| |
 |
|
|
Religion Forum Index » Christian Methodist Forum » UMNS: UMCOR responds in Europe, Middle East
Page 1 of 1
|
| Author |
Message |
| UM News |
 Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 7:53 am |
|
|
|
Guest
|
UMCOR responds in Europe, Middle East
Mar. 29, 2004
By Linda Bloom*
STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) - When violence between ethnic Albanians and
Serbs in Kosovo flared up in March, the United Methodist Committee on
Relief responded within hours of the outbreak.
It was able to do so because of the way the agency's nongovernmental
organization is now organized, according to Guy Hovey, regional director
for the Europe and Asia Division.
During the two days of violence in Kosovo, 28 people were killed and
more than 400 Serbian homes were destroyed, along with a number of
churches, according to The New York Times. Because UMCOR - which has
longstanding work in Kosovo - reacted so quickly, it is one of the lead
agencies assisting displaced people whose homes were burned, Hovey said.
He explained the operations of the Europe and Asia Division, which was
formed last August, to UMCOR directors during the March 22-25 United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries meeting in Stamford.
Besides Kosovo, other countries covered by the division include
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Georgia and
Serbia/Montenegro. The project work ranges from providing clean drinking
water in Afghanistan to fostering religious reconciliation in Bosnia to
offering lifesaving drugs in Armenia.
The recent grants include $2 million from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture to revitalize the production of sunflower seeds in Albania
and $65,000 from UNICEF to minister to Afghan boys and girls sent to
Saudi Arabia to do forced labor.
The Swedish International Development Agency is spending $328,000 from
December 2003 to July 2004 to fund UMCOR's "safe house" in Kosovo for
women who have been forced into prostitution. UMCOR also was one of the
main organizers of the "Kosovo Conference to Combat Trafficking in Human
Beings," held last October in Pristina.
To increase access to funding from the European Union and European
governments, UMCOR is looking at strategic alliances with other
partners, such as Norwegian Church Aid, Diakonie Austria and Christian
Aid, according to Hovey.
"UMCOR has a great track record in caring for people," he said. The
agency is "highly regarded" by governments, religious groups and other
nongovernmental organizations for its commitment, he added.
In a report on other UMCOR activities, the Rev. Paul Dirdak, the
agency's chief executive, told directors that carrying out any relief
and rehabilitation projects through mission partners in Iraq has been
extremely difficult. So far, United Methodists have contributed about
half a million dollars to UMCOR for assistance to the Iraqi people.
Although a $100,000 grant to Diakonia Austria was approved by UMCOR
directors last fall, "they have not been able to start because of
security there," Dirdak said. Relief workers and missionaries have been
among those targeted in recent killings in Iraq.
The agency also has allocated $100,000 to International Orthodox
Christian Charities, which has a network of churches in Iraq, for a
delivery of food and non-food items. Kristin Sachen, UMCOR program
executive, said she did not know whether they were able to make the
delivery yet.
"The remaining funds (for Iraq) are secure," she said. "We are watching
and waiting."
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.
********************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| |
|
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
The time now is Sat Nov 22, 2008 3:07 pm
|
|