[Dialogue] How to help in Haiti

[karenbueno at aol.com]

UMCOR Responds to the  Earthquake in Haiti January  13, 2010 -- (New York: 
UMCOR) A major  earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti yesterday, causing 
widespread  destruction. Millions of people are affected and thousands are 
feared dead. The  United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has close ties 
with the  Methodist Church in Haiti and is responding to the  devastating 
earthquake with funding, material resources and prayers. You can  find a 
continual update at:  
(http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.5259605/k.F985/UMNS_News.htm) 
UMCOR executive, Melissa  Crutchfield says, “We are working with our 
partners on the ground to provide  immediate relief to the people in Haiti. UMCOR 
has worked in  Haiti for many years. We anticipate  that there will be years 
of rebuilding needed and are prepared to work with the  people to help them 
through that process.” 
Working with partners,  Action by Churches Together, Church World Service, 
Global Medic and the  Methodist Church, UMCOR is channeling its resources to 
respond effectively to  the people most in need. 
Volunteers from at least  six different United Methodist annual (regional) 
conferences are in  Haiti on mission trips. An email from  two Kansas East 
volunteers reports they are safe in the guest house and, “We  have a bunch of 
refugees in the front and have been giving first aid to those  who were 
hurt, but we cannot get them anywhere at this time. There will be many  deaths 
but it happened right before dark so rescue efforts are hampered. Some  
phone service and no police or UN radios working.” 
Volunteers in Mission (VIM)  executive, Clint Rabb, consultant, Jim Gulley 
and Sam Dixon, the top executive  for UMCOR are in Haiti. Says UMCOR 
executive, Tom  Hazelwood, “We have conflicting reports that say they were in a car 
on the way  to the airport and another that they were in the Montana Hotel. 
We don’t have  any absolute confirmation at this time and have not heard 
from them, but will be  sure to communicate any news. Please continue  praying.
” 
How to  Help 
There will be a great need  for volunteers to help rebuild once the initial 
crisis has settled. At this  time, it is not safe or possible for 
volunteers to go to Haiti. In order  to frame a response that is consistent with the 
churches’ needs, people wishing  to volunteer should contact their 
jurisdictional VIM coordinator to determine  when and how to appropriately respond. 
RMC personnel should contact Betsy Keyack  or Ann Fort, VIM coordinators, to 
offer aid. 
Gifts to support UMCOR's  Haiti Relief efforts can be made to Haiti 
Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325.  Checks can be made to UMCOR with Advance #418325 
Haiti Emergency in the memo  line. Checks can be put in the church's 
offering plate or mailed to UMCOR,  PO Box 9068, New York, NY  10087. 100% of 
gifts  made to this advance will go to help the people of Haiti. 
UMCOR Sager Brown is  coordinating a shipment of health kits to provide 
individuals with basic  necessities. Instructions for assembling and shipping 
health kits are available  at 
_http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/_ 
(http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/health-kit/)   . 
Please pray for all of the  people affected by the earthquake in Haiti. 
Thank you for your faithful  support for all of God’s children. 
Other Word on  Haiti 
Bread For The World, a  Christian world hunger organization, has written, 
"Before the earthquake, 80  percent of Haiti’s population was already living  
in extreme poverty and hunger. The situation is now far more desperate. The 
 latest estimates are that thousands of people have been killed and up to 3 
 million people affected by the disaster." They urge their members to give 
to  their denomination's channels, such as UMCOR. 
More here: _http://tinyurl.com/y9z82vh_ (http://tinyurl.com/y9z82vh)  
Church World Service, an  agency that has been responding to disasters on 
behalf of 36 denominations for  46 years, is now responding to the 
devastating Haiti Quake.  For more  information 
_http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer_ (http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer) .
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/dialogue_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20100114/ce726fab/attachment.html>