In Today's Hotline:

• SOUTH AFRICA: UMCOR Assists Survivors of Violence in South Africa
• IVORY COAST: Texas and Côte d'Ivoire Conferences Join Forces to Fight Malaria
• US: United Methodists Express Support for the Immigrant Community in Postville
• US: Hurricane Season Begins, Flood Buckets Needed
• EVENT: Empowering Health Ministries Conference

SOUTH AFRICA: UMCOR Assists Survivors of Violence in South Africa

UMCOR is helping meet a humanitarian crisis in South Africa caused by violence against foreign nationals, especially from Zimbabwe and Malawi. An emergency grant of $10,000 was sent at the request of Bishop Ivan Abraham, head of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. UMCOR will also likely provide a staff member for three months to help the church deal with the crisis.

Various churches, including the autonomous Methodist Church of Southern Africa, are attempting to care for as many as 30,000 people.

You can support this continuing work in South Africa by giving to Advance #982540, Global Refugee Response.

IVORY COAST: Texas and Côte d'Ivoire Conferences Join Forces to Fight Malaria

The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is giving $1 million to combat malaria in the Côte d'Ivoire Annual Conference. The gift is part of an ongoing covenant relationship between the two annual conferences and will leverage a total of 500,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets for the nation.

Global Ministries' Health and Welfare and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) units will play a key role in helping with the logistics of the operation.

The funds raised will support the United Nations Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign. The United Methodist Church is a founding partner of the campaign that has raised more than $20 million to fight malaria.

At $10 a net, the $1 million gift will purchase 100,000 insecticide treated nets. The number of nets that will be donated to Côte d'Ivoire will multiply through a generous $4 million contribution from the United Nations Foundation to support the effort.

You can give to Nothing But Nets through Advance #982015.

US: United Methodists Express Support for the Immigrant Community in Postville

In one of the largest work site immigration raids ever conducted, ICE agents stormed a meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa in early May. They arrested nearly 400 workers, more than one third of the plant's work force. Rose Mraz, Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) Regional Attorney for Iowa, teamed up with many pro bono legal service providers in the area and beyond to represent and counsel their clients.

Iowa United Methodists and JFON volunteers are sponsoring a strong resolution echoing Bishop Palmer's stand, including his calls for an end to raids and the passage of fair and just immigration reform law. You can read more about this effort in First Mondays, JFON's monthly newsletter.

Most of JFON's clients are women and families with children. The majority of cases involve naturalization of immigrants and reuniting families. This ministry provides free, high-quality immigration services and a warm welcome to immigrants in our congregations and communities. Support JFON's work by giving to Justice for Our Neighbors, UMCOR Advance #901285.

US: Hurricane Season Begins, Flood Buckets Needed

When Dee Montgomery returned home after extensive flooding, she didn't know where to begin the clean up process. That is, until fellow United Methodist Diann Peabody came by with a flood bucket.

"Why, there were things in there I wouldn't have even thought of!" Montgomery exclaimed. "Trash bags, masks, ammonia, gloves, clothespins, a scrub brush, sponges...." Peabody added, "After she received the bucket, she felt better and said, 'I can do this!' We brought her encouragement."

Flood buckets are five gallon buckets filled with supplies to enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood or hurricane. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Sager Brown Depot and UMCOR affiliates collect, package and ship buckets to flooded areas all over the United States.

The Atlantic 2008 storm season officially began June 1. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes check local resources to see how you should be prepared. And you can help UMCOR prepare for the 2008 hurricane season by giving to Hurricanes 2008, UMCOR Advance # 3019695.

EVENT: Empowering Health Ministries Conference

Julie Taylor encourages local churches to incorporate health ministries as part of a holistic approach to serving the mind, body and spirit of the congregants. She combines her professional training as a registered nurse with her passion for holistic care, in her role as a faith community nurse at Pathways United Methodist Church in Springfield, MO.

"Faith community nurses might be paid or volunteer ministers of health and are part of the church's staff," says Patricia Magyar, executive for Global Ministries' Health and Welfare unit, "We help them network for support and resources and we provide print and online information for nurses to meet the needs of their congregations."

The Empowering Ministries of Health conference, produced by the United Methodist Church is scheduled September 21-24, 2008 in Lake Junaluska, N.C. According to Magyar, "the conference will give participants tools to use and customize for their health ministry. They will then be better equipped to create and advance the health ministry in their area or church." This year's conference will include a tract focusing on parish nursing.

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.