Is There More to the Disaster Response Ministry?
Douglas Hoy, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator At Annual Conference this year, I had the opportunity to speak with attendees about the Disaster Response Ministry. It was a joy to share all the opportunities the ministry has to offer. During one of those conversations, after explaining to connection to UMCOR and how we respond to “headline” disasters, I was asked whether there was more to the ministry. My reply was an emphatic “YES!” The mission of UMCOR and the Disaster Response Ministry is to provide assistance to alleviate human suffering as the result of disaster. And, most people associate that with helping people after they have been the victims of a natural disaster, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. While this is true in the traditional sense, human suffering can occur on so many levels in so many places. All we need to do is watch the news every evening to know our neighbors are hurting as the economy continues to slow down and inflation continues t...