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In Today's Hotline:
- AFGHANISTAN: WINTER WORRIES
- SOUTH AFRICA: OVERCOMING HUNGER
- JFON: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
- US: CHOOSE FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE ON VALENTINE'S DAY
- UMCOR: ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING - MARCH 22
Janat Gul, a refugee living in Pakistan for many years, was happy to return to his village of Khak-e-Jabar, Afghanistan. But after the year's first major snowfall, he and his family worried about how they would survive the cold winter. UMCOR Afghanistan helped the family by providing warm winter blankets made possible with funding support from the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance. Warm blankets were distributed to 3,900 families in Khak-e-Jabar.
As Gul stood in the cold waiting to receive his blankets, he said, "Thank you for all your help that you do in Khak-e-Jabar. Thank you that you give us two blankets!"
Support this effort by giving to Afghanistan Emergency, UMCOR Advance #602225
SOUTH AFRICA: OVERCOMING HUNGER
UMCOR-supported SHADE (Sojourners, Help, Advocacy, Development, Education), a ministry of the Methodist Church of South Africa, is overcoming hunger by helping people learn how to eat healthier and grow food for themselves.
SHADE is empowering communities through the development of fish ponds, vegetable gardens and in the raising of farm animals to help the most vulnerable become self-sufficient. Because people are trained to grow and sustain their own food sources, they eat healthier and have food to sell for income.
SHADE has 16 feeding programs in 10 countries in Africa, providing hunger relief to hundreds of vulnerable women and children through its nutrition workshops, vocational training, and self-sustaining agricultural projects. Support this ministry by giving to SHADE, UMCOR Advance #180001.
Janelle Ramos* came to the US from Grenada and fell in love with Felix Sanchez*, a construction worker and US Citizen. They married and had two children and after a number of years the marriage deteriorated and turned abusive. When Janelle threatened to leave Felix, he stole her passport and other important documents and threatened her with deportation and separation from their children.
Janelle sought help from a Justice For Our Neighbors Nebraska clinic. JFON helped Janelle prepare a waiver that cited her abusive situation and assisted her in filing for US residency. On Jan. 4, her application was approved and now Janelle has a hope for a better future with her children.
2009 marks the 10-year anniversary of the founding of Justice for Our Neighbors. JFON has welcomed and served over 15,000 immigrants like Janelle helping them acclimate to life in the US. Support this ministry by giving to Justice for Our Neighbors, UMCOR Advance #901285.
*Not their real names.
US: CHOOSE FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE ON VALENTINE'S DAY
During Valentine's Day week in the US, consumers are expected to spend more than $345 million on chocolate, benefiting large confection companies. When you buy fair trade chocolate through UMCOR's partner Equal Exchange, small-scale farmers in Latin America, Asia and Africa benefit from a portion of your purchase and earn fair living wages.
Why not choose to buy fair trade chocolate for a loved one and at the same time help UMCOR meet its 100-Ton goal? The 100-Ton Challenge ends on World Fair Trade Day, May 9, 2009. Download UMCOR's 100-Ton Challenge poster and encourage your congregation to participate. By doing so, you help farmers earn fair living wages, send their children to school and empower their communities. You can also give to UMCOR-SA&D, Advance #982188.
UMCOR: ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING - MARCH 22
What does refuge mean to you? Perhaps, thoughts of shelter or warmth come to mind? In some places, refuge may mean having an income or putting food on the table. In Afghanistan, people rely on goats for their refuge. Cheese, yogurt and breads are made from goat's milk and sold in the market, providing a family with security, substance and better health.
Giving to One Great Hour of Sharing covers UMCOR's cost of doing business and allows us to keep our promise that 100 percent of every other gift you make to a specific UMCOR project can be spent on that project and not on administrative costs.
One Great Hour of Sharing is March 22, 2009. Order your free offering envelopes or posters by calling 888-346-3862. Offerings to this fund can be made all-year long. Please give now.
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. ]
