Update from Philippines

Thank you so much for keeping us in your thoughts we greatly appreciate your friendship and support.

The Typhoon rains have brought much destruction to life, property and living especially in Manila. The aftermath of this is starvation. On Negros Island the damage to farms will result to no food in homes. This will create another difficulty when people will go after local money lenders to borrow money for food who will in return charge them high interest. When the other in coming Typhoons will bring in much rain it will prolong the time of farm land preparations for planting, as a result of this people will experience food shortage in their homes. Doldol and Malingin congregations who are in to Rice farming, with bad weather some are unable to dry the harvested rice and it is rotting. The Cropof some others are in the field yet and is under water and some cannot prepare the land for planting for the next season.

In Cabiguhan and Nataban members who plant corn, peanuts and root crops say because of the heavy rain and strong winds the crops are damaged. These are only four congregations I have visited during the last week end.

We are glad that you are there for us to air out our frustrations facing these natural calamities that disrupts life and add much to what people bear with for existence. We who are with the people find our selves helpless most of the time. With all good wishes,

Nihal Attanayake

Update from Indonesia

It seems that the earth layer beneath Indonesia archipelago has not yet been stable. After the Tasikmalaya (West Java) earthquake during our Koloszvar meeting, now the earthquake hits western Sumatera (Padang, Pariaman, and now Jambi). We are saddened by the news that it could be more than 2.000 death toll.

There are no direct impact to our church. We have no congregation in western Sumatera yet. But, we are still talking to one family, our member in Jakarta, who is originated from western Sumatera. We are waiting for information about their big family in western Sumatera. We are still looking for any possibility to collect some help to the earthquake victims (may be during the next sabbath worship, there will be some fund collection), and will deliver it through government agencies or NGO body.

The update :
We are relief that the family of our Jakarta member are not affected by the earthquake.
The death numbers of the victim are now 471. Injured numbers 2,818 which are 604 badly injured. The government through the health department said that there are thousands people still buried (either alive or death) under the damaged building.
We will collect the fund today, on the sabbath worship, and will deliver it through Indonesia Red Cross for the victims.


Thank you for your kind attention and the attention of the ICUU as a big family.
Aryanto Nugroho
Indonesia

ICUU President on Indonesian Earthquake

Dear Friends in JAGI

It is with a measure of deep relief that I have learned from Aryanto Nugroho that none of your congregations were directly affected by the recent earthquake in Padang. Nevertheless it is a terrible tragedy and natural disaster facing your nation. I am sure many of you know people or families who have been harmed.

As people of faith and empathy, I offer the nest wishes and prayers of the Executive Committee and of Unitarians and Universalists around the world for all people affected by the quake, no matter what their religion or station in life.

As in the case of our brothers and sisters in the Philippines recovering from the floods, I urge all U*Us who are willing and able to support relief efforts for those harmed by these terrible events.

In an uncertain world where environmental disaster seems to be an increasingly common event, we stand in awe and hope before the power of nature. We wish you and the men and women of Indonesia al the best in recovery and rebuilding efforts.

In faith,

Rev. Brian J. Kiely

International Council of Unitarians and Universalists

ICUU President on Philippines Storm

September 29, 2009.

Dear Philippine UU’s and Unitarians and Universalists around the world

It is with a heavy heart that I and other members of the Staff and Executive Committee of the ICUU have followed devastating effects of Typhoon Onday from afar. There are few things more frightening than the feelings of powerlessness that can come to us as we stand helpless before the storm. Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you struggle with the immediate emergency conditions and with the aftermath of cleaning up and rebuilding lives, homes and businesses.

I hope that many will join me in following the unfolding story. I also invite all who are able and feel so inclined to contribute to relief efforts through your national Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations.

May you in the Philippines find peace and safety soon. May you be spared further setbacks and may you all be graced with the blessings of God.


