MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Following the eruption of the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico on December 18, UBS has made a grant of US$12,500 from its Rapid Response Reserve for a distribution of Scripture materials to some of the 25,000 villagers who were evacuated. Ruben Enriquez, the Bible Society of Mexico’s Distribution Co-ordinator, requested funds for the emergency distribution on December 21. He said it was important to give evacuated families spending the period around Christmas in temporary shelters “a word of good news in their suffering”. The UBS agreed to provide the money the next day and the distribution, which included materials for children, took place soon afterwards with help from local churches. Afterwards, the Rev Fergus Macdonald, General Secretary of UBS, asked the Fellowship to help replenish the Rapid Response Reserve, the UBS fund which enables immediate help to be sent to Bible Societies in the wake of disasters anywhere in the world.
Donations to cover the cost of the Mexico response may be sent directly to the United Bible Societies World Service Center, Rapid Response Reserve, 7th Floor, Reading Bridge House, Reading RG1 8PJ, England. (WR 358/34 - 03.01) e-124