UMCOR Builds on 9/11 Response

Like many people, I anticipated the arrival of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks for some time. Although I was not in my current position with UMCOR at the time of those terrible events, I recall feeling a sense of pride as a United Methodist pastor serving in a local congregation that "my" church was responding.

UMCOR responded as it always does, with special attention to the most vulnerable populations. Love in the Midst of Tragedy was UMCOR’s three-tiered response to those events. In addition to focusing on the most vulnerable survivors and other affected people, its programs promoted peace and reconciliation and also extended a hand to a displaced Afghan population that was returning home after two harsh decades.

It is fitting that at this tenth anniversary of 9/11 UMCOR continues to build on its response to that tragedy as it addresses current emergencies around the world. In just the past six months, these have included the triple disaster in Japan; a rash of violent tornadoes through the US South; a third straight year of record flooding in North Dakota; a still unfolding recovery in Haiti; epic flooding caused by back-to-back hurricanes/tropical storms along a string of Eastern states; and wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in Texas.

Yes, it is fitting that UMCOR should honor those who experienced not only the horror of 9/11 but the solidarity and self-giving that were part of the response to the events of that late-summer day by continuing to be present in times of emergency or disaster, to offer a hand and to offer hope.

*Rev. Cynthia Fierro Harvey is the head of UMCOR.

You can also read 9/11 reflections from the General Board of Global Ministries General Secretary Thomas Kemper here.

Passing on the Gift: Haiti Day 2- Sept. 6, 2011

Madame Marie Therese in La Tremblay, Haiti, discusses her participation in the PAUA Agriculture project with UMCOR's director of marketing and communications J. Rollins.  Photo: J. Rollins/UMCOR

The day began with a rooster crowing outside my window at 5 a.m., beating my alarm clock by half-an-hour.

Everyone gathered in the common area of the Methodist Guest House on the Frere campus for a delicious breakfast (the hospitality is incredible) and then set out for three site visits: a recipient from the Emergency Agriculture program Projet d’Assistance Urgente d’Agriculture (PAUA) at La Tremblay; a trip through Camp Corail, a resettlement camp; and the construction site of a school at Leveque.

It was overwhelming to see the estimated 100,000 temporary and transitional homes at Camp Corail, encouraging to see the progress of construction at the Laveque school, and heartwarming to meet Madame Marie Therese at the PAUA site at La Tremblay.

M. Therese was a recipient of goats as part of the agricultural project, which reached out to 1,600 most vulnerable families in all of Haiti. The project focuses on livestock and grain distribution in six of the most difficult places to access in Haiti. M. Therese and her husband chose to raise goats instead of growing crops due to the difficult access to water. They use the milk from the goats, and also breed them to sustain themselves and others in their village.

M. Therese said that without this program, she is not sure how she and her husband would have survived. Neither could work after the earthquake, and they struggled to meet day-to-day needs.

Today, when she saw Collins Zamar, PAUA project coordinator, approaching her home with our group, she came out and greeted us with a large smile. She explained that she was not feeling well, but she did not want to pass up the opportunity to tell us how the program had changed their lives. She said she was looking forward to the day when she would “pass on the gift” to another family in need.

A component of PAUA is that recipients of livestock and grain are required to give a percentage of seed harvested or livestock produced to others in their community—thus keeping the program going and changing the lives of their neighbors, friends, and loved ones.

I thought of M. Therese for the rest of the day and felt lucky to share in her joy. My sentiment was best described in our liturgy that started this day:

For men, women, and children in communities adversely affected by natural disasters;
For friends, and well wishers who are actively involved in Haiti’s ongoing development;
For a positive outcome of this roundtable meeting;
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.


James Rollins, director of communications for UMCOR

Upon this rock

A child passing by the Methodist Church of Haiti guest house in Port-au-Prince embodies hope for the future, as the devastated nation continues to rebuild following last year’s earthquake. Credit: J. Rollins

“Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Matthew 16:18

This is my first trip to Haiti, and I admit that I was not fully prepared. The photos that I have seen since the earthquake of January 2010 cannot fully capture the complete devastation I now see on this island. On the trip from the airport, I saw miles and miles of rubble, tent cities, and tarps held up by sticks to create makeshift stores. And in the midst of all this, I also saw the faces of smiling, resilient Haitians—their spirit of hope shining through and proving that life is about more than the places where we dwell and work.

