wfn.org | United Methodists to spend $1 million on land mine removal

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Oct. 16, 2000 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-21-31-71B{473}

NOTE: For related coverage of the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries' meeting, see UMNS stories #474, #475 and #476.

STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) -- The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries
has committed $1 million to complete a land mine removal project in
Mozambique.

Approved by board directors during their Oct. 9-13 annual meeting, the
project will return agricultural land, transportation routes and the grounds
of social institutions to full productivity. The agency will set up its own
company, purchase state-of-the-art equipment and hire experts to train local
workers. Mines will be removed from United Methodist property in Mozambique
and from at least an equal number of acres of other land.

The agency hopes to expand the land mine removal project into Angola and is
pursuing an agreement with Office of the U.S. Secretary of State for Global
Humanitarian De-mining to add federal funds to the project.

In other business, directors elected new officers for the quadrennium.
Bishop Joel Martinez of San Antonio is president. Vice presidents are Genie
Bank of Lexington, Mich., who also serves as president of the board's
Women's Division; Bishop Joseph Humper, Sierra Leone, West Africa; and
Bishop Jonathon Keaton, North Canton, Ohio.

Bishop Lindsay Davis of Atlanta leads the Health and Relief division.
Chairpeople of standing committees are Cashar Evans of Kitty Hawk, N.C.,
finance; Charlene Black of Young Harris, Ga., mission development; the Rev.
Sally Dyck of Wooster, Ohio, personnel; Daniel Soliz of Dallas, nominations
and legislation; and Phyllis Ferguson of Seattle, policy and bylaws.

Other large grants approved by Board of Global Ministries directors
included:

·	Up to $300,000 for renovation of the Clara Swain Hospital in
Bareilly, India.
·	$200,000 for the United Methodist Youth Mission Chorale tour in
2001.
·	$150,000 to assist with expenses related to three academies of
evangelization in Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Congo.
·	$100,000 to Centenary College in Hackettstown, N.J., to help prepare
people for mission work.
·	$200,000 to organize and produce HIV/AIDS training for United
Methodist conferences in Africa.
·	$160,000 for school and clinic construction by volunteer teams in
Vietnam. 
·	$115,000 per year for three years to support the work of a
consultant on women, economy and rural development for the World Council of
Churches.

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