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In Today's Hotline: Read how UMCOR is responding to needs around the world: SRI LANKA: A Home at Last; HAITI: Storm Relief; UMCOR: One Great Hour of Sharing; DRC: Union UMC Unites with Congo; RESOURCES: Afghanistan
Navaratnam, a fisherman from the outskirts of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka had moved from shelter to shelter with his family to escape the conflict in his hometown. When he finally secured a home of his own, another tragedy struck that wiped everything away—the 2004 tsunami.
UMCOR and the American Red Cross assisted more than 180 families, including Navartnam's, that were affected by the tsunami and the ongoing conflict in eastern Batticaloa. Together they constructed homes, wells, latrines, roads, and provided livelihood training to help families increase their income. Today, Navaratnam and his family have a place to call home.
UMCOR established its Sri Lanka office in 2005 to assist in tsunami recovery and help restore its schools, playgrounds, homes, wells, latrines and water systems. Support this work by giving to Sri Lanka Relief and Development, UMCOR Advance #3020630.
In 2008, Hurricanes Fay, Ike and Gustav as well as Tropical Storm Hanna swept through an-already fragile Haiti. The storms caused widespread damage and affected 800,000 people.
UMCOR is assisting Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization, in transporting and distributing donated goods and supplies to Delmas, Haiti, for which was severely impacted by the storms. Relief supplies will go to the most vulnerable including children who have been orphaned, school aged children, homeless families and the elderly.
Thousands of businesses, schools and homes were destroyed by floods and mudslides. Please support recovery and rebuilding efforts in Haiti by giving to Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325.
UMCOR: ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING
Giving to One Great Hour of Sharing Offering allows UMCOR to be a good steward of God's gifts while meeting daily needs all around the world. Gifts to this offering underwrite UMCOR's costs of doing business, ensuring that 100 percent of gifts for specific projects go directly to people in need.
One Great Hour of Sharing is March 22, 2009. Place your order for offering envelopes for the small cost of shipping by calling a customer service representative at 888-346-3862. You may also download UMCOR's latest One Great Hour of Sharing video to share with your local congregation and collect a special offering on Sundays.
Additional resources such as a children sermon, liturgy or One Great Hour of Sharing talking points are available here. Gifts to this offering can be made throughout the entire year. Please give now.
DRC: UNION UMC UNITES WITH CONGO
Union United Methodist Church in Conway, South Carolina, recently took on a new challenge to meet the church's needs while benefiting the people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The new initiative, called Union with the Congo, raises funds to split equally between Union UMC's much-needed church repair work and construction of wells and latrines in partnership with UMCOR's work in DRC.
Union UMC, a small church of about 150 members, raised a remarkable $14,200. The funds will cover the needed church repairs and dig one well and latrine in the Kamina area of Congo where people lack access to both. Please support UMCOR's work in DRC by giving to DRC Emergency, UMCOR Advance #198400.
After more than 20 years, millions of Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan and Iran to face economic hardship and drought. UMCOR's Afghanistan office led a major effort to help the residents of Khaki Jabbar District in eastern Kabul Province, build homes and schools, provide milk-bearing goats and restore water systems that were destroyed or neglected by years of conflict.
Download the latest church bulletin to learn more about the UMCOR-supported projects that brought hope to thousands of Afghan refugees after years of displacement. You can also download a power point slide to present to your church and collect a special offering. Please support this ongoing work by giving to Afghanistan Emergency, UMCOR Advance #602225.
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
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. ]
