Every 45 seconds, a child in Africa dies of malaria. Millions of lives, needlessly lost each year. A continent. Entire nations…slipping away. Slipping through life’s precious net. Unless you hear the buzzing inside you.  Just Imagine …

It’s time we all join hands with Africa | On a personal mission to heal | Imagine no malaria | Then make it real. | Over a million lives, we’re gonna save | But only if you get involved today. | The bednets have been cast | But people can’t slip through | Listen to the buzz inside of you.  Be part of the Dream … be part of the Solution … be part of the work of Jesus! 

10-Fold!

Refugee settlement - the result of war. Photo - Steve Taylor/NCCUMC

Each year people all over the world recognize World Refugee Day. World Refugee Day encourages us to prayerfully reflect on the lives of refugees, and raise awareness in our communities and congregations about refugee resettlement.

UMCOR, together with congregations and the Church World Service resettlement network across the country, has developed a series of World Refugee Day materials that can be accessed online and downloaded. There is a church bulletin insert for use on Sunday June 19, the day before World Refugee Day. Additionally, you can arrange to make an announcement about World Refugee Day during worship or another church gathering. Your church may also consider planning a worship service around the theme of refugees. You can download the poster and other materials here.

We need YOUR HELP to get the word out about these materials so please forward this email to your networks, colleagues, pastors and friends. We hope that you will make every effort to lift up this important day at your worship service on Sunday June 19^th.

Do you have an idea for raising awareness in your congregation about refugees? Is there a way that UMCOR might be able to help? Please don’t hesitate to contact us at UMCORRefugee@gbgm-umc.org or 212-870-3888. The more we hear from you, the better!

You are invited to participate in Love for Liberia – Change the World Day!

The Love for Liberia focus for January – June 2011 is the Ganta United Methodist Mission Hospital/community health ministry and the mission station schools.  You are invited to participate in supporting these critical ministries through the collection of critical items needed by Ganta medical providers and patients, and school teachers and students.

Please see the Quarterly Focus for Love for Liberia.  This page will provide a full list of ministry opportunities – hands and hearts, collection, mission trip opportunity, and prayer requests.

We are collecting:

• Collect School Kits for Students- Click here for items and instructions (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Collect a health kit for patients served by Ganta Hospital and the Community Health Ministry(Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Collect a birthing kit for mothers being served by Ganta Hospital and the Community Health Ministry (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Medical Supply Kits (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Collect Story Books for Children and Age-Appropriate Bibles (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Teacher resources and Equipping Classrooms (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)
• Donate High School Physics, Chemistry, Zoology books and dictionaries for library. (Collection to be carried to MERCI Center on May 14 – Volunteers needed at MERCI.)

There is also an upcoming opportunity for joining a medical and educational mission team to Liberia.

• Join a teaching/medical mission Team

You are also invited to participate at MERCI on May 14 for the shipment day.
Your District Mission Secretary will soon have more information to your regarding collection points and volunteer opportunities. Stay-tuned to the Love for Liberia First Quarter Page for more information!

This Lent, SPSARV, the Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence, offers a 2011 devotional, Hope for the Transformation from Addiction to Abundance for the friends, families, and beloved children of God who are challenged by the disease of alcoholism and addiction. Produced by the SPSARV team in partnership with Global Ministries’ Mission Communications, this downloadable, free resource is bound to challenge, inspire, and comfort readers.

The 30-page devotional is organized around the themes of hope, health, healing, and wholeness. Each of the 16 featured meditations offers a Bible passage, a story, and questions to reflect upon. The authors share diverse personal, professional, and Christian perspectives on hope in response to the scourge of alcoholism and substance abuse, diseases that strike every stratum of society.

For more information on this free resource, please see:  Hope is Here!

Children in Africa, especially the children living in rural areas, desperately need access to the basic commodities for health.

MERCI Center needs volunteers this Monday 12/6/10 and Tuesday 12/7/10 to prepare Health Kits for shipment on Wednesday to Africa. We have 6,000 health kits that are complete with the exception of toothpaste. We need volunteers to open each health kit, insert a tube of toothpaste and reclose the zip lock bag and we are done. Challenge here is that we have 6,000 to reload. Those who can, please come on Monday or Tuesday between 9:00AM and 4:30PM. We are also in need of 6oz tubes of toothpaste if you are able to bring some but that is not required – WE NEED HANDS !!!!!!  Our address is 676 Community Drive in Goldsboro NC 27530  1-888-440-9167.

Victor serves some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

Victor Taryor, United Methodist Missionary and Administrator of Ganta Missionary Hospital, Liberia, is in the North Carolina Conference for several days.  He is available for your congregation and small groups on Tuesday, December 7th and Friday, December 10th.

If you would like Victor to speak with your group, please contact Brenda Booth at brendabooth@nc.rr.com or call 910-818-1064.

Since 2006, Victor Taryor has served through the Global Health program in his home country of Liberia.  Also a registered nurse, Victor oversees the daily operation of the hospital while communicating with hospital staff to insure the hospital is providing the best possible care to each patient.  Victor describes his ministry at this podcast.

Growing up in a poor subsistence farming family, attending school was difficult and challenging for Victor. With the help of Read more »

Entrance to Ganta Missionary Hospital in Ganta, Liberia.

UMCOR supports United Methodist hospitals and clinics in Africa and Asia through the Hospital Revitalization Program. This program provides funds, training, and support to help these facilities assess the needs of the hospital or clinic, and the needs of the surrounding community. The program works with the health care institutions to help them improve community outreach, standards of care, and community-based education and development.  Please go to 10-Fold, click on the “be counted” icon and then submit button.  The ministry will receive $1 from today’s sponsor simply because you visited.   Please take the time for a few clicks and save a sick child.

You will make a Difference