* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
NEWS: UMCOR SUPPORTS MIGRANT MINISTRY IN CHILE
In Arica, a port city located in northern Chile, there is a significant presence of migrants, who use the city as a transition point before moving on to other areas to find better work opportunities. A number of migrants also have permanently taken up residence in Arica and live in makeshift camps with limited access to basic services.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has provided a grant to Centro de Atención al Migrante in Arica (CAMI) to help the most vulnerable migrants obtain access to these services. CAMI works through the Methodist Church of Chile (IMECH), an UMCOR partner.
With UMCOR support, migrant communities will have access to legal protection, case management, work and health services, and will be able to participate in workshops on migrants’ rights. About 55 families from two camp locations, including migrants transiting through Arica or residing outside those two camp areas, will benefit from the program.
To support this work and other UMCOR long-term recovery efforts in Chile following the 2010 earthquake, please consider donating to Chile Emergency, Advance 3021178.
PRAYER: WINGS OF THE MORNING FLIGHT TO DR CONGO
Gaston Ntambo, a pilot for the United Methodist Wings of the Morning aviation ministry in the DR Congo, began his weeklong journey home from the US on Friday, June 28. He is flying a refurbished Cessna Grand Caravan, a 14-seat airplane that will be used to transport critically ill or injured passengers from remote corners of the Congo to medical care in the city of Lubumbashi.
Pray that Ntambo will experience a safe journey all along his route to DR Congo, smooth interactions with government and aviation authorities, and a safe and celebratory landing when he arrives at home. Intercede for Ntambo with Psalm 91.
UMCOR OPENINGS: COMMUNITY-BASED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TECHNICAL OFFICER
UMCOR is seeking a Community-Based Primary Health Care Technical Officer to provide technical guidance to UMCOR field offices, United Methodist hospitals and clinics, and grassroots partners around the world in the area of maternal and child health and integrated primary health-care initiatives. Visit the Careers webpage to learn more.
RESOURCE: SMALL PACKAGES, BIG RELIEF
Help UMCOR communicate the urgent need for relief supplies using this church bulletin insert and collecting a special offering on Sunday to help purchase bulk material items for each UMCOR kit.
At UMCOR Sager Brown in Baldwin, Louisiana, and UMCOR West in Salt Lake City, Utah, the inventory of relief-supply kits is very low. Download and share this resource now to help replenish supplies.
MEDIA: UMCOR’S HEAD OF US DISASTER RESPONSE ASKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
In this new video, Greg Forrester, UMCOR’s US Disaster Response executive, urges United Methodist congregations to come together and assemble the much-needed relief supplies. Bedding packs, cleaning buckets, health kits, layette kits and sewing kits are among the supplies most needed.
View also UMCOR’s relief supply video, which demonstrates how to assemble each relief kit and which items are best to purchase.
These relief supply items are a tangible and practical way to help survivors of natural and human-caused disasters. They can be shipped to any of the depots in the UMCOR Relief-Supply Network.