I am here for at the invitation of the Methodist Church of Haiti (Eglise Metodiste d’Haiti, EMH) for three days of planning long-term projects that will help the Haitian people rebuild their lives. There is an excitement among those of us gathered as we prayerfully await the start of this series of meetings. It is clear to all present that all is not lost. Hope, faith, and love have persevered. Thanks to the generosity of donations, volunteers, and dedicated EMH and UMCOR staff, progress has been made. The church stands ready to continue this progress at increasing rates.

Tomorrow, on the way to our first meeting in Moulin Sur Mer, I will have the opportunity to visit two projects sponsored by UMCOR, at Camp Corail and La Trembelay. I aim to post blogs, photos, and videos each day so that you may experience this journey with me, sharing in the work that has taken place and celebrating the work that will begin soon.

Upon this rock we will continue to work in solidarity with the people of Haiti to accompany them as they rebuild.

James Rollins, Director of Marketing and Communications, UMCOR

September 5, 2011

Not Victims but Survivors

Survivors of super-typhoon Megi, which struck the Philippines in October 2010.
Photo: Melissa Crutchfield/UMCOR

In a letter to UMCOR head, the Rev. Cynthia Fierro Harvey, a United Methodist pastor in the Philippines writes of her community’s experience of survival and hope following last year’s typhoon.

Dear Rev. Cynthia,

It is my hope and prayer that you arrived home safely after your short visit here, in the Philippines. We appreciate that visit so much, and we hope and pray that someday you’ll have an opportunity to come again.

For sure, you’ll not expect me to write you, but I just want to thank you not only for that visit and acquaintance, but for the “words of wisdom” you uttered during our meeting at San Jose Norte UMC. You mentioned that you do not want us to call ourselves “victims” but, rather, “survivors.” It was indeed an inspiration for us to move on after all our difficulties and pain in the past months.

Nine months had already passed since that terrible typhoon on October 18, 2010. That typhoon made our living very difficult for a few months, as food was scarce after that disaster. Harvest time usually comes the last week of October; however, the typhoon came earlier and then was followed by a week-long, non-stop rain, which aggravated the situation. Nevertheless, the grains that were left buried in muddy fields were gathered and patiently cleaned so that the farmers and their families could have food to eat for a few weeks.

Our church members are mostly tenant farmers. Only a few are educated and employed. Usually, the farmers make their offering after the harvest season, so most of the time, their pastors’ salaries are delayed. I sometimes joke when I am with my District Superintendent, or DS, that “I also am a “D.S.,” a “Delayed Salary.”

After that terrible typhoon, there was no harvest. The people could not make their harvest offering to the church nor provide support for their workers. This, of course, lasted also a few months. But God is good all the time. He has his own wonderful way to meet all our needs in spite of all the difficulties. He did not allow us to be discouraged, but, rather, he gave us hope that everything would be alright. And indeed, we were able to survive.

As one of the chosen recipient communities of an UMCOR grant, I’m quite thankful not only for the financial aid you selflessly rendered to those families that needed it most, but also for your prayers, which made us all strong to survive and see that there is always hope.

Thank you so much, and may the Lord continually make your good office a channel of God’s redeeming love to everyone in this world.


Respectfully,

Pastor Janet M. Manuel
San Jose Norte United Methodist Church
San Jose Norte, Mallig, Isabela , Philippines

Minot, North Dakota, Journal

Faith United Methodist Church remains underwater, but the congregation’s ministry to neighbors in need continues.
Photo: Courtesy of Lee Gale

I just arrived home from Minot. It's been a trying and emotional time. You can't comprehend the devastation until you see it for yourself.

The things we take for granted just aren't there. Water has to be boiled before use, and only bottled water may be consumed. Trash has to be disposed of immediately. Restaurants are serving their meals on foam plates, with plastic knives and forks. Coffee isn't made, and there’s no fountain soda.

It is taking citizens of Minot up to four hours to get their mail because the post office is overwhelmed. Traffic on Broadway, all the way through town, is bumper-to-bumper, and a driver can only turn off of Broadway at certain intersections.

As of this morning, there are 806 homes that are unsafe to inhabit and will be destroyed. In the end, there may be as many as 2,000 or more. Water is slowly going down, but a heavy rain on Friday night kept the river up.

Tent cities have popped up when people have nowhere to go. One person I spoke with said he saved from his basement apartment only what was in the tent. He also lost his job because his place of employment is underwater.

Another woman living in the tent city, with only the belongings she could save, went to a Red Cross facility to take a shower, and while she was in the shower, her purse was stolen with all the money she had from her last paycheck.

These are only some of the stories that have come out of this disaster. It will take years to recover what has been lost.

