I would invite you to share things I've missed by leaving a comment, and I'll update the list throughout the day.
And if you're hearing stories from Haiti, particularly via blogs, let us know in the comments, too.
If your church talked about Haiti in worship yesterday, let us know how that went.
And if there's something I'm not thinking of or something else Haiti-related you want to share, prayers or news, please do.
(The photo, of people in Port-au-Prince masking their faces against the smell, came from Kim and Patrick Bentrott's blog, Adventures in Life. They are Global Ministries' missionaries in Haiti.)
***************************************************************
To learn about United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Health Kits, go here.
knittinpreacher points us to the PC(USA)'s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance page about Haiti.
The United Church of Christ asks for donations to One Great Hour of Sharing (both by churches and by online donation); funds go to organizations on the ground including Church World Service and ACT Alliance, with which the UCC is also sharing practical resources such as satellite phones.
Diane let us know that you can find materials and donation instructions on the front page of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's website. And go to Pretty Good Lutherans for tributes to seminarian Ben Larson, who died in the earthquake while on a mission trip.
Margaret shared ways The Episcopal Church is helping in Haiti.
Brian Merritt, spouse of our Carol Howard Merritt, compiled a list of organizations receiving funds that are actually being used on the ground in Haiti. It's on his church website: The Palisades Community Church.
Meg points us to the website of the Christian Reformed Church's World Relief Committee (CRWRC).
Gord shared this link to the United Church of Canada's Haiti Appeal.
And one more--Crimson Rambler shares this link from the Anglican Church in Canada: PWRDF is the Canadian Anglican response for the emergency relief, refugees, development, and justice.
Thanks for this post, Songbird.
ReplyDeleteMy church showed a brief video about the Haiti situation in worship. Our session approved donating $75,000 which will be equally divided between three of our mission partners that have long-term projects and relationships in Haiti.
In the private sector, my good friend who is in the rice business and an officer of the American Rice Association told me that the ARA is donating all the rice it has in warehouses in Haiti that was going to be exported for immediate distribution to the people of Haiti.
The band I'm in has been preparing for a concert on January 30 months. We decided a few days ago that the love offering taken that night will go to UMCOR's Haiti relief efforts (Advance #418325). As many RevGals may already know, 100% of the money sent to UMCOR goes directly to the cause the giver specifies -- administrative costs are already taken care of by the United Methodist Church.
ReplyDeleteso many wonderful ways to help. I support Episcopal Relief and Development...and I pray that from this total destruction will come some real good, a new stronger Haiti will rise like a Phoenix from the dust.
ReplyDeleteThank you for these links! They are so helpful.
ReplyDeleteAll I've done is give half the $200 I found on the street last week.
I look forward to doing more as I can for these blessed efforts.
Canadians should know that CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) will match donations so that each dollar counts as two.
ReplyDeleteALso I believe that 2 UMCOR staff people have died from injuries sustained in the quake last Tuesday
Rev. Sam Dixon, head of UMCOR and Rev. Clinton Rabb head of UMVIM (United Methodist VOlunteers in Mission)both died as a result of the earthquaker.
ReplyDeleteI used Nutella's mom's letter in combination with Paul's letter about spirtual gifts. It went over very well and people liked the personal touch.
ReplyDeleteAll denominations seem to have ways to give and the Red Cross's text message donation seems to be working fine. Many options are available, depending on preferences with groups.
Here are two more links to help:
Doing lots to help:
Doctors without Borders
This is group that Nutella's parents are associated with in Haiti:
Medical Benevolence Foundation
We are only 4 tiny churches - we haven't got $75,000 (or its equivalent) to give away - but we have invited everyone in one of the villages to come to a coffee morning on Thursday and then we'll scoop up all the donations and send them to the Disasters Emergency Committee - which is a UK multi-agency charity. And in Sunday's sermon I reminded people to pray! (like, dur).
ReplyDeleteI hope we are realising too that Haiti was so terribly poor to start off with that things are worse than they need have been. I too am praying for a more just situation when the immediate tragedy has been dealt with. Thanks for all the info.
I'm very glad that there is so big effort to help Haitians. I read that there is still not enough doctors in the hospital in Port-au-Prince (only about 14 according to doctor from International Medical Corp) and many injured Haitians are waiting for proper medical care. So I think more support should go to organizations like Doctors without Borders and Red Cross. I hope that even when the situation is desperate Haitians will accept all kinds of help. E.g. Canada has sent 1,000 troops.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Julie
I've also donated to Partners in Health, Paul Farmer's organization.
