wfn.org | UMNS# 05016-United Methodist delegation takes medicine,

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United Methodist delegation takes medicine, support to Indonesia

Jan. 7, 2005	 News media contact:   Tim  Tanton * (615) 7425470*
Nashville {05016}

NOTE: Photographs of delegation members are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Elliott Wright*

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Top mission and communications leaders of the United
Methodist Church leave on Jan. 10 to convey Christian love and medicine
to people near the center of the earthquake that triggered devastating
tidal waves Dec. 26 in the Indian Ocean area.

"We are going primarily to Sumatra, a part of Indonesia, which is the
largest Muslim country on earth, but where Methodists also died," said
the Rev. R. Randy Day, chief executive of the denomination's Board of
Global Ministries, an international agency that includes the United
Methodist Committee on Relief.

The tsunami killed at least 150,000 in 12 countries around the Indian
Ocean, and the estimates continue to rise. Many millions have been left
homeless.

"It is essential that we show our concern for our own and for all the
people affected by one of the greatest natural disasters of all times,"
Day stated. "Going to the heart of the destruction speaks strongly about
the presence of our church among those who are suffering." More than
94,000 deaths have been reported in Indonesia alone.

In addition to Day, the delegation will include Bishop Joel N. Martinez
of San Antonio, president of the mission board; Kyung Za Yim, a director
and president of the Women's Division; the Rev. Larry Hollon, head of
United Methodist Communications; the Rev. Paul Dirdak, director of
UMCOR; the Rev. David Wu, an Asian specialist with the mission agency;
the Rev. Henry Leono, a pastor in Willingboro, N.J., who is a native of
Indonesia; Linda Bloom, a reporter with United Methodist News Service;
and Mike DuBose, a photographer with United Methodist Communications.

The delegation, which will visit both northern and southern Sumatra,
including the cities of Medan and Banda Aceh, will be taking 100,000
doses of antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medicine.

"This is a small part of our response, but we wanted to arrive with
tangible expressions our concern," Day said.

As of Jan. 7, UMCOR had sent $750,000 for emergency relief assistance
and was planning additional shipments of medicine to several Asian
countries, including Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.

More than $1.1 million had been contributed to the agency through
telephone and online donations as of Jan. 6. That figure does not
include the substantial relief contributions that come through
congregations.

An appeal for United Methodist contributions to emergency relief efforts
was made only a few hours after news of the tidal waves broke. Response
has been strong.

"Our United Methodist people around the world are always generous in
times of natural disasters," Martinez said. "We are going to Sumatra on
behalf of them - taking their heartfelt concern in the form of healing
medicine, pastoral care and humanitarian outreach."

United Methodist Communications and its news operation play a major role
in promoting church response to major disasters. "We want to tell the
story of what is happening to people both in terms of the tragedy and in
terms of our responses," said Hollon of the communications agency. "Our
visit will help us to achieve those goals."

The United Methodist Church has links with two denominations with many
congregations on the island of Sumatra. Those are the Methodist Church
of Indonesia, which has been autonomous since 1964, and the Karo Batak
Protestant Church. Methodist missionaries went to Sumatra from Singapore
in 1905. The Methodist Church of Indonesia serves some 100,000 people.

# # #

*Wright is the information officer of the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

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