An UMCOR team has been in Macedonia this week and will be traveling to Kosovo over the next several days. The refugees are pouring out of the camps in large numbers and returning to Kosovo. Relief workers say that in two or three weeks those who have returned will run out of food, and there is little or no electricity, water or telephones in Kosovo. The UMCOR team is exploring ways to distribute mine awareness information along with health kits assembled by United Methodists. The first relief shipments through ACT (Action by Churches Together) have been delivered to Kosovo. Relief goods include food and hygiene kits. In the coming months, ACT partners will assist with rehabilitating and rebuilding homes and other buildings and providing water and sanitation. ACT and UMCOR are committed to assist people of all ethnic groups in the area, including a population of Roma (gypsies) who are unwelcome to return to Kosovo. Please continue your generous gifts to UMCOR's International Disaster Response, #982450-8.

The UMCOR assessment team in Mexico reports that recovery efforts are well-organized. The church and the government are working together to respond to those affected by the earthquake. In addition to the disaster response consultants, UMCOR sent an initial emergency grant to the Methodist Church in Mexico. Your gifts to International Disaster Response, #982450-8 make it possible for UMCOR to respond quickly in critical situations.

The UMCOR Depot is preparing containers for Honduras, Nicaragua and the Caribbean filled with food provided through a special effort of the Holston Annual Conference. This one-time drive filled four containers. Many other annual conferences have collected and sent health, sewing, school, kitchen and layette kits. Volunteers are needed at the UMCOR Depot to process this bounty! Call the Depot volunteer line (800) 334-4221 for further information on this and other volunteer opportunities.

UMCOR is continuing to assign Kosovar refugee cases where churches (in areas where CWS/UMCOR can resettle refugees) are ready to sponsor. Local congregations are urged to consider sponsorship and co- sponsorship needed for families from Kosovo and from Africa. For further information please see the UMCOR website at {http://gbgm- umc.org/global/refugees/resettle.html} or contact UMCOR's refugee office at 212-870-3807, fax: 212-870-3624.

Give through your local United Methodist Church or call (800) 554-8583 to make a credit card donation.

Please pray for those who suffer from war, natural disasters, hunger and poverty.

UMCOR Hotline:
Phone: 1-800-841-1235
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/UMCOR-Hotline/
E-mail: umcor@gbgm-umc.org