Relief Items Arrive Safely in Iraq

April 9, 2003

Relief supplies from The United Methodist Committee on Relief's ecumenical partners have arrived in Iraq; more are waiting for delivery.

Yesterday Action by Churches Together (ACT) reported that a truckload of relief items sent ot Mosul in Iraq has arrived safely in Mosul. The relief effort by Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) done in cooperation with the Syrian and Iraqi Red Crescent, consisted of 1,500 blankets and canned foods.

Rainer Lang, a field communicator for ACT, reports that Edward Esho, the MECC representative in Iraq, is still in Mosul and will be involved in the distribution of the relief items. Lang also reported that although the border crossing between the two countries was officially closed, humanitarian relief items were allowed through. "The road to Mosul is still open," added Lang. "It's good to know that the first official shipment of relief goods from northern Syria into Iraq made it safely and that the driver made it safely back to Syria."

As the first shipment went through without problems, MECC is planning on sending more relief goods to Iraq. The Iraqi Red Crescent has requested that medicines for those suffering from war related injuries be sent to Mosul. "MECC is hoping to arrange for some medicines to be taken across the border," said Lang.

Church World Service also said yesterday that a third shipment of supplies for pediatric hospitals is ready to leave Jordan as soon as it becomes possible to cross the border into Iraq and continue onward to Baghdad. The three-ton shipment includes 32 wheelchairs, 600 blankets and 800 bedding kits. Contributing $50,000 toward the shipment is "All Our Children," a children's health initiative that UMCOR is supporting.

The first "All Our Children" shipment of medicine and medical supplies reached Baghdad just before the war started and has been distributed to two pediatric hospitals. A shipment of 5.5 metric tons of personal hygiene soap - enough for 14,688 Iraqi children for six months -- and 5.8 metric tons of laundry detergent arrived March 31 and will be distributed to 68 pediatric and district hospitals throughout southern and central Iraq, as access allows.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is one of Action by Churches Together's (ACT) partners in this humanitarian response. ACT is an ecumenical coalition that includes many groups, such as the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Church World Service (CWS). One hundred percent of your tax-deductible gift to Advance #623225 "Iraq Emergency" will be used for this response. 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.

Photo: The MECC/ACT relief truck is loaded in Syria with relief items destined for Mosul, Iraq. Credit: Rainer Lang (DEA)/ACT International, April 2003.

Source: Action by Churches Together, Church World Service.