by Brenda Wilkinson
Bishop Machado "We are grateful
for aid that has come from the General Board of Global Ministries representing
the concern, care and love of people of the church," Bishop Joao Somane
Machado shared in phone conversation with Dr. Randolph Nugent, who heads
The General Board of Global Ministries, the mission agency of The United
Methodist Church. "Many lives have been lost and the expectation is
that numbers will rise. We thank God for those rescued and for persons
who assisted in this effort. The water purifier systems shipped by UMCOR
(United Methodist Committee on Relief) were desperately needed and were
immediately put to use. Your continued support and prayers are requested
in what we know will be an extended period of recovery."
Update
Financial and medical assistance continues to be sent by UMCOR which has an assessment team on site. The team will reporting back on the feasibility of sending in United Methodists who are prepared to serve as volunteers-in-mission in the recovery process.
Annual Conferences which have partnered with Mozambique in the past are working together in order to give a coordinated response to the crisis.
Missionary Rosetta Booker-Brown, a medical worker, has been assigned to serve in Mozambique.
Beginning the week of March 13, a church-wide appeal has been made to raise substantantial new funds for the urgent needs in Mozambique. Internet visitors to GBGM's web site (http://gbgm-umc.org/storms/affloods.stm) are also making generous contributions.
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: 212-870-3816; FAX: 212-870-3624
Web: http://gbgm-umc.org/units/umcor/
E-mail: umcor@gbgm-umc.org.