Delivering Survival Kits from the States to the Countries in Need
Thousands of health kits with soap, bandages and other essentials are headed to Asia from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, according to the United Methodist News Service. The kits, assembled by volunteers across the United States, are valued at $50,000, and will help the survival of 25,000 people in disaster-struck Asia.
"It makes me feel good, making all the bags for people that I know that really need them (and) taking time out of my life to help someone else out," said Corey Rosemurgy, a college student from Austin, Texas, to the UMNS.
The kits were loaded on January 6, and airlifted to areas by the Church World Service, a multi-denominational Christian relief organization that already gave a million dollars in funds to the countries around the Indian ocean.
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Tom Hazelwood, UMCOR’s executive secretary for U.S. disaster response, said he is thankful for the influx of gifts, both material and monetary, by United Methodist congregations.
"My word is a word of gratitude for the gifts that people give, both in material resources and of their funding, to help us bring relief and to bring help and healing to people that have been broken because of these disasters," Hazelwood said.
However, similar to officials in other relief groups, Hazelwood said the main necessity is money.
"The main thing that we need, really, is funding — money so that we can buy the materials and supplies on the ground, where they’re needed," he said. "It costs so much to ship from the United States."
Donations to UMCOR’s "South Asia Emergency" relief efforts can be placed in local church offering plates or sent directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Designate checks for UMCOR Advance #274305 and "South Asia Emergency." Online donations can be made by going to www.methodistrelief.org. Those making credit-card donations can call (800) 554-8583.
