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May 25, 2001
The United Methodist Church in Liberia has used an emergency grant from UMCOR to purchase and distribute food and other emergency supplies to internally displaced persons who are fleeing the fighting in Lofa. To join in these relief efforts, please give to UMCOR's International Disaster Response, Advance #982450.
Displaced Liberians wait in Belefanai, the town on the border between Lofa and Bong county. They must go through rigorous army scrutiny on the Lofa side of the bridge separating the two counties.
Credit: ACT-LWF, Liberia 2001.
[click for larger photo]
West Virginina, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota have all experienced flooding recently. UMCOR staff have been in communication with the annual conferences' disaster response workers, and they are in various stages of clean up and recovery. In West Virginia, they are waiting for the waters to recede before it will be known exactly how many people have been affected. The Methodist Church of Puerto Rico has been distributing food vouchers and helping with clean up efforts from the floods there. The Puerto Rican churches and agencies are meeting in the next few days to develop plans for rebuilding and long-term recovery. UMCOR recently sent an emergency grant following the tornado in Hoisington, Kansas where recovery efforts are underway and they are beginning to rebuild. Your ongoing support of UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response, Advance #901670 enables UMCOR to respond to these and other disasters.
The United Nations has designated June 20 as the first annual World Refugee Day. The theme is "Respect," respect for the refugees themselves, for their positive contributions to society, and for their rights. Please observe this day by raising awareness in your congregation of the situation of refugees. The UMCOR Refugee Ministries unit encourages churches to set aside a Sunday at the end of June for a special refugee worship service. For more information call UMCOR at (212) 870-3806 or visit UMCOR's website.
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.)
UMCOR is providing emergency relief in many areas at this moment. To find out more about current UMCOR ministries, please visit the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/
Please pray for those who suffer from hunger, poverty, natural and human-made disasters.
