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In Today's Hotline:
- US: Midwest Flood Response
- Sudan: Helping Students Stay in School
- South Africa: Caring for Refugees
- US: The Power of a Penny
UMCOR is helping those affected by massive flooding caused by last week's torrential rains throughout several Midwestern states through financial and personnel support.
In Arkansas, the flooding was another blow that trailed closely behind recent tornadoes and ice storms, making it the worst flooding in nearly a century. For Missouri, Ohio, and Illinois, heavy rains and major flash floods forced several hundred people from their homes. UMCOR is working with the affected annual conferences to assess their recovery needs and help put long-term recovery plans into action.
The waters are still rising in these states. Help us respond effectively through your prayers and gifts to Domestic Disaster Response, Midwestern Floods, UMCOR Advance #901670.
SUDAN: HELPING STUDENTS STAY IN SCHOOL
UMCOR is helping children stay in school by providing much-needed school kits to approximately 14,000 students in 25 schools in Lainya and Yei counties in South Sudan.
The lack of basic school supplies is one of the problems that prevent children from attending and staying in school. Most of the people are struggling to rebuild their lives after years of war and are unable to afford these materials for their children. Providing school kits will help keep children in school and assist them with their learning needs.
A school kit contains notebooks, rulers, pencils, a pencil sharpener, scissors and crayons. You can help make school kits by visiting UMCOR's Relief Supplies web page or help by giving to Sudan Emergency, UMCOR Advance 184385.
SOUTH AFRICA: CARING FOR REFUGEES
In recent months, the crisis in Zimbabwe has grown continually worse with large numbers of people crossing the border into South Africa every day. The people are fleeing food shortages, political persecution, and economic turmoil at home. With UMCOR's help, about 1,200 people are finding refuge through the Ray of Hope program of the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg.
Central Methodist Mission is restoring hope to asylum seekers, refugees and the displaced by providing a place to sleep, food, clothing, counseling to the deeply distressed, education and medical care. UMCOR is helping with medical treatment, assuring Central Methodist Mission's water supply is flowing and is helping to keep its electrical power working. Mothers with infants who have no financial resources are also being helped.
You can help the Central Methodist Mission continue to be a place of refuge for hundreds of Zimbabweans who are seeking safety there. Your gifts to Zimbabwe Emergency, UMCOR Advance #199456, support this and other important programs for vulnerable Zimbabweans.
A penny today isn't worth very much on its own. But one penny added to another and to another can equal hope for someone very much in need. The Wesley United Methodist Church's Youth Group in Mechanicsburg, Pa., collected several thousand pennies, changing the face value of this overlooked coin.
Through the Penny Power Project, several children from the Wesley UMC Youth Group raised $900 worth of hope-filled pennies to help those in need through UMCOR-supported projects. At their request, the money raised will be divided among several UMCOR advances of their choice. Now that's a powerful penny!
UMCOR provides emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR's ministries, please visit umcor.org. You can donate to any project by placing a contribution in the offering plate at a local United Methodist church; by sending a check to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted. You can also give online at givetomission.org. UMCOR is exempt from tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and qualifies for the maximum charitable contribution deduction by donors.
United Methodist Committee on Relief
General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church
Room 330, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115
Voice Phone: 1-212-870-3816; FAX: 1-212-870-3624
Email: umcor@gbgm-umc.org
Web: http://www.umcor.org
UMCOR. Be There. Be Hope.
UMCOR's mission is to alleviate human suffering-whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster-with open minds and hearts to all people.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
