Helping Helping Haiti
Helping Haiti
The great outpouring of support for the suffering people of Haiti since Tuesday's earthquake is humbling and inspiring. At HOPE worldwide, we have seen immediate and significant offers of financial and professional assistance.Despite the absence of consistent communication from Haiti, we have taken the following action steps:
HOPE worldwide has fully engaged its disaster relief fundraising team to request donations from all who desire to help. The simplest way to donate to Haiti is to visit our website at www.hopeww.org and follow the few easy steps for online giving.
Please note: we fully understand the desire to send food products and supplies to Haiti, but all disaster relief experts involved in responding to this disaster are advising against doing so, since the infrastructure in Haiti has no way to handle these items at this time. Reports of free shipping to Haiti by UPS are a hoax.
HOPE worldwide is participating in White House conference calls to help coordinate relief for Haiti. We also are using the resources of national and international disaster relief organizations whose purpose is to assist NGOs in effectively delivering disaster relief services.
Emergency Response Team Headed to Haiti
Preparations are being made to send a small emergency response team, including Dr. Mark Ottenweller, with satellite phones to survey conditions in Port-Au-Prince and provide emergency relief in order to maximize our relief efforts. This team will also focus on addressing the needs of the members of Port-au-Prince Church of Christ that have been devastated by this disaster. Since air travel into Port-Au-Prince is limited, out team will likely be headed to the Dominican Republic to make their way across the border into Haiti by ground. Please be praying for their success and safety of these brothers.
We have been blessed to collaborate with two humanitarian aid groups that have special connections to Haiti. Haitian Support was developed several years ago by Haitian-American Christians from across the United States who have since established a school and clinic in some of the more remote areas of Haiti. Their knowledge of Haiti and contacts within the country have been very helpful in getting out the limited information that we have about conditions on the ground in Haiti.
Examples of Collaboration:
- 50 or more disciples have gathered on the grounds of the Port-Au-Prince Church building for care and support, even though the building itself has been severely damaged by the earthquake.
- The website for Haitian Support can be found at: www.haitiansupport.org.
- Also, we have connected with Angels Mission Haiti, a medical relief organization started by disciples in the Roanoke Valley Church of Christ, who specialize coordinating the services of medical professionals who desire to volunteer to serve in Haiti. It appears that Angels Mission Haiti will be working with the U.S. Navy's hospital ship, the USS Comfort, to provide medical relief on the ground in Port-Au-Prince. We understand that medical professionals represent the greatest need in terms of volunteers for Haiti. The website for Angels Mission Haiti can be found at: www.angelmissionshaiti.org
Churches Are Responding
We understand that many churches are considering a special disaster relief collection for Haiti or, alternatively, letting their members know of the ability to donate to this cause through the HOPE worldwide website. HOPE worldwide is cooperating with the ICOC's HOPE worldwide and Benevolence Committee in implementing recently developed disaster protocols to efficiently coordinate the disaster relief efforts of ICOC churches and HOPE worldwide.
ICOC Communication Portals
We are especially grateful for the aggressive steps that are being taken by Mike Taliaferro of ICOC HotNews and Roger Lamb of Disciples Today to get out information about the Haiti disaster. We are thankful to have such active partners in getting news out to all of you.
Many thanks to all who have expressed such strong support and concern for the people of Haiti. Please stay tuned to HOPE worldwide's website for future disaster relief updates.
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