A Note to Tennessee United Methodists from Tom Hazelwood, Assistant General Secretary, UMCOR Emergency Services U.S.
Dear Friends of UMCOR,
In 1894 the U.S. Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday. It was created to give workers a day of rest and to be a festival for workers and their families. On this Labor Day, I am mindful of the thousands of people who have gone to the Gulf Coast since 2005 and given of themselves to rebuild much of what was destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, today, there will be no festivals in Louisiana because yet another storm is headed to the coast. Gustav will make landfall later today as a major hurricane. At UMCOR our hearts and prayers go out to all those who have evacuated and are wondering if their labors of the last three years have been in vain. The Psalms remind us: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” Psalms 46:1,2
At this time we at UMCOR feel like we are as prepared as we can be.
· Days before Gustav came ashore, we called each of the annual conferences that might be affected by the storm to offer our support and provide any needed guidance.
· UMCOR Sager Brown in Baldwin, La., was secured by noon on Friday. The last of the staff left when it became apparent that Gustav was going to be a direct threat.
· Sager Brown staff members have appropriate credentials to return to the depot immediately after the storm has passed. The relief supplies in the depot will prove essential to those affected by the hurricane.
· UMCOR staff plan to be on the ground on Wednesday to begin working with the affected annual conferences in their disaster response ministry.
Here are some of the ways United Methodists can help:
+Support UMCOR’s work by giving to UMCOR Advance #3019695, Hurricanes 2008, Hurricane Gustav. Checks can be mailed to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write the Advance number and name on the memo line of your check. Go to http://www.umcor.org/ for more information.
+Assemble and ship Flood Buckets and other kits to Sager Brown.
+Contact your Jurisdictional Volunteer in Mission Coordinator for information about volunteering. We anticipate that it will be some weeks before the area is secured and housing set up for general volunteers.
+Stay informed by subscribing to the UMCOR Hotline. Learn more at http://www.umcor.org/.
We also ask for your help by discouraging people from sending clothing and other such goods without first locating an organization that needs the items and can distribute them. UMCOR, for example, does not accept clothing because they are very labor intensive to sort and distribute.
The immediate, generous and compassionate response of United Methodists in times of need never ceases to amaze me. Thank you for all you are doing—and will do—to Be There and Be Hope to these hurricane survivors.
Together in service to Christ,
Tom Hazelwood
Assistant General Secretary
UMCOR Emergency Services U.S.
100 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 315
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.548.4002
Fax: 202.544.4116
Cell: 703.624.3224
http://www.umcor.org/
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