buckets are needed for response to the impact of Isidore. Get detailed instructions on the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/kits.cfm or by calling 800-554-8583.
UMCOR has been alerted to the destruction caused by Isidore in Caribbean countries. Cuba was the most affected. There has been extensive damage to crops and housing. In Jamaica, two temporary shelters were opened and national authorities distributed relief items. In Mexico, 70 municipalities were affected. Please contribute to Advance #901185, Hurricanes 2002.
More than 1.5 million people in nine provinces of Cambodia have been affected by drought. Only 50% of cultivated areas have been planted with rice and there is fear even that could be destroyed. While late rains have brought some relief, extensive flooding in another five provinces has affected more than one million people. Damage assessment continues. As a partner in an ecumenical response, UMCOR has provided a $5,000 emergency grant. Please give to the Asia Floods Advance # 229650.
The human suffering in Southern Africa continues in unbelievable proportions. The Southern African Development Committee and the U.N. Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs indicate that 14.4 million people will require urgent humanitarian assistance over the next seven months. You can help by giving through your church to the Church-wide Appeal for Southern Africa Famine, Advance #101250-4.
An emergency grant of $10,000 has been sent to the South Indiana Annual Conference to provide humanitarian support to people affected by a tornado on Sept. 20th. People in Indianapolis, Martinsville, Ellettsville, Monroe City, and Poseyville suffered damage. In all, hundreds of homes and dozens of businesses have been destroyed or damaged. Another emergency grant of $31,000 has been sent to the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference for humanitarian support to people affected by wildfires in the Durango, CO area. The conference is working on long-term recovery through the Durango Helping Hands organization to help with unmet needs. The Missionary Ridge wildfire burned a total of 70,485 acres from June 9 into August. Please help replenish Domestic Disaster Response Advance #901670-1 so that UMCOR can respond quickly to needs such as these.
UMCOR has sent $40,000 to the Southwest Texas Annual Conference for humanitarian needs created by flooding and torrential rains which began in July. Ten thousand dollars was granted to each of the hardest hit counties--Nueces, McMullen, Live Oak, and San Patricio. Please give to Advance #901315-0 "Texas Floods."
Gifts may be made through local United Methodist churches, or by calling 1-800-554-8583. Credit card donations are accepted. (Read more about how you can help UMCOR's emergency responses.)
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.
