October 21, 2005

Hurricane Relief Update -- Be the hope

Edited by Daniel R. Gangler, director of communication
Indiana Area of The United Methodist Church
This service is provided by your church's apportionments.
dgangler@inareaumc.org

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, MEDICINE SHORTAGES

By Lorna Jost, Administrator, UMVIM-NCJ
928 4th Street, Office #2, Brookings, SD 57006
umvim-ncj@brookings.net
P:605/692-3390; Fax:605/692-3391

Safety and protection: It is strongly suggested that you take proper equipment and protection when working in the Gulf Coast areas for hazards that you might encounter -- including asbestos protection, masks that protect against dust, mold. We will start listing safety suggestions from returning volunteers in the next updates -- also be sure to check with your host contact for their suggestions! From being there recently I would suggest the usual: masks, heavy rubber gloves, leather gloves, boots that go to the knee or higher, and be sure to have not only tetanus but Hep A and B shots. I actually even took along some general antibiotics. Also need to watch for lead poisoning and watch for snakes in with the flooded items.

Asbestos -- the Department of Labor has work place standards and the EPA has standards for removal and disposal. I don't know the precise requirements (I do know that standard workplace masks are not acceptable based on my legal work in that area -- asbestos over 5 microns is a serious problem and the masks are neither sealed nor protect to 5 microns), but you should be able to get them from the EPA office. Alternatively, I could try to track them down from friends in the work place safety field. Mold -- I don't know, but I suspect you could find out from the City of New Orleans or Red Cross -- both dealing in N.O. probably have a lot of experience in those areas.

Medicine concerns: I recently returned from an East Ohio Conference VIM trip to Laurel, Miss., and while there we had the opportunity to visit Bay St. Louis on the coast. One of the needs that is immediate and has long reaching consequences is that people are running out of their medications and unable to replace them as most have lost their health insurance. As a managed care pharmacist, I have some expertise in suggesting cost effective alternatives to many expensive medications. If there is anything I could do to help in this capacity, please let me know. Deborah P. Smith / Chief Pharmacist, Strongsville /Kaiser Permanente / (O) 440-846-2812, (H) 440-878-5147; Deborah.P.Smith@kp.org. I am also in the process of setting up a church/classroom sponsorship for the Bay St. Louis Waveland School District with churches in this area adopting a classroom and trying to meet their needs as they reconvene school on Nov. 1. I know this is a drop in the bucket, but I also know we can be a lot more effective if we meet needs as they become known. I am just praying that I can find churches that will responsibly meet their commitment.

SOUTH INDIANA DISASTER RESPONSE UPDATES TO HURRICANE RELIEF

The SIC has recently sent two filled semi-trailers, one to Sager Brown and the other to a church in Pascagoula, Miss. For continued loading in semi-trailers, only one of our former sites will be available. The United Methodist Temple in Terre Haute will continue to accept items for placement directly into the trailer. The trailer will accept materials only during times the office is open. Call 812-299-1898 to make drop-off arrangements. The trailer that was at Lawrence UMC will NOT be replaced. Indianapolis area people who have materials can unload them at Buchanan Hauling, 2506 California Street in Indianapolis. This site is south of I-70 just off West Street (turn at the blinking light). The South Indiana Conference is sharing the loading of that trailer with the North Indiana Conference. Prior to arrival, call Brian Buchanan at 317-919-2025 to make arrangements for drop-off. The SIC is adding a trailer at Hazelton UMC, US 41 S, Hazelton, Ind near the church's warehouse. The Hazelton contact is Paul Huntsman. Call him at 812-784-2318 to make drop-off arrangements.

STORM CENTER TOLL-FREE PHONE NUMBERS

Louisiana Methodist Storm Recovery Center at 877-345-5193. Nanci Youngblood (stormrelief1@bellsouth.net), Director of the Center and Kathy Masey (stormrelief2@bellsouth.net) will be monitoring the phones for now.

