Helping the Philippines through UMCOR

Dear Friends in the Tacoma District,

We have all been stunned by the disaster caused to the Philippines by typhoon Yolanda in the last few days.  The numbers of injured and killed, the losses of homes, businesses, and the things that make a society functional–all of these reports are staggering.  I cannot begin to imagine how the Philippine people will find enough relief, recovery, and resources to put their lives back together again.

It is a source of neverending gratitude that the United Methodist Church is able to provide help through UMCOR.  The article attached is a description of how those resources begin to arrive and fill the enormous needs of the people at this time.

I invite and encourage each of our Tacoma District Churches to receive a special emergency offering for the relief and recovery efforts of the Philippines through UMCOR.  The details of receiving and forwarding that offering are included in the article.  Please open your hearts to this devastation and help be the hands of Christ to begin to salve the hurt and loss.

In God’s love,

Sharon Moe, District Superintendent

 

UMCOR relief money on way to Philippines UMCOR relief money on way to Philippines By Linda Bloom* Three days after Super Typhoon Haiyan flattened part of the Philippines, relief was beginning to trickle in to survivors. United Methodists are among those starting to provide   emergency supplies while assessing damages from the powerful Nov. 8 storm,   known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, that made direct hits on several islands. Much of the early media attention has centered on Tacloban, a Leyte Island city of 200,000 that was nearly destroyed. The United Methodist Committee on Relief announced a $97,000 grant Nov. 11 to provide emergency food, water and water purification tablets to 7,500 individuals (or 1,500 families) in Tacloban City. The funding also will help local UMCOR staff and volunteers build capacity to meet emergency needs. Read more on how you and your church can help support disaster relief in the Philippines…(More) Channels | November 12, 2013   at 1:39 pm | URL: