The UMCOR Hotline
March 28, 2006
In Today's Hotline:
US: Church Serves Hurricane Survivors Through UMCOR
Ethiopia: Drought Relief
US: Immigration Reform
Philippines: Landslide Recovery
US: CHURCH SERVES HURRICANE SURVIVORS THROUGH UMCOR
All along Beach Drive, the highway that parallels the Gulf of Mexico from Pascagoula to Pass Christian, Miss., are signs painted by hurricane survivors: “Do not tear down.” “This was our home.” Lining the streets are huge piles of timbers, concrete, clothing and sails. One can still see cars pan-caked under a bridge, a derelict house atop a railroad siding, shrimp boats deposited hundreds of yards from water.
In the midst of this, the church is serving survivors. United Methodist donations enable UMCOR’s recovery work to be comprehensive for the next several years. Thousands of volunteers are removing some of the 50 million cubic feet of debris deposited by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, and have begun to rebuild in towns that are issuing building permits.
UMCOR partners from the affected annual conferences are finding and serving the elderly, people with disabilities, and others with special needs. Their work ensures that the most vulnerable have access to the services, aid, and benefits they need. Another sign along Beach Road conveyed a message of hope and recovery that UMCOR is delivering on behalf of the church: “We are blessed. Glenn alive.” You can continue to assure that survivors feel alive and blessed through your gifts to UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005.
A severe drought in southern Ethiopia is robbing the people of their lives, livelihoods, and their future. The cattle are dying. For the Borana people cattle are the center of their lives. They provide food, income, and a dowry. Without cattle the practical and social aspects of life are gone.
UMCOR is partnering with ACT International member agency, Christian Aid to providing food, water and work so the Borana can restore their lives.
Give to All Africa Famine Relief, UMCOR Advance # 101250, to restore the lives of the Borana and many others who suffer from drought and famine in Africa.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a proposed immigration reform bill on Monday, March 27, 2006, which includes a guest worker program and earned legalization for the 10-12 million undocumented immigrants as proposed by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA). The bill also beefs up immigration enforcement and border control. However, it does not include provisions of the House bill, H.R. 4437, which would criminalize undocumented immigrants and humanitarian assistance to immigrants, such as that provided by UMCOR’s Justice for Our Neighbors program.
H.R. 4437 has been subject of numerous protests across the country including a grassroots and faith-based march on the Capitol yesterday, in which dozens of United Methodist clergy, joined by a diverse group of religious leaders, marched to the Judiciary Committee in handcuffs to protest the House bill.
The full floor debate on immigration is expected to begin today. It remains crucial that United Methodists continue to contact their Senators and urge them to vote on measures that are realistic, effective, and just.
PHILIPPINES: LANDSLIDE RECOVERY
A landslide in southern Leyte province, Philippines, buried an entire village last February. Over 1,000 people are confirmed dead or missing from the tide of mud and rock that covered the area. UMCOR is partnering with ACT International to assist 1,000 families with relocation to a safer village, relief supplies, agriculture support, shelter assistance, and a food for work program.
Your gifts to UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response, help support this effort and many others around the world.
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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