Mississippi Storm Center, to schedule teams and individual volunteers: 866-435-7091, 866-435-7092 and 866-435-7093. Fax: 601-486-4248. E-mail: disastercenter@meridianumc.org 

Alabama-West Florida Disaster Response Center, call 866-340-1956. For churches wishing to partner with churches in one of these three conferences, these are the numbers to call for information and referral.

Texas Conference Disaster Response Center, call 713-533-3713 to coordinate volunteer efforts for Disaster Response teams. The Call Center is located on the second floor of The United Methodist Center, 5215 Main St., Houston, TX 77002.

Check the Mississippi, Alabama-West Florida, Louisiana, and Texas Conference Web sites for other contacts and information that they post frequently. As more places come open for work teams, more contacts will probably be announced. You can use the listed e-mails to get information on weather, what to bring at any point in time, if you need to bring tents, etc?

• Mississippi: www.mississippi-umc.org 
• Alabama- West Florida: www.awfumc.org
• Louisiana: www.la-umc.org/stormcenter.php
• Texas Conference: www.txcumc.org 

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CREATES A VOICE FOR VOICELESS ON GULF COAST

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMCom) -- In the first of two commentaries due to be published Friday, The United Methodist Church is urging that local people be at the table for the planning and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. The commentaries urge commitment to a fair and inclusive process that creates better places for people to live.

The paid commentaries will appear in The Washington Post, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and the Baton Rouge Advocate in Louisiana, the Mobile Register in Alabama, and the Biloxi-Gulfport Sun Herald and Jackson Clarion Ledger/Hattiesburg American in Mississippi. The second commentary is planned for next week.

"These commentaries are an important part of the church's mission. As Christians, we stand at the intersection of the concerns of the world and the concerns of the church for the world," said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. "The rebuilding efforts pose tremendous challenges, but also remarkable opportunities. It's important to stand with those who are poor and vulnerable and too often forgotten by society," he said.

The commentaries were developed by United Methodist Communications, in consultation with bishops of the affected regions, the officers of the Council of Bishops, agency heads, and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The first commentary encourages broad local input and participation in the rebuilding process.

"Involving people from all walks of life in the reconstruction of areas devastated by the hurricanes will provide the insight and creativity to create communities that are stronger and more vital than ever before," said Jim Winkler general secretary of the denomination's General Board of Church and Society. "Functional cities and neighborhoods will emerge if residents are given a voice in planning and rebuilding."

The copy reads:

In Rebuilding, Set a Place at Table for All

As the humanitarian crises caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita gradually slip off the evening news and front pages of our newspapers, the hard work of rebuilding communities is just beginning.

Following the catastrophic losses of these tragedies, people came together in remarkable and concrete ways, showing concern, compassion and generosity. Across the country, people banded together and lived the biblical call to be our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We all learned that communities are not just places where we live and work, communities are the people who make those places unique.

We pray that this renewed understanding of community will inspire the rebuilding of the devastated areas. In order to rebuild a community, not just a city or town, it is crucial that those people who live there have a voice in the reconstruction. And it's equally important that local companies share in the work and local residents are hired to do the labor, and are included in the planning.

Restoring communities also means encouraging and respecting all the voices of the community. By supporting equal access to housing, education, employment and medical care, rebuilt communities will be even stronger than before.

By incorporating local residents and businesses in the rebuilding process and laying a foundation of respect and equality, communities will not only be renewed, but the efforts to reach their reconstruction goals will also enhance human values, encourage personal and political involvement and open neighborhoods to people of all races, ages and income levels.

In the aftermath of the hurricanes, the outpouring of support was compassionate, fair and inclusive. And it is with these values that communities will be rebuilt.

The people of The United Methodist Church
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

Contributions to hurricane relief may be made at www.MethodistRelief.org. One hundred percent of donations made through The United Methodist Church on behalf of communities damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be used in the rebuilding effort. To obtain more information and add your voice, visit www.umc-gbcs.org/afterthestorm.

For latest update on hurricane relief, log on to www.umc.org and www.umcor.org.

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