wfn.org | Hurricane Mitch Response, NCCCUSA/CWS

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contact: Contact: Chris Herlinger, 212-870-2068
Internet: news@ncccusa.org  Website: 
http://www.ncccusa.org 

NCC11/10/98        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CWS SENDS RELIEF SHIPMENTS TO HONDURAS FOLLOWING HURRICANE MITCH

 NEW YORK, Nov. 10 ---- Church World Service is sending shipments of
much-needed food and other material assistance this week to Tegucigalpa,
Honduras, to assist the Christian Commission for Development (CCD) in its
continuing relief and recovery efforts following Hurricane Mitch.

 A shipment of five tons each of rice and beans is scheduled to arrive
Thursday, Nov. 12 by air; a second shipment of ten tons of powdered milk,
as well as 20,000 health kits, 750 layettes (baby kits), 65 family tents
and nine water purifiers is also scheduled to arrive this week.  The total
cost of the material goods is $308,000 and shipping costs are estimated at 
$45,000.

 The cornerstone of CWS efforts following the disaster that has been
described the worst in at least half a century has been to assist CWS
partners based in Central America, such as CCD, which have been responding
to the disaster from its initial stages.

 In an appeal issued Friday, Nov. 6, CWS is seeking $250,000 from its
member denominations to cover the costs of shipping, transportation and
non-donated items in several shipments to Central America valued at $2.5 
million.

 CWS assistance to local partners is one part of larger work by the Action
by Churches Together (ACT) International network. This work is the first
step in what is likely to be a sustained, long-term effort by churches,
NGOs and governments not only to meet immediate emergency needs but to work
toward rehabilitation and development in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador
and Guatemala.

 "The most important time for the church will be after the initial
emergency," said the Rev. Oscar Bolioli, who heads the CWS Latin America
and Caribbean Office. "The worst part will become when people discover they
have no jobs, no (sustainable) food supply." Bolioli said the hurricane has
revealed "the hidden disaster of poverty" that existed before the current
crisis and it will be up to the church to provide "help and healing" in
such a difficult situation.  Bolioli added that, given Central America's 
recent history of wars, rehabilitation, drought and economic crisis,
Hondurans, Nicaraguans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans are experienced at
living through tragedy.  "This is not going to kill their spirit," he said.

 The United Nations' World Food Program has said the disaster - which has
claimed at least 11,000 lives - has set back development in the region by
at least 20 years.

 "Many of those who died or disappeared lived at the margins of our
society, on riverbeds around the edges of industrial areas or on steep
hillsides in the countryside," said Noemi Espinoza, CCD executive 
president. "They were the expendable ones about whom the government has
never been concerned. As we begin to rebuild our country, they must be
taken seriously, they must be taken into consideration."

 "The project of reconstruction must focus on the people, not just the
infrastructure. We have to learn from this disaster. We have to change the
way power is distributed and exercised, so that the poor and forgotten can
participate in rebuilding their lives, and not just be spectators as the
international assistance is used to rebuild an economy for the wealthy."

 A country-by-country summary of CWS efforts follows:

HONDURAS: In addition to the two shipments this week, CWS also has sent
$40,000 in Blanket Fund monies to CCD. Another shipment bound for Honduras,
by ocean freight, will include commodities of food, medicines and new
clothing to CCD donated by the International Relief and Development Agency
(IRD). These commodities are valued at approximately $925,000 and are
scheduled to arrive Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Puerto Cortez, Honduras.

 CWS is also planning to assist in the travel costs of a team of doctors
from Cuba which will be sent to Honduras by the Cuban Council of Churches
to assist medical efforts by CCD. The travel costs are expected to be about
$1,500 per doctor, or a total cost of $15,000.

 CWS has also agreed to make up to 5,000 blankets available to the
Christian Children's Fund for distribution to their partners in Honduras.

NICARAGUA: CWS has sent $20,000 in Advance Funds to the Centro
Intereclesial de Estudios Teologicos y Sociales (CIEETS), another CWS
partner. As of now, CIEETS has not requested material assistance from CWS.
However, CWS is providing 5,000 blankets to the Board of World Missions of
the Moravian Church for distribution to their partners in Nicaragua. CWS
will also be sending $60,000 in blanket funds to the Council of Evangelical 
Churches (CEPAD) to purchase local blankets, and a shipment of goods to
CEPAD will be made by the end of November. CWS is also shipping 5,000
blankets to the Adventists in Nicaragua.

EL SALVADOR: CWS is considering a shipment of commodities to El Salvador,
with a decision to be made at a later date.

GUATEMALA: CWS has sent $10,000 in Blanket Funds to the Conference of
Evangelical Churches in Guatemala (CIEDEG), and is also tentatively
planning a shipment of commodities (food, kits and plastic sheeting) to 
CIEDEG by late next week.

 In addition to the material support being requested for this appeal, CWS
is still seeking denominational support for the earlier CWS/ACT appeal 
Hurricane Mitch Emergency (#976309) for $250,000 to support a $250,000
appeal by ACT International to assist CCD in relief efforts.

 CWS is not accepting donated goods such as food items and used clothing.
However, CWS is requesting local congregations and other groups help
replenish supplies of "Gifts of the Heart" health kits which have been
nearly depleted.  Those sending kits should remember to include $1 per kit
or 50 cents per pound to assist in the handling and shipping of health
kits. Checks for handling and shipping costs should be made out to Church
World Service.

HEALTH KIT: 1 hand towel; 1 wash cloth; 1 new bath-size bar of soap; 1
comb; 1 toothbrush; 1 tube of toothpaste; 6 bandaids; 1 nail file.  Wrap
items in the hand towel and tie it all up with ribbon. Pack all kits in
sturdy cartons. Multiple kits may be boxed together. Please indicate number
of health kits and clearly mark the outside of each box to indicate the
kind of "Gifts of the Heart Kit" (i.e.: "Health Kit") and ship pre- paid to
New Windsor CWS Service Center, 500 Main Street, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188.

 Those wishing to contribute should send checks to CHURCH WORLD SERVICE,
Attn. Hurricane Mitch, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  Or call 1-800 762
0968; or 1- 800-297-1516, ext. 222.

 CWS works in more than 80 countries, including the U.S., in disaster
relief, human development and refugee assistance. It is a ministry of the
National Council of Churches, the nation's preeminent ecumenical 
organization, which includes 34 Protestant and Orthodox member communions
with a combined membership of nearly 52 million.

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