Liberians Glad to Receive Rice from Ecumenical NetworkDate: September 11, 2003 
After fourteen years of conflict and trauma, Liberians hope peace will finally come. Tens of thousands of people are displaced in Liberia and in need of food, shelter, and safety.
Last week, the Action by Churches Together Liberia Network distributed 456 bags of rice to displaced people in the capital city of Monrovia. The rice stretched to 33 pounds each to the 1,455 family heads, or 6,823 people. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is part of this network.
For the 257 visually impaired people who had sought shelter at the Christian Association of the Blind in central Monrovia, the food could not have come soon enough. Terrified, unable to see, they had relied on family and friends to guide them to safety, where they arrived hungry and exhausted a few weeks ago. The rice distribution marked a high point in their lives and they quickly organized an impromptu ceremony to thank ACT, for what one woman described as a "life saving mission." They asked to have a group photo taken "so that the people of ACT can see how happy we are to receive rice."
The rice was also distributed to families over two days at other centers around the city that had opened their doors to those fleeing the violence: World Wide Mission Church, Presbyterian Church, PAW Church, Georgia Pattern United Methodist Church Greater Refugee Temple Church, JJ Powel United Methodist Church, AME Zion Church and St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
According to the United Nations, the transfer back to camps of at least 30,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) begins today. They have been living in 116 temporary shelters and buildings in and around Monrovia. The IDPs will return to the camps where they lived before rebels began to besiege Monrovia last June. Many of these people have been living in schools, which are are scheduled to re-open on October 20.
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*Members of the ACT Liberia Network are the Liberia Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church in Liberia, United Methodist Church in Liberia, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Lutheran Church in Liberia, Lutheran World Federation, Concerned Christian Community, YMCA-Liberia, World Hope International and Christian Health Association in Liberia.
Source: Action by Churches Together (ACT), http://www.act-intl.org. ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a member of ACT.
Information has also been used from IRIN news by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Photos: 1. ACT Network Liberia distribution of rice to several centers that had taken in people who had been displaced by the recent spate of fighting. 2. For the 257 visually impaired people who had sought shelter at the Christian Association of the Blind in central Monrovia, the food could not have come soon enough. Credit: Callie Long/ACT International, August 2003.
Your gifts to UMCOR's Liberia Emergency, Advance #150300 will enable UMCOR to respond to this latest crisis with humanitarian assistance and continue its ongoing development work and other ministries in Liberia. You may also designate "child soldiers." One hundred percent of your tax-deductible gift will be used for this emergency. The generous giving of United Methodists to the One Great Hour of Sharing supplements the cost of Advance gifts. Give through a local United Methodist church or send financial contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation.
