wfn.org | United Methodists pray, raise funds for Sierra Leone

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Jan. 14, 1999	Contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-31-71B{025}

By United Methodist News Service

United Methodists prayed for the people of Sierra Leone as fighting
continued Jan. 13 in Freetown, the capital of the West African country.

"We have not been able to establish contact with Bishop (Joseph) Humper or
with any of our church members in Sierra Leone because of telecommunications
interruptions caused by the chaos," reported the Rev. Randolph Nugent, top
executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries in New York.

"However, we remain hopeful that they and all the people of Sierra Leone are
holding on in the midst of the fighting and chaos. We ask that United
Methodists around the world join us in prayer for our beleaguered brothers
and sisters there."

United Methodist missionaries Frank and Carolyn Horton were relocated to
Liberia before the crisis worsened and will return to Sierra Leone when the
situation stabilizes.

The denomination in Sierra Leone has 85,000 members and serves a community
of 200,000 people, according to the World Methodist Council.

The latest rebel invasion of Freetown began Jan. 6. Battles resulted with
ECOMOG, the West African defense force. According to media reports, ECOMOG's
commander said most of the rebels had been forced from the city by Jan. 13
but had caused "colossal" damage.

During the siege, Freetown has been without electricity and contact with the
outside world following the burning of the telecommunications building.
Civilians have been trapped in their homes and some reportedly taken hostage
or used as human shields by the rebels.

A number of homes and other buildings have been burned, according to reports
cited by the Rev. Joseph Wagner, coordinator for Operation Classroom, a
project in Sierra Leone and Liberia supported by a number of United
Methodist annual (regional) conferences. King Memorial United Methodist
Church has been reported damaged, along with sections of Connaught Hospital,
which is across the street from the United Methodist conference office in
the city.

"One of the big concerns is the lack of food," Wagner told United Methodist
News Service. "The Red Cross and other relief agencies have not been able to
get into the area to provide food for the people, and most people are afraid
to come out of their houses for fear of being shot."

Wagner, based in Indiana, has contacted people from Sierra Leone living in
the United States. None has been able to reach family in the Freetown area.
One of those he talked with was John Yambosu, a student at Candler School of
Theology in Atlanta. "He left 14 family members in his house in Kissy and
said he could hardly study for the past five days," Wagner said.

Doreen Tilghman, a Board of Global Ministries executive, expressed dismay
over the renewal of fighting in a country long plagued by civil conflict.

"This past summer, Bishop Humper and other members of the United Methodist
Church of Sierra Leone returned home with the expectation that, with the
return of the democratically elected president, the church could begin the
arduous task of reconstruction and revitalization of local congregations and
health and educational institutions that had been so badly damaged during
the previous fighting," she said.

Instead, they again face a life-threatening situation, she said. "As in the
past, they will have to call upon all of their reserves of faith, spirit and
dedication to rebuild once again when this crisis ends."

But help from other United Methodists is available. Operation Classroom has
a 40-foot container of medical and school supplies for Sierra Leone waiting
in Rotterdam. "Since they cannot get into Freetown, we will store all the
supplies there until ... we can ship them on," Wagner said.

When possible, Operation Classroom will continue its education and medical
work in the country, he said. It will train trauma counselors, and provide
supplies for refugees and the displaced, he added.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is making an appeal for
funds from annual conferences with ties to Sierra Leone, said the Rev. Paul
Dirdak, UMCOR's chief executive.

"When we finally are able to reach Bishop Humper, we will supply him with an
immediate disaster response grant followed by an assessment team visit to
write a budget and recovery plan," he said.

Donations for Sierra Leone should be designated to UMCOR Advance No.
181205-1, "Sierra Leone emergency relief." Checks can be dropped in church
collection plates or mailed to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New
York, NY 10115.

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United Methodist News Service
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