| UMCOR Hotline Archives 1998- | UMCOR Hotline Free Email Edition |February 2, 2001
UMCOR is responding to the earthquake in India and Pakistan through our ecumenical partners ACT (Action by Churches Together, the relief and development arm of the World Council of Churches) and CASA (Church's Auxiliary for Social Action) in India. Because so many relief agencies are responding in urban areas, CASA and ACT are focusing their relief efforts on the region's poorest citizens living in remote communities close to the epicenter.
In addition to losing loved ones, homes and belongings, people have lost their jobs as the quake destroyed factories and other sources of employment. Because of the severe drought in the region, many people were already living from hand to mouth, and now they have lost everything they had. CASA and ACT are distributing food, water, blankets, basic relief kits, and shelter materials. Your gifts will be used for immediate relief and for the rebuilding work which will take years. Please give to UMCOR's "South Asia Earthquake" Advance #274305.
UMCOR and Methodist Church of Puerto Rico disaster response consultants spent more than a week working with the Methodist Church in El Salvador assisting with assessment, developing immediate and long-term response and recovery plans, and providing training in the various aspects of disaster response and recovery. In the wake of the earthquake, church members have been distributing shelter materials, food and other relief items, are currently canvassing survivors to assess needs, and are assembling a proposal for long-term recovery and rebuilding.
The Methodist Church in El Salvador will be coordinating their efforts with ACT and are receiving further training through ACT. At this point UMCOR anticipates that housing will be a long-term need in the wake of this disaster, and in the coming months volunteers will be needed for rebuilding work. Call the Volunteer Line at (800) 918-3100 to register your interest. Please give to UMCOR Advance #511447 "El Salvador Earthquake."
We anticipate that there will be a need for health kits and school kits in El Salvador, and need to restock the Depot. For information on assembling and shipping kits, please call the Depot at (800) 814-8765 or visit the UMCOR website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/kits.html
Gifts may be made through local United Methodist churches, or by calling 1-800-554-8583. Credit card donations are accepted. (Read more about how you can help UMCOR's emergency responses.)
Please pray for those whose who have lost loved ones, homes and belongings in this disaster.
Photos Credit: Lutheran World Federation (LWF), El Salvador, January 2001. Click on the photograph to see a larger version.