Posted October 28: California Wildfires: UMCOR's Response
October 24, 2003: Political unrest and violence in Bolivia earlier this month have directly affected humanitarian work of the Evangelical Methodist Church throughout the high plains and valley regions near La Paz. You can help ensure that people there receive hope and sustenance through rural development programs, healthcare delivery and transport of construction supplies. Keep the people of Bolivia in your prayers and support Advance #982450, International Disaster Response.
The United Methodist Council of Bishops launched a churchwide appeal at church services last weekend to replenish UMCOR funds, seriously depleted in the wake of a series of storms in the United States. Storms during the past 16 months have left UMCOR with low fund balances for response to future disasters here. Persons who wish to donate may designate their gifts to Churchwide Appeal for USA Domestic Disasters, UMCOR Advance #901670. Donations will enable United Methodists, through UMCOR, to assist those most vulnerable through long-term case management and volunteer building and repair teams. You can assure healing and hope with every gift of support to this special appeal.
Cleanup efforts continue in many areas of the Eastern Seaboard and in south Texas, plagued by the aftermath of hurricane and flood.You can help in two kinds of "hands-on" ministries! One, if you can participate directly in cleanup efforts, call the UMCOR Volunteer Hotline, 1-800-918-3100. If your church group would like to donate flood buckets--supplies volunteers use to clean flood-damaged sites-- you can find the specifications on UMCOR's kits website at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/kits.cfm#flood. UMCOR is also grateful for generous donations to Hurricanes 2003, Advance #982438 that will extend your heart and hands to those who need help the most in all these areas devastated by flood and hurricane.
In the aftermath of last summer's Typhoon Harurut, emergency grants recently went to annual conferences in the Philippines to provide food, medicine, shelter, clothing and nets, as recovery efforts continue. Thank you for your contributions to UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response.
Many clinics and hospitals around the globe do not have enough medicines available on a regular basis. With the help of caring United Methodists, the Medicine Box® program can cover these shortages. Each box contains 18 essential medicines and medical supplies--enough to respond to illnesses and injuries in a population of 1,000 people for three months. Please do your part to guarantee Medicine Box availability to places of great need, like Serbia. Cost is $375, donated to Advance #982630, to purchase prescription drugs. The congregation also collects specific over-the-counter items. Requirements for box assembly may be found online at http://gbgm-umc.org/health/medbox/kit.stm. Thank you for your participation in this crucial ministry to the most vulnerable.
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.
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.
