March 28, 2003: The United Methodist Church of the Philippines is serving the emergency needs of displaced, impoverished peasants in the Mindanao region. Thousands of families have fled their villages and towns as the government has waged an offensive against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Food aid, medical assistance, temporary shelter and psycho-social support are being provided by local churches. Your gifts to International Disaster Response Advance #982450-8, marked "Mindanao Philippines," will help support these important efforts.
Through its ecumenical partner Action by Churches Together, UMCOR is supporting the Middle East Council of Churches as it stockpiles food and non-food items in its distribution centers at churches and mosques in Baghdad. In addition, partner Norwegian Church Aid continues running and maintaining the water purification units in Baghdad Hospital. Your gifts to Iraq Emergency Advance #623225-4 will help support these humanitarian efforts. See UMCOR's website for continuing updates.
UMCOR disaster response personnel are working with the South Georgia Conference in response to the tornado that hit the community of Camilla and killed several people. Two years ago, this same community was struck by a tornado that killed even more. A ten thousand dollar emergency grant has been sent as well as clean-up supplies from the Sager Brown Depot. An emergency grant of ten thousand dollars has also been sent to the Florida Annual Conference to help in clean up from flooding in the Tallahassee District, flooding caused by rains from the same storm that spawned the tornado in Georgia. Last night another tornado hit Miami. Reports indicate that deaths occurred but assessments are still being made.
Tom Hazelwood of UMCOR is meeting today with Baltimore-Washington Conference disaster respondents for training in how to respond to the destruction and chaos caused by potential terrorist attack. Please give to Advance #901670-1 so that continued domestic disaster response can be made through UMCOR.
As this issue of the hotline is being prepared, armed conflict in Liberia continues. The situation is deteriorating. Ganta, where UMCOR has an orthopedic center and The United Methodist Church has a hospital, is adjacent to the general region that is threatened by rebels. Many of the 50,000 internally displaced people have moved into Monrovia from camps on the capital city's outskirts where they had been living. Non-essential expatriate staff have been advised to leave the country; essential staff are on the highest security alert. The United Methodist Church of Liberia will need our compassionate response in order to provide assistance to those who seek shelter. Your generous gifts to Liberia Emergency Advance #150300-7 are urgently needed.
Please do not forget those who endure famine in southern Africa and Ethiopia and Eritrea. Far from the news media celebrities, Christian churches in Africa are committed to feeding the most vulnerable-- children, pregnant and nursing women, the elderly people, and persons with disabilities. Your solidarity with their mission and ministry can be expressed through gifts to Southern Africa Famine Advance #101250-4.
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. 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.
Please pray for all who suffer from lack of food, shelter, healthcare and those who are displaced. Pray for all who face suffering and death as a result of war on both sides of the lines.
