wfn.org | Aid Shipment Arrives in Cuba

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3362 notes).

Note 3359 by UMNS on Jan. 6, 1997 at 16:31 Eastern (1935 characters).

SEARCH: Cuba, Church World Service, UMCOR, relief, aid
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                           5(10-32-71B){3359}
          New York (212) 870-3803                     Jan. 6, 1997

UMCOR grant helps speed
aid to Cuban churches

                 by United Methodist News Service

     A special grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) helped make possible a 100,000-ton shipment of canned
meats, milk, antibiotics, hospital supplies, blankets and other
food to Cuba in late December.
     The shipment, organized by the National Council of Churches
(NCC) and its relief agency, Church World Service, was planned to
arrive in time for the Cuban religious holiday of Three Kings Day
on Jan. 6.
     Because of the continued deterioration of U.S.-Cuba relations
-- accelerated Feb. 24, 1996, when two Cuban-American planes were
downed by the Cuban government and by restrictive new U.S. laws --
sending humanitarian aid has become much more difficult and
expensive.
     The Rev. Oscar Bolioli, director of the NCC's Latin America
and Caribbean Office, explained that when direct flights between
Miami and Havana were possible, a shipment took only one month to
prepare and cost $7,000 to $8,000.
     Having to ship through a third country, using two separate
vessels, has increased the cost to about $40,000, with three-
months preparation time, he added.
     The UMCOR grant makes up for the added transportation costs.
The Mennonites and Church of the Brethren also provided a large
donation of canned meats, he said.
     Representatives of the Cuban Council of Churches oversee
distribution of the aid and are accountable to Church World
Service, according to Bolioli.
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