Do you know where your
mission dollars go? Do you know there is a place where you can serve in the
world? Are you acquainted with UMCOR?
UMCOR is a nonprofit humanitarian agency that serves
in dozens of countries around the world, including the United States.
When disaster strikes, UMCOR is there to deliver food, clear roads, assist in
trauma care, and restore lives damaged by war, violence, accidents, and acts of
nature. In the healing spirit of Jesus Christ, UMCOR reaches outto people of all backgrounds, faiths, and culture.
UMCOR was established in 1940 during a period of
famine in Chinda and war in Europe.
Today it uses its expertise to alleviate urgent needs and to develop
community-based leadership for local self-sufficiency. It partners with aid
agencies in areas of need to respond very quickly to emergencies around the
world.
For example, the Nothing But
Nets Program which we support here at Rockport, is part of the Community Based
Malaria Program of UMCOR. In Azerbaijan UMCOR is helping refugees who
have been forced from their homes. In Sudan, the Sudan Emergency group is
building permanent classrooms, donating school supplies, and
providing teacher training to a country which lacks even the most basic
educational opportunities. Here in the United
States, Sager Brown Center,
in Baldwin Louisiana,
is one of the United Methodist relief supply depots around the country which
receive and store relief supplies until they are needed. Remember those
flood buckets? They may have ended up being distributed from Sager Brown.
The UM Global AIDS Fund is working to allieviate
HIV/AIDS. In our Conference our Bishop is asking each United Methodist to donote $1. over
a four year period to this fund. Surely we can do more than that! Pastor Dan
will be giving us much more information about this effort.
Probably the very best thing about making a donation
to one of UMCOR’s various projects is that every cent
of your donation goes to the work of relief. There is no overhead for fund raising, etc. UMCOR is funded totally by our shared
giving and the One Great Hour of Sharing offering taken annually in all UM
churches. Check out the website: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/
The UMCOR hotline gives a summary of current activities and urgent needs:
800-841-1235.
Remember the prophet Isaiah. “Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me!” Isaiah
6:8 One of our hymns says “I will go,
Lord, if you lead me.” Let us heed the call to service.
Belinda
Peace with Justice Advocate
