Online Archives

By David E. Bohnert
UMConnection Correspondent

What has two sheep, two goats, two trios of guinea pigs, two donkeys, two trios of rabbits, two beehives, two water buffalo, two camels, two pigs, two flocks of geese, two cows, two llamas, two oxen, two flocks of chickens, and two trios of ducks? An ark, of course. And what is better than an ark? Two arks.

That is what United Campus Ministry of Frostburg State University was able to purchase recently through Heifer, International, for distribution to needy people.

United Campus Ministry, under the leadership of the Rev. Lawrence A. Neumark, Protestant chaplain, and Dr. Anthony Crosby, sociology professor and chair of the mission committee of Frostburg UMC, recently completed a four-month campaign which raised slightly more than $10,000, half of which was designated for relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The other half was directed to needy people worldwide.

Heifer, International benefits families in more than 128 countries and 38 states in the United States through providing more than 30 types of food- and income-producing animals. The agency also provides intensive training in animal husbandry, ecologically sound, sustainable farming and community development.

Umaru J. Sule, community relations coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Region of Heifer, International, recently presented two plaques to United Campus ministry in recognition of its unusual success in raising funds to purchase two arks.

According to Jean Durst, who with her husband, the Rev. Bill Durst, pastor of Grantsville UMC, farms and raises animals for Heifer, International, in Garrett County, 'getting one ark was an accomplishment, but getting two of them at once is very rare.'

Sule, who was originally a recipient of aid from Heifer, International, lived in the highlands of Cameroon, one of 54 nations in Africa.

On Aug. 26, 1986, an enormous volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) was released from Lake Nyos, Cameroon, suffocating about 1700 people. Sule escaped death in the tragic event, but most of his family members were killed.

Representatives from Heifer, International came to talk to 24 year old Sule, the only one in the village who spoke English, and offered to bring cows. A year after the tragedy, they brought cows and instruction in planting and growing grain and vegetables. This gift enabled the formerly migratory herders to stay in one location and develop an agricultural economy.

In 1987, the agency invited Sule to come to the United States to work for Heifer, International.

The idea for the purchase of an ark started at the December 2004 United Campus Ministry Board of Directors meeting with a challenge. Neumark had reported that $956 had been raised in 2003 and $2100 in 2004 for Heifer, International. 'We should raise an ark in 2005,' was the response of one of the Board members. A gift of $5,000 symbolizes the purchase of 15 pairs and trios of animals and two beehives as detailed above. The board adopted a goal of one ark by the Nov. 17 Thanksgiving service on the Frostburg State University campus.

University faculty, staff, students, and student organizations on campus as well as Boy Scout troops and churches in the surrounding communities rallied to the call for contributions.

Despite early disappointment with the progress of the campaign, Neumark, Crosby, and the student leaders of United Campus ministry, Neumark announced at the November thanksgiving service that $6,688 had been raised.

More churches and individuals made contributions, and on Jan. 10, Professor Cherie Snyder, of Allegany College of Maryland, handed Neumark a gift of $17, which brought the total to $10,000.

'Students, faculty, staff, student organizations, Boy Scout Troops 24 and 42, pastors, congregations, the entire community?all are to be congratulated for their extraordinary efforts to raise such a significant amount of money,' said Neumark. 'We are already beginning to plan our drive for next year?s arks for our contribution to Heifer, International,' added Crosby.

For additional information on this project, contact Neumark at , Crosby at , or Sule at Contact Heifer, International at www.heifer.org.