Sincerely,
Rev. Brian J. Kiely
President
International Council of Unitarians and Universalists

UU Pilgrimage to Philippines

During March, 2010, the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC) will sponsor a group pilgrimage to experience the remarkable people and culture of the Philippines. There are over 2,500 Unitarian Universalists worshipping in 29 different congregations in the Philippines today, mostly on the large tropical island of Negros. This tour is the second tour which has been coordinated by the UUPCC in coordination with the UUCP. UUPCC Networker for the Philippines, Lee Boeke Burke, and UUCP Chairperson of the Faith in Action Department, Nihal Attanayake, will be your tour guides. The cost of the fall trip is $1450 (with a single supplement of $300). This cost includes all in-country transportation, accommodations, meals, drivers, interpreters and entrance fees. It does not include your airfare to Manila, gratuities, alcoholic beverages, personal expenses, and airport transfers before/after specified trip dates. Your UUPCC registration fee, which is included in the trip cost, pays for your membership in the UUPCC, the cost of processing your application and mailing your travel packet, and an impact fee paid to the UUCP. For more information, check out the UUPCC website, www.uupcc.org.

URGENT! Please donate for Philippine typhoon victims

Folks, This is likely to go down as the biggest catastrophe in the history of the Philippines, even worse than the twin disasters of the earthquake and Mt. Pinatubo in 1990 and 1991. Please try to help. 2 more storms coming so things may get really bad.

In 6 hours last saturday, a month's worth of rain fell, affecting more than 340,000 people in the Metro Manila area. Low-lying Areas in and around Metro Manila were submerged as high as 20 feet. Here is a Facebook photo gallery of the destruction. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122290&id=710751532&ref=share 48 hours after the rains fell there are still people trapped on rooftops. Some are sick. Many are in danger of dehydration.

Hundreds of thousands have lost their homes and are in shelters. Relief supplies will surely run out fast without donations. To my UU friends, please inform your church mates. Our congregation here was largely spared but so many are not. Thanks for your kind attention. Please be guided by the message below.

For updates, please click here. www.gmanews.tv Bob Guerrero ,YOU MAY DONATE THROUGH http://www.redcross.org.ph. You can also DONATE THROUGH TXTPOWER'S PAYPAL! http://bit.ly/hQtKH or you can donate here, through the Philippine Society of Jesus, Catholic aid group, very good. https://www.myayala.com/sjph/

Brief Report of CM09

The biennial Council Meeting of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists took place from 1-6 September in Kolozsvár, Transylvania, Romania.

77 registered participants took part including two from Latin America; three (plus two family members) from Africa; three (including one family member) from Australia/New Zealand; and seven (plus one family member) from Asia. Several new faces, including the leader of Hong Kong group, youth officer of Indonesian group, new UUA President and new CUC Director were in evidence.

The Council Meeting went well, although the effects of the visa failures was felt. This included three formal refusals for Africa and one for Asia as well as four Africans who were not technically refused but repeatedly asked for extra requirements to the point where they could not get a visa in time to attend. Other visas were not obtained because of decisions of the applicants themselves.

The new Transylvanian bishop (Rev Bálint-Bencsédi Ferenc) is a real charmer and has an amazing singing voice. The old bishop (Rev Szábo Árpad) didn't come because he had just had stomach surgery. The two new (part-time) staff were welcomed and were very busy at the Meeting: Rev Steve Dick as the new Executive Secretary and Rev Jill McAllister as Program Director, and the retiring Executive Secretary (Rev John Clifford) was given a friendly and gracious send-off.

Business sessions agreed with an intensive process of tightening up membership categories, reporting standards, and financial contributions. Some details remain to be worked out and some necessary policy changes will come back to the 2011 Council for ratification. Brazil and Burundi were both admitted as provisional members, and Spain and Poland both had their membership suspended with the agreement of their delegates due to lack of recent activity. New Members at Large are Nihal Attanayake from Philippines, Femi Matimoju from Nigeria, and Celia Midgley from UK. The President (Brian Kiely of Canada) and Treasurer (David Shaw of Britain) were re-elected unopposed and a new Vice-President (Pauline Rooney of Australia) and Secretary (Dávid Gyerő of Transylvania) were elected unopposed. Motions relating to the oppression of the Hungarian language in Slovakia and the inaccessibility of the famous painting of the Torda debate were passed. Extensive photo and video shots were taken and these should appear on the website in due course.

We managed about 5 minutes' skype video call with former ICUU Program Director Polly Guild in Boston, Massachusetts on her 85th birthday, singing Happy Birthday to her. This was the first ICUU Council she was unable to attend.

John Clifford