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See also: Hurricane Mitch News
As we enter Advent, the season of preparation for the coming of Christ, the people of the Caribbean and Central America are still staggering under the devastation of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch. It is estimated that the recovery phase of the response cannot possibly begin before January 1999.
Continued rains in Honduras hamper efforts to clear roads and provide access to isolated areas. The Spirit of Grace, a cargo ship filled with relief supplies, has arrived at port and is being unloaded today.
In Nicaragua, the government has discontinued the National Emergency Committee but our church partners are still providing emergency services to the many still traumatized by the storm.
The most effective way to respond to victims of both Hurricanes Mitch and Georges continues to be through financial gifts. UMCOR estimates that it will need a minimum of 15 million dollars to adequately respond to this year's Hurricane devastation throughout Central America, the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast States. Please continue your generous gifts to Hurricanes 98, Advance #982515-0.
UMCOR is requesting special Health Kits for men, women, and children to send to two communities devastated by Georges in the Dominican Republic. For further information, call the UMCOR Depot at (800) 814-8765, or check the UMCOR website at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/xmaskits.html.
Current volunteer needs include medical personnel who speak Spanish to join UMCOR medical teams in Central America, and persons to help with debris removal and rebuilding in the Gulf Coast States affected by Georges. Please call the Volunteer Line at (800) 918-3100.
UMCOR is currently responding with emergency grants for conferences affected by recent flooding in Kansas and Texas. Staff and consultants are assisting with relief efforts and planning. The Advance number for Texas flooding is 901315-0. For Kansas flooding, give to UMCOR's Domestic Disaster Response #901670 and designate Kansas floods.
Please pray for those who have lost loved ones, homes, possessions and who will continue to suffer from the effects of these storms for months and even years to come.
UMCOR Hotline:
Phone: 1-800-841-1235
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/UMCOR-Hotline/
E-mail: umcor@gbgm-umc.org
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| UMCOR Hotline Index 1998 | GBGM | UMCOR |