Extracted from UMCOR Hotline 7 Mar 2003
The southern African nation of Mozambique
has once again been inundated by flood waters and hurricane force winds.
This week Cyclone Japhet, the second cyclone to hit Mozambique this year,
caused extensive loss of homes, schools and other infrastructures in the
southern province of Inhambane. Damage done in January by Cyclone Delfina
to the northern part Mozambique is still being assessed. UMCOR has released
a grant for immediate relief. We join Bishop Jo=E3o Somane Machado in asking
for your donations to Advance #156500, Mozambique Emergency, so that we
may engage in reconstruction as the flood waters recede.
On February 24, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China was struck with an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale. More than 268 people were killed and more than 4,000 injured. Over 8,800 houses were flattened and more than 9,000 seriously damaged. Amity Foundation, an ecumenical partner with a long presence in China, is providing assistance to the relief and rehabilitation efforts. Your contributions to International Disaster Response Advance #982450 designated "China earthquake" will help fund their work. For example, one family-sized tent can be purchased for $266, a quilt for $10, a house for $726, a school for $12,099 and a water tower for $9680. Your generosity will be a gift of hope to townships whose average annual net income per capita is about $72.
Please remember our neighbors in Central America who are suffering from malnutrition and poverty as a result of weather conditions, coffee price fluctuations, and global economic trends. Your gifts of compassion to Central America Emergency Advance #501300-0 will provide immediate food supplies as well as seeds for self-sustaining food security.
Encourage your congregation to participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on March 30. Information and materials are available on UMCOR's OGHS website
UMCOR is providing emergency relief in many areas of the world. To find out more about UMCOR ministries and to make a secure online gift, please visit the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/. Gifts may also be made through local United Methodist churches; sending financial contributions to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115; or by calling 1-800-554-8583, where credit card donations are accepted.