United Methodists 'Walk With' people of NYC

By Lynda C. Ward
Special to the Hoosier UM News

EKLHART - When Nina Martin and Tom Hazelwood from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) got off the train in New York City just after the 9-11 tragedy, the first thing they noticed was that the city - once a visible array of color - was now a pale, ashen gray.

"It had lost all of its color," says Martin. "And then we walked through the ashes by all the pictures of the young men and women who were missing and thought, this took our youth from us!"

Martin, was the guest speaker for the Michiana District Missions Celebration Kick-off Banquet this year at Trinity UMC in Elkhart, says she was called to New York City from her home in North Dakota to oversee the UM effort to reach out to both the victims and the volunteers just after the 9-11 tragedy. "We wanted to be there to walk with the people of New York City."

Upon arrival, Martin and volunteers immediately opened the UMC's sanctuaries so that people could come in and pray or talk to someone, and get some food. She also requested that the United Methodist clergy in the New York City area wear clergy collars so that they could be easily identified as people who were "available to offer help or comfort."

Martin said UMCOR worked hard to get people in place as quickly as possible, but admits that she still feels like she has not done enough. "The needs are so great. I've struggled to find where God is in all of this - I don't know why bad things happen. All I can do is remember Micah 6:8, and try to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God."

Martin reminded the audience that there is still much work to be done in New York City and in UM missions around the world. "We need to be available to how God can use us," she said.

Last updated on 01/14/2004

Questions or comments: webmaster@inareaumc.org