January 18, 2005
Western and Midwestern United States: Mopping Up Continues
Extreme weather in the western United States has left communities in California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona mopping up their flooded streets and clearing mud and debris from damaged houses. UMCOR is monitoring conditions in the affected areas. An UMCOR grant to Southern Indiana Annual Conference will assist with cleanup from relentless rains, ice, and flash floods. Another shipment of flood buckets, the supplies volunteers use to clear away floodwaters, arrived from the Midwest Distribution Center. In West Ohio, volunteers received case management training. You can assist in a meaningful way through contributions to UMCOR Advance #901670, Domestic Disaster Response.
South and Southeast Asia: Rehabilitation Will Take Years
How well do relief organizations follow through with rehabilitation after "mega-disasters" such as the earthquake and tsunamis that swept the Indian Ocean on December 26? The New York Times dramatically posed that question in a front page story last week. "In big, complex recoveries from mega-disasters, we plan to be in place for a long time-for years," said the Rev. Kristin Sachen of UMCOR. "I do not doubt that more rebuilding is needed in Honduras, Mozambique and Iran. Though a number of organizations have left those three countries, UMCOR is still at work," she said, "just as we will be in the Indian Ocean region long after the media and dignitaries leave." A United Methodist team has just returned from Indonesia with a project design for long-term recovery, including Medicine Boxes and long-term rebuilding.
In the meantime, more relief is on its way to South Asia. UMCOR last week shipped a second truckload of health kits that will augment a supply coming from other denominations. Value of the new shipment is set at around $120,000.
You can get involved through giving to UMCOR Advance #274305, South Asia Emergency. UMCOR is also accepting online donations at MethodistRelief.org. Cash gifts continue to be most meaningful in the initial weeks of this response. Note that the Internal Revenue Service will allow donors to decide whether to apply their tsunami relief contributions to the 2004 or 2005 tax years, as long as the gift designated for 2004 is made by January 31.
Sudan: Peace Accord Encourages Aid Groups
UMCOR, already providing aid to Sudanese families in Chad refugee camps, will extend its services to South Darfur during January. On the point of naming a team to work in the Nyalla region, UMCOR sees the just-signed comprehensive peace agreement as a call for strengthening efforts to end the tragedy in Darfur. Celebration of the historic agreement is muted by the fact that war continues in other parts of the country, including Darfur. Contributions to UMCOR Advance #184385, Sudan Emergency, will support UMCOR ministries in Darfur in a meaningful way. A bulletin insert Sudan: Enormous Suffering is available.
One Great Hour of Sharing: Sunday, March 6-Essential to UMCOR
UMCOR brings relief when a catastrophe strikes. We rush to disaster areas all over the world with aid. But, along with food, clothing, shelter, and medical help, we stay to assist survivors rebuild lives. From re-educating soldiers to feeding schoolchildren to establishing medical clinics in remote villages, we represent hope for millions in nearly 100 of the poorest countries in the world. Such works of recovery and life-changing ministry don't happen without the broad support of congregations and individuals.
Once a year, during One Great Hour of Sharing, you and your congregation can join other United Methodists worldwide by making a special offering to support this humanitarian aid from UMCOR. You can assure that when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus' love and compassion, will be in the lead to ease the pain.
Gifts to this offering underwrite UMCOR's "costs of doing business," so that 100 percent of every other dollar you donate to a specific UMCOR project can be spent on that project, and not on administrative costs. Offering gifts over and above those used to cover administrative costs are channeled where they're most needed-to assist the most vulnerable people whose need is greatest.
"The One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March 6, 2005, is absolutely essential to UMCOR," says the Rev. Paul Dirdak, the agency's chief executive. "UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. So United Methodists' gifts to this special offering not only keep UMCOR's lights on and UMCOR's delivery system in place at home and around the world- they also enable us to respond immediately to disasters."
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.