wfn.org | Guam Typhoon Recovery

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (543
notes).

Note 542 by UMNS on Jan. 13, 1998 at 15:58 Eastern (2668 characters).

CONTACT: Linda Bloom					15(10-21-71B)542
		New York (212) 870-3803			   Jan. 13, 1998

Guam suffers slow
recovery from typhoon

by Bob Blair*

	AGANA, Guam (UMNS) -- "I feel like they forgot us," said the front-page
headline of the Pacific Daily News here.
	After a typhoon struck Guam Dec. 16, news coverage on the U.S. mainland
dwindled after a few days. Since then, residents have suffered as the
complicated recovery operation slowly progresses.
	In January, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) dispatched a
team to assess damage from "Paka," a super typhoon which slapped Guam with
wind gusts of up to 230 miles per hour.
	Much of the island looks like a war zone. The power remains off in many
sections and residents have been warned to continue boiling their tap water.
	The Rev. Tim Mull, pastor of the only United Methodist church in Guam, noted
that after the storm, "it looked like a giant weed-eater had been used to
totally defoliate the island. Now the stubble of trees and bushes are
sprouting new growth, gradually returning the resort area to a plush green."
	The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates it will take more
than $200 million to assist Guam governmental entities and residents with
recovery. Some 3,000 houses were destroyed and about 31,000 houses sustained
major damage.
	FEMA supplied some 2,000 families with tents to live in their yards until
repairs can be made to their dwellings.
	The U.S. territory, with a population of about 150,000, is some 3,700 miles
west-southwest of Hawaii. The people here say with pride that the
early-morning sun first kisses the American flag over Guam before sliding
across the Pacific to the U.S. mainland.
	The Rev. Gordon Knuckey, chief of UMCOR's field operations, said the
denomination is anxious to help in Guam, despite representing less than one
percent of the population.
	"The amount of assistance that will be provided by UMCOR in Guam will be
directly dependent upon the generosity of United Methodists on the U.S.
mainland," Knuckey added. "We could use a million dollars to help the people
who will not be eligible for enough in federal grants to get back on their
feet."
	UMCOR aid is targeted for the elderly and disabled. Cash donations are
needed, according to Knuckey, because Guam is too far for the transport of
volunteer teams and donated goods.
	Donations should be designated to UMCOR Advance No. 982515-0, "Hurricanes
'97" and can be made through local churches or mailed to UMCOR at 475
Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. For more information, call
1-800-554-8583.
# # #
*Blair is an UMCOR volunteer. 
	
	
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 This article sent to both the umethnews list <umethnews-request@ecunet.org>
 and also to the Worldwide Faith News list wfn-news <majordomo@wfn.org>
 Look at the header files to figure out which this is.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------