The UMCOR Hotline

February 15, 2005

Guyana: Stagnant Pools Add to Flood Woes
The heaviest rains in a century have flooded broad sections of coastal Guyana and displaced nearly half the population of 750,000. People have camped in schools, churches, and along the roadways to avoid stagnant pools and dead livestock. Through an initial grant, UMCOR is assisting Methodist churches in the flooded regions to distribute emergency food - but the needs are overwhelming. Please consider a generous gift to UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response. Write "Guyana Floods" in the memo line of your check.

One Great Hour of Sharing: March 6 Offering Critical for UMCOR
Within days of disasters like the Guyana floods and the Indian Ocean tsunami, UMCOR rushed emergency aid to survivors. But the first weeks of a catastrophic disaster are only the beginning. UMCOR will work in these regions for years - rebuilding, returning people home, giving comfort, helping create replacements for lost livelihoods. UMCOR's capacity to provide this level of assistance requires a strong commitment from United Methodists like you.

One hundred percent of every dollar you donate to a specific UMCOR project goes to that project - not to agency administrative costs. That's because, once a year during One Great Hour of Sharing, you and your congregation can join other United Methodists worldwide in a special offering to underwrite UMCOR's "cost of doing business." You can help assure that, when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus' love and compassion, will be in the lead to ease the pain.

Act now! Order your free One Great Hour of Sharing DVD and other resource materials today. The DVD contains a 7-minute segment on UMCOR's work around the world, and a music video appropriate for worship inspiration. Call toll free, 1-888-346-3862. Then on March 6, receive the offering. Your generosity means UMCOR will be your open hearts and hands in current and future disasters. UMCOR offers additional online resources.

United States: Ongoing Hurricane Recovery Needs You!
Help speed hurricane recovery from multiple storm damage all over Florida. Thousands of volunteers are needed to do the "heavy lifting" of rebuilding roofs, walls, and interiors for homes in the Southeast. Blue tarps - temporary coverings for damaged roofs - dot the countryside all over the region. Across Florida several hundred homes will need refurbishing; in Arcadia, 50 homes have been identified for rebuilding. Much work remains in the Florida panhandle and areas of Alabama. UMCOR's volunteer hotline will act as a clearinghouse for the many sites that need volunteers. To find out where the needs are greatest and obtain a local contact, please call toll free, 1-800-918-3100. Or let your generous contributions go for you-please give to UMCOR Advance #982410, Hurricanes 2004.

South Asia: UMCOR Logistics, Planning, Precursors to Reconstruction
An UMCOR worker has begun laying the groundwork for UMCOR operations in Sri Lanka, and another staff member will soon be named to a similar post in Indonesia. David Sadoo, international field staff for the agency, praised the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka for its cooperation and hospitality. In addition, local emergency response mechanisms have been excellent, he said. UMCOR and the church have chosen an area on the east coast for an integrated reconstruction program. You can assist in UMCOR's long-term effort in a meaningful way with a contribution to Advance #274305, South Asia Emergency.

When an UMCOR Hotline reader asked us for a South Asia Emergency poster to use on a Good Friday walk, we thought her idea might appeal to others. We created a new UMCOR poster, which features a photograph by United Methodist missionary Paul Jeffrey and includes the slogan "Be There" and the South Asia Emergency Advance number. Get the 8.5 x 11 poster, available in full color and black and white. It can be used as is or copied to a disk and enlarged at your local copy shop.

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.

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Featured Photos
United Methodist Committee on Relief

The theme for One Great Hour of Sharing for UMCOR, which will be on March 6, 2005 is "Be There." Order your free One Great Hour of Sharing materials today. Call toll free, 1-888-346-3862 and then receive the offering on March 6.

Recovery is under way in Florida and Alabama. Blue tarps - temporary coverings for damaged roofs - are a clear reminder of how much damage communities have suffered. Credit: Meredyth Earnest/UMNS 2004.

A new UMCOR poster features a photograph by United Methodist missionary Paul Jeffrey of a Sri Lankan woman whose home was destroyed by the December 26 tsunami. The 8.5 x 11 poster is available in full color and black and white. Credit: Paul Jeffrey/ACT International, January 1, 2005.

More Information About UMCOR's Work

• Church Bulletin Insert: Iraq: Dream of a Safe Future.
• Hurricanes 2004: UMCOR's Response.
• Indian Ocean Tsunami: UMCOR's Response.
• Medicine Boxes: Contents and Instructions.
• One Great Hour of Sharing, March 6.
• Sudan Emergency: UMCOR's Response.
• UMCOR Emergency Kits: Health kits, school kits, flood buckets, and more.
• This Hotline is available in 2 formats:
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