July 3, 2019 | ATLANTA
We live in a dynamic world where change is inevitable, and uncertainty can overwhelm communities. This change reshapes the way people live all over the globe.

In India, farmers are trapped in a cycle of crop failure and debt. Desperate to find relief and unable to repay what they owe, many lose hope to the point of suicide.

In Mozambique, the cycle of poverty and insecurity can be overwhelming. Some of the world’s most disadvantaged and poorest communities are struggling to rebuild their infrastructure after decades of civil war.
In Alaska, the changing climate has forced the relocation of entire Yup’ik communities because of permafrost melt and shore erosion. For Northern Aleutian residents, a failed salmon harvest has replaced cultural and economic vibrance with drastic food insecurity.

Sustainable development helps to address the problems faced by India’s farmers, Mozambique’s poor, and the endangered communities in Alaska. The United Methodist Committee on Relief believes the basic need for clean water, nutritious food and hope for a healthy future is a human right. When resources begin to fail, local problems grow and create a ripple effect that can be felt around the world.

Through its work in Sustainable Development, UMCOR works to transform communities by engaging in holistic and sustainable programs of development. Along with grassroots partnerships, we work with communities to identify and implement solutions to water, sanitation, agriculture, food justice, renewable energy, and vocational and psychosocial challenges at the local level. Because these programs focus on the root causes of disparity, communities enhance their self-reliance, well-being, and economic prosperity.

UMCOR is committed to helping communities rebuild for the long term and become more resilient through sustainable development. Every day, we work with our partners, taking steps to restore hope and make the world a better place.

There is much work to do, and I invite you to consider how you can affect change within your community, to pray for others and to support the work of UMCOR. Together, we can share God’s love through mission and care for a world in need.

Compelled by Christ,
Roland Fernandes
COO/General Treasurer and Executive Director, UMCOR

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