| EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO HAITI EARTHQUAKE DISASTER Here are official web links from Episcopal Relief and Development that provide Sunday bulletin inserts about relief donations in pdf format that you can print and distribute: Half page - http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/haiti_insert_halfpage.pdf
The people of Haiti have suffered a devastating earthquake, and it is already clear that many have died and many more are injured. Even under "normal" circumstances, Haiti struggles to care for her 9 million people.
The Presiding Bishop and Episcopal Relief & Development President Discuss Situation in Haiti and Offer ways to help victims January 13, 2010 - Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Robert Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief & Development discuss the situation in Haiti following the devastating earthquake in a video here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/mission.htm Episcopal Relief & Development is actively gathering information on the earthquake in Haiti and how best to respond and assist the Diocese of Haiti. The ERD website will have the most current information about responses to the Haiti earthquake: www.er-d.org To make a donation, either as an individual or as a congregtaiton, please use this web address: https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php Pray for Bishop Jean Zache Duracin, Bishop of Haiti, the people of Haiti and rescue workers. Brian Sellers-Petersen
The Diocese of Haiti is a diocese in The Episcopal Church. It is the largest of the dioceses. It is in the same Episcopal Church Province as the Diocese of Long Island - Province II. Our Diocese of Long Island ERD Coordinator is
LOCATING FAMILY MEMBERS This contact info from Mother E. Clare Nesmith.
January 13, 2010 - Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued the following concerning the January 12 earthquake in Haiti: The people of Haiti have suffered a devastating earthquake, and it is already clear that many have died and many more are injured. Even under “normal” circumstances, Haiti struggles to care for her 9 million people. The nation is the poorest in the western hemisphere, and this latest disaster will set back many recent efforts at development. I urge your prayers for those who have died, been injured, and are searching for loved ones – and I urge your concrete and immediate prayers in the form of contributions to Episcopal Relief & Development, who are already working with the Diocese of Haiti to send aid where it is most needed.
Click on the parish name below to see an example of Haiti >> St. James of Jerusalem, Long Beach
1/13/2010 Episcopal Relief & Development Responds to Devastating Earthquake in Haiti Shortly before sundown on Tuesday, January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. The quake was centered about ten miles west of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. At least 28 aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 or greater shook the country in the hours immediately following the quake. Episcopal Relief & Development has reached out to its Haitian partners in an effort to determine the extent of the damage and coordinate a swift response. "The agency has already disbursed emergency funding to the Diocese of Haiti to help them meet immediate needs such as providing shelter, food and water, and stands ready to support their ongoing recovery as they rebuild their ministries," said Rob Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief & Development. "As communication improves and recovery plans develop, Episcopal Relief & Development will continue to provide updates." Interim Director for International Programs Kirsten Muth commented, "We are committed to a long-term response and recovery effort with our partners in the Diocese of Haiti. It is one of the largest and perhaps most socially engaged dioceses of the Episcopal Church with an extensive network of schools and health services." "In addition to other programming, the agency has supported the Diocesan Development Program for many years through a central Development Office and network of 28 development agents, all of whom have received training While the full extent of the damage has yet to be determined, preliminary reports show that Port-au-Prince has suffered severely. Recent estimates indicate that at least three million people have been affected by the earthquake. In addition to the destruction of innumerable homes, many major structures have been reduced to rubble "Even under 'normal' circumstances, Haiti struggles to care for her 9 million people. The nation is the poorest in the western hemisphere, and this latest disaster will set back many recent efforts at development," said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in a statement Wednesday morning. "I urge your concrete and immediate To donate to the Haiti Fund, visit www.er-d.org <http://www.er-d.org/> Gifts can be mailed to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Please put "Haiti Fund" in the memo line of all checks.
Some facts about the earthquake and Haiti * The Port-au-Prince area was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake about 5:00 pm local time (EST) Tuesday Jan 12. The city is near the southwestern end of the island of Hispaniola. * This was the largest earthquake ever known to hit Haiti (in 400 years). Two major hurricanes hit in 2008. * As of midnight Tuesday night, there were 24 aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or greater. * The presidential palace was very seriously damaged, but the President happened to have been away, and is safe. * Most buildings in Haiti were not designed to be earthquake-proof. * Electricity and telephone services, including cellular, were heavily affected. * The Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese in TEC; it is part of Province II (which includes the Diocese of Long Island). * The literacy rate in Haiti is about 53% compared to 99% in the US. The principal language is Haitian Creole, which is a somewhat distant relative of French, combined with various other languages. The Haitian population is now about 9 million, with a diaspora of about 3 million, most of whom speak Haitian Creole, and live in other Caribbean countries and the US. * The country of Haiti is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Port-au-Prince does not have a fire department, which is usually the first responder to natural disasters in more developed countries. Damage is severe and extensive. * Initially, tsunami warnings were issued, but the earthquake epicenter was found to have been enough inland that they were quickly cancelled.
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Yours faithfully, 