And out of adversity Faith UMC continues to do the mission work they're known for. The food pantry they had in the church basement has gone mobile. A local dealer loaned Bob and Ada Lower a new trailer, which they have equipped with a refrigerator and a deep freeze. With it, they are delivering food to their clients, who frequent the food pantry. They are planning to take the trailer full of food to the tent city to make sure the people there have food.

This is an amazing ministry staffed by amazing people who know the true calling of their church to reach out to the poor and hungry. The Rev. Debra Ball-Kilbourne and others of her congregation are doing what they can to apply for grants to help rebuild their church. Rev. Debra also has a story of loss and emotion to tell, as she works to serve her congregation and get ready for case management by teaching and doing.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Lee Gale
Dakotas Annual Conference
Disaster Response Coordinator for North Dakota

IMAGINE NO MALARIA: Squashing Mosquitoes, One Lemonade at a Time!

Molly Menamara and Logan Martens pose with their treats for a good cause.
Photo:Wendy Martens

By Nyamah Dunbar*

During the 2011 East Ohio Annual Conference in picturesque Lakeside, Ohio, two surprise guest stars from the Imagine No Malaria documentary, “A Killer in the Dark”, appeared to be moonlighting as lemonade sellers right outside the auditorium. In fact, they were not moonlighting, but presenting a live display of their child-led initiative that has raised more than $11,000 for the Imagine No Malaria Campaign and landed them a world-debut slot in the documentary.

When Logan Martens was just about to turn 7 years old, his Mom asked him if he would be willing to ask guests at his birthday party to donate to Imagine No Malaria in lieu of gifts. He accepted without hesitation. Well, except one—he would not give up having his cake! Since that day, nearly four years ago, he found a partner in 9-year-old Molly Menamara, and the dynamic duo has been pitching up lemonade stands and selling cookies and any other donated goodies, with all proceeds going to the Imagine No Malaria Campaign.

As their initiative grew, their grandfathers, retired UMC pastors, Rev. Adriel Trasash and Rev. Don Lefler, were inspired by the selfless drive of their grandchildren and each offered to match the proceeds raised from each sale: they would triple the worth of each dollar given to the campaign. That’s saying a lot for some retired pastors on a pension plan! But Rev. Trasash was also motivated, he said, by “the good that the [Imagine No Malaria projects] are doing to save lives and…the ongoing need to save the lives of pregnant women and children.”

As I reflected on Molly and Logan’s venture, I asked the youngsters how they felt about the theme of this year’s East Ohio Conference, “IF WE ARE THE BODY….” Without hesitation, Molly responded, “People helping people shows that we ARE the BODY of Christ.” Wise words from a wise child.

*Nyamah Dunbar is UMCOR grants officer for Imagine No Malaria.

Flood Concerns Continue in Dakotas

A home in Minot, North Dakota, is overwhelmed by floodwaters from the Souris, or Mouse, River.
Photo: Courtesy of ND Dept. of Emergency Management

By Rev. Lee Gale

In my capacity as disaster response coordinator covering North Dakota for the Dakotas Annual Conference, I went to Bismarck, the capital, and nearby Mandan this week to see what the mighty Missouri River is capable of. Both the Missouri and the Souris, or Mouse, River are swollen with rainwater and melting snowpack, as they overrun their banks and cause massive flooding.

I learned that the pressure from the release from Garrison Dam has deepened the channel, and the Missouri’s current is very strong. Also, the river is changing its course, which may put more property at risk. There is a large area of Bismarck that has the potential for flooding should the dikes break.

Bismarck is now a city of contrast. In one section, floodwaters lap against homes, causing a great deal of concern on the part of the homeowner, while a few blocks away, another person’s greatest worry may be how low to cut the grass. It's a definite contrast in the same city. This year’s flooding will be a long-term issue for Bismarck/Mandan as it will be, also, for the communities down river.

On the Souris River, the town of Minot is seeing flooding it hasn't seen since 1889. Right now there are some 600 homes that will most likely need to be destroyed, as the high water level in them will remain way too long for them to be structurally saved. The water is slowly going down, but the possibilities of additional rain in the area and in Canada upstream continue to cause great concern.

The Dakotas Conference is partnering with other organizations to prepare for cleanup when that time comes. I have contacted UMCOR to put out a call for Early Response Teams that may be able to bless us with their volunteers when the green light is given to enter these areas. Any team that is interested can please call our Conference Office at 605-996-6552. We will compile the necessary information so that those willing to come to North Dakota may be contacted on a timely basis.