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Edwards said the effort is part of the church's Council of Bishop's
Initiative on Children and Poverty.   During times of war and unrest
children are always the ones "caught in the grip,"  he said.

United Methodists in the area are being asked to provide a new or used
blanket in good condition or to contribute money.  "Fifty dollars would feed
a child through the winter," the bishop said.  He noted that 100 percent of
contributions marked for Afghan Relief will be used to feed the hungry or to
cover shipping costs. Contributions can be made by anyone through a United
Methodist church in the conference.  

In many communities in the area, United Methodist churches are being
identified as drop-off  locations for blankets. The conference expects to
receive response to the initiative from schools, businesses, civic
organizations, neighboring congregations, synagogues and mosques.

Edwards praised the strength of the United Methodist connectional system
when it works with  related relief organizations such as Raleigh-based Stop
Hunger Now. The organization, with experience in providing international
relief, has already shipped more than $1 million in aid to Afghanistan,
including clothing, medicine and food, he said.  

 The North Carolina blanket effort is targeting 38,000 families or 266,000
people in the Afghan province of Takhar.  The Rev. Ray Buchanan, a United
Methodist pastor from Virginia  and currently president of Stop Hunger Now,
recently made an assessment visit to the Takhar province. Afterward, he and
Edwards developed plans for the conference initiative. 

Buchanan said the effort is a good example of the church partnering with
other groups to provide mission and ministry.  "The church is moving forward
and showing the world how to respond," he said.

For more information, phone Stop Hunger Now at (888) 501-844 or the North
Carolina Conference at (800) 849-4433, or visit the North Carolina
Conference Web site at www.nccumc.org or the Stop Hunger Now Web site at
www.stophungernow  . 

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*Rippen is editor of the North Carolina Christian Advocate

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United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org