ReplyDeletePlease note that our church is very large--over 4000 members. So the amount given is proportionate to the potential of the congregation.
ReplyDeleteWe had 90 people at the two services yesterday and raised $4200 for Episcopal Relief and Development. I also used Nutella's mother's letter along with the gospel and epistle.
ReplyDeleteOur deacon put a service together for last night. We didn't have a lot of people but those who were there appreciated it and took the prayers home to keep using. Gordon found a litany from Australia, used prayers from several sources and we used a hymn posted last week called "In Haiti, there is anguish." We also sang "Comfort, comfort ye my people." I'll see if my secretary can post some or all of the service to our website.
I believe Bishop Duracin said that most of the Episcopal churches were damaged or destroyed. Hard to imagine as there are over 100 of them. This is the fastest growing diocese in our church, something like 87,000 people in this one jurisdiction.
The head of ER-D reminded us that there are three phases of help: rescue, relief and rebuilding. It's the last that will likely get less press and will need the most human assistance. It will also take years. So our work has only begun.
These were passed along within our diocese, Haitian Creole prayers from “God is No Stranger” :
ReplyDeletePapa,
Li sanble ke yon van fret angoudi nou.
Vlope noun an lann pawol ou e chofe nou.
Father,
A cold wind seems to have chilled us.
Envelop us in the blanket of your Word and warm us.
Senye,
Si n’ap viv jodi a
malgre siklon, grangou, ak maladi,
nou dwe di,
“Mesi, Senye.
Nou genle la pou yon bi.”
Lord,
If we are alive today
in spite of hurricanes, hunger, and sickness,
we should say,
“Thank you, Lord.
We must be here for a purpose.”
O Senye,
Fe’ ou ave’ m’ tankou kafeole.
Le’ nou brase nou pa ka janm separe.
O Lord,
Make you and me like coffee and milk.
Mixed together we can never be separated.
I am a Sister in an Episcopal religious order with a convent in Port-au-Prince, and I'm also an ordination-track seminarian. I spent this past summer doing my second field ed unit living and working in a parish in Darbonne, Leogane, very close to the epicenter of the quake, and I also had a chance to get to know the community in P-au-P.
ReplyDeleteWe have found out our sisters are safe, thanks be to God, though the convent, cathedral, and schools were destroyed. I also finally found out today that my supervisor is alive, though the church, schools, water project, and goat project offices are all destroyed, as well as the homes. I was told by another priest there that nothing is standing in Darbonne. I am still waiting to hear whether or not the rest of the family is alive, but hoping for good news soon.
As it turned out, I was on the preaching rota for this weekend; I put my homily on my blog at srsarah.blogspot.com (there are also pictures of the cathedral before and after, as well as other updates). It wasn't an easy homily to write, nor is it brilliant; in fact, it's pretty short, as I couldn't get writing till 4:30 Sunday morning. Still, the Isaiah lesson lent itself to the situation.
From my experience, Partners in Health, Episcopal Relief & Development, and Food for the Poor do good work there.
Blessings on all you all are doing with your congregations. Every bit helps. And the prayers do make a difference.
I'm not sure this is the correct place to post but if you are looking for prayers the UMC GBOD has some good stuff.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=nav_loc
I used many of these prayers and incorporated them into our worship and litugies this past Sunday. We recieved a small amount for Haiti this week but are going to put out a basket (that usually gets better results for us than asking people to put it in the offering plate)for at least a few weeks. Perhaps we can create a special Lenten offering for Haiti. Sometimes it feels as though we live in the middle of nowhere but we had a family from our small town arrive in Haiti just an hour before the earthquake began. You never know where that personal connection might come in.
We donated to the Mennonites and Salvation Army because of contacts we have with these organizations who were already in Haiti.
ReplyDeleteAlso, friends are in the Dominican Republic for a medical mission planned 18 months ago! They are seeing refugees and are waiting to see if they can be mobilized across the border. They have a team of 5 doctors, 6 nurses and several strong-backed types with willing hands. God knew.
Lord, have mercy...
Just have to share this... a friend's husband is on the ground in Haiti (in Port-au-Prince). He said that people were cutting down trees and chewing on wood. He took his rations out (not his water) and split it among 2 mothers for their kids. Heartbreaking.
ReplyDelete