Hurricane Iris struck the southern coast of Belize as a category 4 hurricane on October 8. Tearing through 80 villages, Iris destroyed 95 percent of the homes in 35 villages. Up to 14, 000 people have been left homeless, 8,000 of them are from the Maya communities of the Toledo District. The Maya villages have experienced extensive damage: crops have been destroyed, most of the livestock is dead or missing, the rivers are contaminated, and the forest itself, which people depend upon for their livelihood and basic building supplies for their homes, has been destroyed. This hurricane totally changed the physical and cultural landscape for these communities. Funds are needed to help provide food, water, medicine, and temporary shelter, and to help with the long process of reconstruction. Funds are also needed to help people in the Northwestern part of Mexico, including Baja California, recover from Hurricane Juliette. An UMCOR staff person has been in Mexico this week to support the church as they assess the damage and plan for recovery. Please give generously to Hurricanes 2001, Advance #982350.
An October 12th tornado caused $7 million worth of damage in Medina County, Texas. Forty mobile homes and 75 houses were destroyed, and a total of 600 homes were damaged across the county. Local United Methodists are working with other churches to provide assistance. Both the Oklahoma and Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conferences are responding to the tornado damage in Cordell. They are helping residents to clear debris and will help with rebuilding. Volunteers interested in helping with recovery should call (800) 918-3100. Your gifts to UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response, Advance #901670 will help people recover from these tornadoes.
In response to the Sept. 11 attacks, the listening posts and counseling centers in New York City are being expanded, and plans are underway to develop community centers throughout New York City and in three New Jersey communities. The centers will focus on helping people recover financially as well as mentally and emotionally. UMCOR is offering a grant program called, "Honoring Differences in the Midst of Hate and Violence." The program provides a way for annual conferences and local churches to create innovative joint projects with Islamic and American-Arab organizations and other groups of people who may be experiencing stereotyping and hostility in response to the attacks. Grants will be awarded to projects that have peace-building goals of increasing understanding, building trust, and establishing an inclusive community that honors differences. To find out more, call the UMCOR Emergency Services Office at (202) 548-4002 or e-mail w-mrudolph@worldnet.att.net For information about holding a workshop in your area on children and trauma, you may also call (202) 548-4002.
As winter approaches, the need for humanitarian relief for Afghan people is becoming critical. UMCOR is supporting the efforts of relief agencies that are working to get assistance to those who need it within the country and to refugees who have crossed the borders into neighboring countries.
Your gifts to "Love in the Midst of Tragedy," Advance #901125-3 will support these national and international efforts to respond to the events set in motion by the September 11 attacks.
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 of the world. 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.
Photo: Looking at flyers of the missing in a New York City subway. (Click for larger version.) Credit: copyright © Diana Barnett, September 2001. Used by permission
