UMCOR advocates to provide Cuba storm relief
The Rev. Sam Dixon, head of the United Methodist
Committee on Relief, addresses members of the denomination's Board of
Global Ministries on Oct. 15.
A UMNS photo by Cassandra Heller. |
By Linda Bloom*
Oct. 16, 2008 | STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS)
The United Methodist Committee on Relief has made some progress toward
obtaining the U.S. Treasury Department licenses required to allow the
denomination to assist hurricane survivors in Cuba.
|
A work team rebuilds a hurricane-damaged home in the Cuban
province of Pinar del Rio. A UMNS photo courtesy of the Methodist Church
of Cuba.
|
The Rev. Sam Dixon, UMCOR's top executive, presented an update from
legal counsel about the licenses during an Oct. 15 meeting of the relief
agency’s board of directors. UMCOR is part of the United Methodist
Board of Global Ministries, which was meeting Oct. 13-17 in Connecticut.
Numerous United Methodists have called for a response to the devastation
caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in Cuba in early September,
including those in the church's Florida Conference, which has an ongoing
relationship with Cuban Methodists. The hurricanes destroyed more than
400,000 homes and destroyed or damaged 33 Methodist church buildings,
according to reports from the Methodist Church in Cuba.
But the U.S. government’s decades-long economic embargo against Cuba
restricts such assistance. UMCOR’s renewal of its license for aid to
Cuba was denied by the Treasury Department in 2006, along with renewals
for other organizations representing church institutions.
"Because of the embargo, we cannot transfer funds legally into Cuba,"
Dixon said, noting that third-party transfers—through Canada, for
example—also are considered illegal. "If we do that, we risk incurring
substantial fines."
Loss of nonprofit status could be a consequence. "We have to be careful to protect the church," he stressed.
Hired law firm
In September, UMCOR retained the Washington law firm of Williams and
Jenson to represent the board in its effort to obtain new licenses. The
firm previously worked with the denomination’s Board of Pension and
Health Benefits to obtain a license to transmit a small amount of
pension funds to Cuban pastors.
Just before the UMCOR meeting, David Starr, the attorney representing
UMCOR, reported to Dixon that the applications need to be re-submitted
and split into four, rather than two licenses.
If approved, the revised licenses could provide immediate relief through
Dec. 5, followed by a longer humanitarian response after that date, as
well as general assistance to the Methodist Church in Cuba. UMCOR had
hoped to allocate up to $1 million for hurricane relief work in Cuba and
$300,000 for general church assistance.
“It greatly pains us … that we cannot respond. The needs are huge.”
–The Rev. Sam Dixon, UMCOR The entire
process has been frustrating, he said. "It greatly pains us, at UMCOR
and Global Ministries, that we cannot respond (to the hurricanes),"
Dixon said. "The needs are huge. It really wiped the eastern part of the
island clean."
Four former bishops of the Methodist Church in Cuba, currently residing
in the United States, issued a statement of concern in October about the
effects of the hurricanes.
"As a result of these natural disasters more than 400,000 homes have
been totally or partially destroyed, the economy has suffered greatly,
the food is scarce due to the loss of crops that were kept in storages
and … (sicknesses) are afflicting the people, mainly because of the
contamination of the many sources of drinkable water," the statement
said.
The statement called upon The United Methodist Church "to intensify the
pressure on the U.S. government to grant the proper licenses that would
allow us to act in accordance with the evangelical mandate of helping
the needy: 'As you did to the least of your brothers, you did it unto
Me' (Matthew 25:40), and be able to give assistance to that part of the
Body of Christ in Cuba that has suffered as a consequence of these
natural disasters."
Supporting the bishops
The United Methodist Missionary Association, which had
representatives present at the Board of Global Ministries meeting,
issued an Oct. 12 statement supporting the concerns of the Cuban
bishops.
"As active and retired United Methodist missionaries who have lived as
members of the body of Christ across the globe, we are concerned that
the policy of the United States government has limited the ability of
The United Methodist Church to be in partnership with the Methodist
Church in Cuba and respond to the urgent needs of the Cuban people," the
missionary association statement said.
MARCHA, the denomination’s Hispanic/Latino caucus, has pushed for relief
efforts in Cuba since the hurricanes occurred. In a Sept. 30 message to
members and supporters, the organization acknowledged UMCOR’s
limitations but encouraged donations from its members to the Methodist
Church in Cuba.
"It is MARCHA's view that our Christian duty requires us to offer aid to
those in need regardless of who they are or where they live," the
statement said.
MARCHA, the missionary association and other United Methodists have
called upon church members to urge the U.S. government to help
facilitate the flow of aid to Cuba by temporarily lifting the embargo.
Dixon also encouraged contacting congressional representatives, the
Treasury Department and the White House. "In addition, there are those
in the Cuban American community with significant political connections
who are strongly opposed to lifting the embargo for any reasons," he
said. "Joining with members of the Cuban American community who feel
differently in encouraging the provision for a humanitarian response
would be appropriate."
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Related articles
Lack of license limits UMCOR response in Cuba
Hurricane Ike barrels over Cuba
Cuban Methodists thrive but feel effects of embargo
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