How can I help?
By HFP Reporter on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 |
Submitted by Jami Throne
As you've been reading about the recent earthquake that has devastated the small nation of Haiti, killing millions and displacing countless numbers of people, you may be wondering what you can do to be a part of the response. If you'll allow me, I'd like to offer a few suggestions.
First of all, please be on your knees for the people and nation of Haiti, not only one time today, but continually. Relief and healing are far from present in that nation today and it is our privilege and responsibility to walk alongside our sisters and brothers in prayer for relief, safety, healing and restoration. So please, keep praying!
Secondly, if you’re not very familiar with the situation, please check out this website: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc100?OpenForm. This is an excellent website to keep up on the current situation in Haiti. It takes a bit of work to navigate but it really has up-to-date info. Basically, you'll find the foundational documents that the media are using for many of their facts and figures. Here is a short description of the initial devastation: (taken from Food for the Hungry’s webpage)
The massive Haiti earthquake that struck on January 12 is feared to have killed more than 100,000 and Haitian officials have stated that it could be much higher. Most of the damage was in the heavily populated capital Port-au-Prince. As of last report, we are still trying to locate 15 of our workers there. Please pray they are alive and well. Bloodstained bodies are piled in the streets. The Parliament has collapsed, the presidential palace is in ruins, and hospitals, schools and orphanages have been completely demolished. Church, government and world leaders have been killed, along with almost everyone working in the U.N. headquarters there. Its 5-story building is now a pile of rubble.
After reading that, some of you would like to do something tangible. Right now, donating money is the best place to start. There are dozens (hundreds most likely) of good organizations that are working toward the rescue, relief and renewal of the people and nation of Haiti. One of the best things that we can do is to support them financially. At a time like this, it will be difficult for organizations to ship in multitudes of materials. Therefore, donating money can make it easier for an organization to use it in the ways that they know it’s needed most. They are the ones that are “on the ground” and see the needs first hand. They need our help to make sure those needs are met.
If you are looking for a good organization to donate to, let me make a few suggestions. First of all, the United Brethren Church has decided to work through their partner organizations at this time. Any money donated to UB Global Ministries will go:
1. CHGlobal, an organization which works in Haiti and is used by the UB Church in Canada in their work with our churches in Haiti.
2. Samaritan’s Purse, with whom we’ve partnered in other causes.
This doesn’t mean that you have to give to Global Ministries. Those are just options from our own denomination. Organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, Salvation Army, World Vision and Food for the Hungry are among many organizations that are responding. I would encourage you to give to the organization that you trust and continue to research more on ways that you can be involved.
Some of you may be thinking, “I’d love to give but I don’t have very much to give.” That’s alright! Every small bit helps. And if you’re up for the challenge, work together with your family, Sunday School class or group of friends to come up with fundraisers and ways to raise money outside of your own pocketbooks. There are lots of people that are looking for a way to be a part of the solution and you may be surprised with how many people respond if you just ask.
In closing, I’d like to assure you that in the future there will be other ways that you can help the people and nation of Haiti. Unfortunately, it will take years for there to be healing and eventually restoration. My hope is that we’d be in it for the long haul. Eventually it will be time to send materials, letters of encouragement and hope, short-term teams and perhaps even long-term missionaries. That time is coming. Please be praying for what your role should be in all of this. And in the meantime, continue to be on your knees for our Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this. I hope that something tweaked your interest and you've decided on a way that you can practically respond to the gigantic need in Haiti.
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